Review: ‘Best gig ever’ Self Esteem’s triumphant South Yorkshire homecoming

I am obsessed with music. I’ve seen plenty of impressive musicians perform at intimate gigs, huge sold-out stadium concerts and massive festivals but nothing compared to Self Esteem at Sheffield’s 2,100-capacity O2 Academy.

It was a profound party packed with witty, honest, relatable, patriarchy-smashing anthems and beats you can’t help but dance to.

I already know it was one of those moments in life I’ll look back on ecstatically telling anyone who will listen, "remember when Self Esteem played the O2?" as if retelling a legendary tale.

Having achieved what Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem, described as “everything she ever wanted” in the past couple of years in a recent podcast for her favourite show Taskmaster it must be somewhat surreal coming home to play.

Accolades - including winning BBC Introducing artist of the year and nominations for Mercury Prize album of the year and Brit Awards - stacked up since she left Sheffield indie duo Slow Club in 2017, which must seem like a lifetime ago now.

Becky from South Yorkshire is now a pop superstar soaring through the stratosphere but she is proud of her roots.

Born in Rotherham and raised in Sheffield, the local lass dreamed of being on the video wall in Meadowhall’s Oasis food court. She wore an outfit inspired by the shopping centre at Glastonbury, featuring a silicone bra with cups replicating the two glass domes of the mall’s roof and a cape embroidered with its outline. A lifelong Wednesdayite, she has performed in Sheffield Wednesday football shirts and even had a dress made from Ozzie the Owl’s offcuts.

Between songs, she spotted her music teacher at the front, saying “I can’t believe you’re here” and said she’d see her backstage for a cuddle after. In another touching moment, she shouted to her family on the balcony and the crowd joined in as she sang happy birthday to her dad, who hails from Hillsborough and was a steelworker.

To thundering drums you could feel through the floor, Self Esteem and her troupe of three singer-dancers strutted on stage and soared into action with the electric ‘Prioritise Pleasure’. The party was on.

The music, dancing and three outfit changes - featuring a cowboy hat nodding to the album cover, red balaclavas and broad-shoulder suits - were entrancing. She also wore a gold broach that read '97 per cent' - the number of women who have experienced sexual harassment.

She rocked every song on the set list, which included almost all of the latest album Prioritise Pleasure and some new bangers 'Mother' and 'Love Second'.

The world stopped when she stood on a darkened stage, just her and her guitar, and played John Elton, a melancholic song about people moving on. A few bars in she paused and said: “Can you be quiet, please? It’s my feelings.” Then restarted after laughter from the audience.

She saved some favourites for the end, ‘You Forever’ and smash-hit ‘I Do This All The Time’.

Among the adoring crowd was a couple wearing t-shirts inspired by lyrics in ‘I Do This All The Time’ that said: “‘Getting married isn’t the biggest day of your life’ but going to a Self Esteem show on our first wedding anniversary obviously is!” Taylor took one on stage as everyone beamed back.

Hysterical applause followed every song, sometimes seeming as if it would go on forever.

The venue shook as the crowd stomped on the floor for more until Self Esteem made her encore.

It felt uniquely special being there, experiencing a stadium-filling performance in an intimate venue.

Self Esteem and the squad danced off stage to 'This Is My Life' by Shirley Bassey and the audience watched what looked like a group of friends having the time of their lives together then continued the party with their own friends long after they left - dancing until the last beat.

I’d never seen anything like it at any gig before. It was "Some F***ing Wizardry".

Anyone with their hands on a ticket for the second Sheffield gig next week, and any stops on ‘I Tour This All The Time’, is in for a treat.

Support:

Tom Rasmussen

Denise Chaila

Full Self Esteem setlist:

Prioritise Pleasure

Fucking Wizardry

Moody

Just Kids

Mother

How Can I Help You

Love Second

Girl Crush

John Elton

The 345

You Forever

I Do This All The Time

Encore:

I’m Fine

The Best

Still Reigning