A ROLE MODEL PERFECT FOR LEEDS
Article written Cal Williams
Role Model made a return to the UK, bringing his No Place Like Tour (The Longest Goodbye) to a packed O2 Academy in Leeds on Saturday night. After touring Europe last year, he told the crowd he had to come back especially after releasing the deluxe version of his album, which included four new songs. “I couldn’t not play them for you guys,” he said. The night kicked off with “Writings on the Wall,” immediately setting the tone for what would be an exciting show. From the first note, the audience’s energy was through the roof — fans sang so loudly it was sometimes hard to hear Role Model himself. The love for him in that room was undeniable.
At one point, a fan handed him a cowboy hat, and the entire room started chanting for him to put it on. He laughed, played along, and it turned into this lighthearted moment that showed how relaxed and playful he is with his fans.
Later, he surprised everyone with a cover of The 1975’s “Somebody Else,” a perfect fit for his style and a clear hit with the audience, who sang every word back to him.
A standout moment of the night for me came courtesy of an unexpected detail bubbles. A fan had been blowing them throughout the show, it was such a small thing, but it somehow added a dreamy, almost cinematic feeling to the show. Watching the bubbles drift across the stage lights while he sang felt kind of magical a perfect reflection of how his music makes people feel.
While the setlist leaned heavily on songs from the new album, he still treated long-time fans to an older favourite, “Blind” from his Our Little Angel EP.
As the night drew to a close, you could feel the anticipation in the air for “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.” When he finally started playing it, the reaction was immediate the loudest cheers of the night, hands in the air, and every lyric shouted word for word. In one of the most memorable moments, he pulled a fan on stage to be “Sally” and the two of them danced and sang as the crowd went wild. It was one of those moments that perfectly captured what a Role Model show is all about: connection, fun, and pure joy.
Overall, the whole night was filled with singing, dancing, good vibes and so much happiness. You could really feel the connection between Role Model and the crowd like he wasn’t just performing to us, but with us. It’s easy to see why so many people call him one of their favourite artists right now. Leeds definitely showed up for him, and he gave us a night we won’t forget.
