LAUREN SPENCER SMITH | LIVE REVIEW | NEWCASTLE

Lauren Spencer Smith–Newcastle October 10th 2025

“I truly have no critiques on this show, it was perfection! 5 STARS!”

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Tiktok sensation and renowned singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith brought her “The Art of Being a Mess” Tour to Newcastle’s O2 City Hall on October 10th for an emotional and unforgettable performance. Fans were queuing outside from around 10am, fighting for a good spot to see their favourite sad-girl popstar up close and personal. Joined by upcoming stars Conor Burns and Henry Moodie, this was certainly going to be a night to remember.

The night beganwith US-based alt-pop musician Conor Burns, who delivered a fast-paced, slightly rock-infused performance packed with high energy, weird dance moves,and fantastic vocals. Having opened for LANY and various other bands in the US, I had a feeling his performance would be a good one and he certainly did not disappoint.

A particular highlight of his set was the last song where he jumped down to the crowd, held hands with some people and jumped into the crowd to “mosh” with the fans. I wasn’t sure how his music would fit into this concert with Lauren and Henry both being pop singers with songs about heartbreak, but when I look back to Lauren’s last tour, she had Blake Rose open and he didn’t fit in very well either, but his performance was fantastic!

In my opinion, Conor was not the best fit for this show because the transitionfrom his set to Henry’s was abrupt and jarring, but at the end of the day, it demonstrates that there was something for everyone.

Next up was TikTok sensation Henry Moodie, who also opened for Lauren on her 2023 “Mirror” tour. He grabbed the audience from the moment he walked onto the stage, accompanied by his guitarist/keyboardist, Arianna Reddi.

Kicking off his concert withthe fan favourite “you were there for me,” fans clung on every word,singing alongside him with big smiles on their faces. This appeared like a one-of-a-kind opportunity, especially since he opened the previous tour, since those who missed it could see Henry and Lauren’s 1-2 punch, while those who saw it before were able to see both of their musical and performance development.

Halfway through his concert, he announced that his debut album will be out shortly and performed the title tune “Mood Swings,” and the audience was immediately captivated! I even saw some folks go to their Spotify accounts and save the music as he was singing it! But then it was time for the moment everybody was waiting for, Lauren is here!

Her stage design was eye-catching and innovative, with an interactive phone function thatbrought a fresh twist to the event Lauren’s introduction was quite amazing, with her silhouette gleaming through the glass of the “bus stop” prop. Stepping onto the stage under intense red lights, she began the “anger” segment of her show with one of my favourite tunes on the record, “IF KARMA DOESN’T GET YOU (I WILL),” followed by “Lighting the Flame” and “28”.

Lauren delivered every word with passion, her voice piercing through the audience with clarity and purpose. While her music typically centres around vulnerability, these early tunes revealed her strength-not only as avoice, but also as a lyricist who understands how to turn fury into something healing and uplifting. The audience was immediately enthralled, yelling back every single phrase, fists in the air, matching her fervour beat for beat.

It was an explosive opening, reminding everyone in the room that despair can be as powerful as love. Her vocals were phenomenal right from the get-go, even though she previously stated on social media that she was losing her voice and feeling unwell.

Shortly after, she teased the audience with the beginning of “WORSE”, before the phone rang and sheswitched to “BRIDESMAID”. One of my personal highlightsfrom this section was Lauren’s performance of ‘Parallel Universe’, which was easilyone of the most impressive vocal performances I’d ever heard from her; I got full bodychills as soon as she started screaming the bridge.

Lauren then went on to a more emotional section of the concert, performing ‘Small’,’ Looking Up’, and ‘Friends Don’t’. Throughout these songs, fans cried together. This section also featured some of Lauren’s biggest songs, such as ‘That Part’ and ‘Flowers’.

To say Lauren’s fans are devoted is an understatement. These crowds are extremely loud; every single lyric was screamed back at her, to the point where my ears were ringing after leaving the show even with my earplugs in. Northern crowds are always amazing, but I had forgotten just how committed Laurens fans are.

The next portion included a very fun and interactive aspect of the concert, in which a fan is summoned on stage each night to spin a wheel and choose a surprise cover. The choices included ‘Perfect’ by One Direction, ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ by Kelly Clarkson, ‘The Climb’ by Miley Cyrus, and ‘Always Remember Us This Way’ by Lady Gaga. Newcastle picked the latter, and what a show! Lauren’s vocals really shone through; she is a powerhouse, and I believe she has one of the greatest voices of any female singer in the industry currently. I am constantly amazed when I remember just how young she is.

Then followed another memorable segment of the show. Remember how I stated she teased the crowd earlier in the show with “WORSE”? Now it was time for the actual performance, and it did not disappoint. This is arguably the most vocally demanding track on her album with numerous build ups, insane high notes and modulations, yet Lauren sounded amazing despite being unwell. The high notes were breathtaking everyone in the audience got shivers, and my jaw dropped to the floor as soon as we hit the second chorus Lauren returned to the stage after a brief encore to perform the song everyone was waiting for, “fingers crossed”. This was undoubtedly the loudest moment of the night, demonstrating how much her followers love this song. This was the tune that everybody found her from, and it was so evident.

The final track of the night was“sticks and stones”, a track jam packed with powerful vocals, a punchy drum backing and one of everybodys favs on the album, especially the strong chorus.

Unfortunately, the night was not without its obstacles, as the play was repeatedly interrupted owing to audience members passing out. This has been an issue at practically every single event on this tour thus far, and it is genuinely terrible, but it demonstrates the importance of people looking after one another by dishing out water and eating properly before attending performances. You can queue all day if you want but remember to eat properly and be safe.

Lauren was on top of this all night, her fans are the most important thing to her, and she certainly wasn’t going to allow anybody to be unwell at her show. Encouraging fans to get fresh air and pass out water, it was so heartwarming to see an artist care so much about the wellbeing of the crowd.

In conclusion, Lauren Spencer Smith’s show at O2 City Hall wasn’t just a performance, it was a true emotional rollercoaster. She had the crowd in the palm of her hand, fans of all ages in tears and screaming their lungs out and even had security looking her way during her super high notes. By the end of the night, it was clear that her place in the pop scene is cemented. In my opinion she’ll easily be in bigger venues soon, if not this time next year.