LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: INSIDE LEWIS CAPALDI’S FULLY ACCESSIBLE CONCERT AT THE O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON 28/07/26
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi has teamed up with Carers Trust and disability awareness charity Able2UK to stage a fully accessible, special concert on July 28 at North London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town. The announcement came with the release of the official music video for Capaldi’s latest single ‘Stay Love‘, a special addition to the deluxe edition of his Survive EP. The video offers a glimpse into a young man’s day as he cares for his aging father. Watch the video HERE.
The night opened with Dermot Henry, who delivered quiet, heartfelt music reminiscent of Capaldi’s own style. For Henry, the show came with several firsts: it was his first time performing with a balcony and his first time sharing the stage with an interpreter. O2 Forum Kentish Town had been transformed into a fully accessible venue for the evening. The front rows were filled with wheelchair users and seated audience members, while everyone else stood a few meters back – an unusual but heartwarming sight that gave wheelchair users the chance to be at the front for once. Children arrived with posters and many people were holding paper hearts that read ‘‘Thanks for seeing us“.
A Calm Zone was also set up upstairs on the balcony, earplugs and sensory maps were provided, and ramps were installed to make movement around the venue easier. Henry spoke about how special the show felt and how heartwarming it was for him to be involved in such a cause. ‘‘Thanks for having me“ he said after his set. Not only was the venue made fully accessible, but so was the photo pit. That night, priority was given to disabled and neurodivergent photographers, even making it possible for photographers in wheelchairs to shoot the event and follow their passion.
After Henry’s set, a video was shown on screen by Carers Trust, revolving around the importance of carers. ‘‘What does a carer mean to you?“ was one of the questions in the video. One woman spoke about her carer and friend Wendy, talking about how they go to shows together and how Wendy helps her with ticket purchases, identifying merchandise and getting to the event. Another person in the video said ‘‘My carer talks for me when I couldn’t, when I wasn’t able to get my point across“. It was heartwarming to see people speak about their carers and realize how much they mean to them. ‘‘Carers are amazing people. They don’t get enough acknowledgment for the things they do. Without her I don‘t know where I would be now“ one woman said. After the video, several short messages from famous figures were shown on screen. People such as Mark Wahlberg, Jeff Goldblum, Greg Davies, Nile Rodgers and many others spoke about the importance of carers, wished everyone a beautiful night and thanked all caregivers. ‘‘God bless you“ Wahlberg said in his clip, while Goldblum added ‘‘Sorry I can‘t be there tonight“.
Afterwards, a representative from Carers Trust stepped on stage to talk about the importance of the evening. ‘‘Carers get a night that is about music and joy and being together“ she said. She explained that Carers Trust works hard to make sure carers are not forgotten and that their experiences are heard. ‘‘Tonight is a chance to pause, to breathe, to sing, to laugh and to feel, to be part of something shared because every carer should be seen and heard“ she continued. ‘‘Thanks to Lewis Capaldi, hundreds of carers have the chance to enjoy a beautiful night out tonight“ she said ‘‘To every carer here tonight, we see you, we thank you and we hope tonight gives you something back“.
Howard Thorne, founder of Able2UK, then stepped on stage to speak about the event and share how excited he was to be part of it. ‘‘Live music should be accessible for everyone“ he said, explaining that Able2UK‘s mission is to improve access at festivals and venues. ‘‘Everyone here will need care at some point in their life. Imagine a world without care“ he said.
Then it was time for Lewis Capaldi. The singer lives with Tourette’s syndrome, which has significantly affected his live performances and was part of the reason for his touring hiatus in 2023. Capaldi was met with loud applause. ‘‘It’s nice to be doing stuff like this. Thank you for being here“ he said. He opened his set with ‘Hollywood‘ and performed hits such as ‘Survive‘ and ‘Someone You Loved‘. When a fan shouted ‘‘I love you, Lewis“ he playfully replied ‘‘I love you too…as much as you can love a stranger“.
Capaldi also spoke about how grateful he was that people were still coming out to see him nine years after the release of his first single ‘Bruises‘ before performing the song. ‘‘Thanks for coming back still“ he said. One especially touching moment came when he sang ‘Pointless‘, a song that felt particularly meaningful in a venue filled with disabled people and their carers, who support each other so deeply. ‘‘Of all the dreams I'm chasing, there's only one I choose. Everything is pointless without you“ Capaldi sings in the song.
Before performing ‘The Day I Die‘ Capaldi reflected on his 2023 hiatus: ‘‘A couple years ago I had to take a break because mentally I wasn’t doing the best. It was a difficult time but I’m feeling better now“ he said, earning loud applause before adding ‘‘It’s been nice to play live again and I’m really enjoying myself“.
The atmosphere in the room was beautiful and you could feel how happy and grateful everyone was that an event like this had been made possible. ‘‘It’s a real privilege to be doing this. Thank you for being here“ Capaldi said. Between songs, he was his usual playful self, despite music that is often emotional enough to bring people to tears. He told the crowd that after the summer he would go away to make a new album before adding ‘‘When I finish that, hopefully I can do something like this again“. It was clear how much the event meant to Capaldi, as well as to every audience member that night.
As Capaldi left the stage, the sense of gratitude in the room was impossible to miss. Lewis Capaldi had not only delivered a powerful performance but also helped create a space where carers, disabled fans and photographers could all feel seen and valued. What remains is more than just the memory of a concert but a reminder of how music can bring people together in the most meaningful ways, the importance of making live music accessible for everyone and the hope that more events like this will follow in years to come.
Words and photos by Nadine Goetz
