Seeing Gabrielle perform at Derby Summer Sessions was like taking a trip down memory lane
The concert featured a host of talented musicians, some household names, some new, that are just begging to be discovered
I never thought I would say ‘Sir Tom Jones’ and ‘Derby’ in the same sentence, but the ground-breaking Derby Summer Sessions concert changed that.
The three-day long event spanning one cool weekend saw people travel across the country to visit Derby from July 12 - 14, 2024.
As I waited in the queue for Saturday’s concert, I got talking to fellow attendees.
People had travelled into Derby from Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Burton-on-Trent.
I am going to ignore various negative coverage from national newspapers for now, and say that Derby has tonnes going for it.
The city has a flourishing live entertainment scene courtesy of the good guys at Dubrek Studios, The Indie Night, Will Bailey, James Thornhill et al (sorry if I’ve missed anyone out, feel free to DM me.)
Sometimes, we need a reminder of all the great talent that is already on our doorstep, and who I think are paving the way for other artists to perform in Derby by creating a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Derby Summer Sessions saw a plethora of world class talent grace the stage at Markeaton Park.
Read more: What's On in Derby?
Music royalty from Sir Tom Jones and Gabrielle, to Rick Astley, Madness and Lightning Seeds were given a rapturous welcome by crowds across three days.
It’s been a while since I’ve attended a concert, and this one did not disappoint.
It felt good to see artists still rocking it decades after their first hit.
The mind-blowing vocals of Sir Tom Jones were off the charts.
He kept the crowd engaged, entertained and no doubt caused many - myself included - to fall in love with his powerhouse voice.
I took a trip down memory lane with Gabrielle’s retro hits including Sunshine and Dreams.
Dreams transported me back in time to my college days.
I felt grateful for being able to listen to awesome live performances which I somehow missed the first time around.
A special shoutout to Gabrielle’s backing singers, who kept the show alive and kicking during a brief interval. They really got the crowd going with their upbeat rendition of classics including Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
I wish the weather could have been warmer, but this could pretty much be my daily mantra.
There were so many highlights from the night, one was Kezia Gill’s performance.
Prior to writing about Derby Summer Sessions, I had never heard of Kezia.
The Midlands born songstress has a unique sound thanks to her influences of rock, blues, folk, country and Irish music.
After the concert I wound up Googling songs by all the artists who had performed on the day.
I now have a new playlist with top tunes from Kezia Gill, Tom Jones, Gabrielle, and The Selecter.
And that is the beauty of going to concerts with an eclectic line-up. Music fans can appreciate old classics and current tunes.
Music fans can also discover new talent and songs that may not be their usual go-to music choices.
Following the success of this year’s debut event, Derby Summer Sessions have already teased a 2025 event. I’m not one to wish time away, but on this occasion I’ll make an exception.
Derby Summer Sessions, we look forward to welcoming you to Derby again next year.