Sam Fender’s London Stadium Show Launches U.K.’s Summer of Music: 5 Best Moments

Fender was undeterred by what people want him to play, staying true to the songs he feels the set deserves. To drop in two lesser-known B-sides — “Howdon Aldi Death Queue” and “Tyrants” — from his second and third albums, respectively, is hubristic but justified. The former was a wry look at the daftness of COVID-era Britain, while the latter “should have been on” People Watching he told the crowd, a reminder of the stark quality of that record that this could be left off, or a cheeky warning to label execs that he knows best.

When Fender last toured the U.K. in December 2024, he gave fans the first taste of People Watching months ahead of release. Six months later, he’s still rolling out tracks from the LP and switching up the setlist with “Rein Me In” earning a live debut in the biggest of settings. Even better, the performance of this song was elevated by rising British star Olivia Dean who played on the bill earlier in the day. Her rich vocals sidled up to Fender’s, creating a sumptuous moment in an otherwise rowdy show.

Rock anthems in the 21st century have been hard to come by, but 2021’s “Seventeen Going Under” is a rare exception and has embedded itself into British culture. The song reflects on Fender’s upbringing in a macho environment, but also trying to support his mother as she suffered at the cruel hands of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) who withheld vital benefits. It’s pure Springsteen, but also a story distinctly his own.

People Watching ends with Fender’s most tender song, “Remember My Name,” a homage to his late grandparents and the simplicity of their love and life together. The track features a brass band from the North East, a nod to the city’s mining community, and during its tour debut The Easington Colliery Brass Band joined Fender on stage for a gorgeous moment of understated grandeur and tradition. There was nary a dry eye in the house.

Before playing his final track “Hypersonic Missiles,” which references the “kids in Gaza” being “bombed,” Fender spoke directly to the crowd, saying, “It breaks my heart that it’s more relevant now than it was then,” when he released the song in 2019. He called for a “free Palestine” and called for a stop to the “ethnic genocide,” encouraging fans to donate to and engage with the work of Doctors Without Borders who will join him throughout his summer tour.