After six long months of anticipation from fans, James Bay finally made it to the Coca-Cola Roxy theater in Atlanta on March 6. Bay had initially been scheduled to kick off his Electric Light Tour in September, but the tour, much to the dismay of fans, was delayed until the spring. When Bay arrived at The Battery Atlanta, he was greeted by hundreds of fans swarming the venue, each donning heavy winter coats as they awaited entry to the theater.
A 28-year-old native of Hertfordshire, England, Bay is best-known for “Hold Back the River,” “Let It Go” and a distinct sound that seamlessly combines indie rock, soul and pop. Bay did not disappoint in concert, performing both old favorites and new hits and dazzling the audience with his extraordinary guitar skills and contagious energy.
Bay took to the stage with a performance of “Pink Lemonade,” his second single off of “Electric Light,” his latest album, released in May 2018. With only a few lyrics, the rest of the audience and I were immediately captivated by Bay’s incredible guitar playing. Everyone sang along and held their phones high as he performed older songs, such as “Craving” and “If You Ever Want to be in Love,” eager to capture photos and videos of Bay, who was dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt.
Bay interacted with the audience throughout his set, encouraging everyone to sing and clap as he played guitar.
“I thank you all eternally for being here,” he said, acknowledging his earlier postponement of the tour and his excitement at finally being able to perform in Atlanta.
Bay continued his set with “Peer Pressure,” his single featuring Julia Michaels that was released just a few weeks ago. While Michaels did not make an appearance at the concert, Bay carried out the song flawlessly before performing an emotional rendition of “Move Together.”
Bay followed up with “Let It Go,” his hit single that peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s “Hot 100” in 2016. Audience members nearly drowned out Bay’s voice as they sang along, waving their phones in the air as they belted out the lyrics — a truly mesmerizing and unforgettable moment. Bay noticed as well, halting his singing at one point to listen to the collective voices in the audience.
Bay has garnered numerous musical accolades, including three Grammy nominations and the 2016 Brit Award for “British Male Solo Artist.” His single “Hold Back the River” was certified double platinum in the United Kingdom and gold in the United States. Although Bay did not perform this highly-renowned hit, he did throw in other notable songs for true fans, like “When We Were on Fire” and “Scars.” At the end of the show, Bay assured the audience he would be coming back to Atlanta, much to the elation of fans.
Noah Kahan, best known for his 2018 hit “Hurt Somebody” also featuring Julia Michaels, performed the opening set at the concert. Kahan was quick to charm the audience with his humble disposition, commenting that the crowd was twice the size of his hometown. His set was riveting, heightening the energy in the room prior to Bay’s performance.
Bay’s performance in Atlanta was invigorating and entertaining, filled with endless excitement and enthusiasm. His voice live sounded nearly identical to that of his studio-recorded albums, yet Bay has a knack for adding his own artistic spin on songs when performing live — his voice is powerful and authentic, a testament to his incredible musical ability. Bay’s voice and songs may not be “mainstream,” but they are powerful and memorable, and his musical abilities are a far stretch ahead of many of today’s artists, whose sets are filled with autotune and artificial flair. With an exhilarating and memorable performance, Bay warmed up the Atlanta audience on an otherwise cold March evening and proved that pure, unadulterated talent will always remain a hit.
Becca Moszka (21C) is from Boston, Massachusetts, majoring in English and political science. Outside of the Wheel, she is a member of the Emory Crew team and writes for Her Campus Media. In her free time, she likes to read, go on runs and make rather creative Spotify playlists. Contact Moszka at becca.moszka@emory.edu.
