Live Wired [Review]: Ellie Goulding

posted in: Pop • Reviews & Playlists

Ellie Goulding has had a huge year, and it’s only August. A 24-year-old pop singer from England, she has been getting more attention in the US recently. She was selected by Prince William and Kate Middleton as the only live musician at possibly the biggest event of the year: the royal wedding reception in April. A week later, Goulding was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. She toured the US for the first time earlier this year, playing smaller venues. She’s back on tour, and on July 27th in Boston played an even bigger venue during her second time in the states. The sold out crowd was loud and ready for a great night of live music.

Bag Raiders, a house duo from Australia made up of Chris Stracey and Jack Glass, started the show off as the tour’s only opener. They pumped up the already-packed house and got everyone dancing. They closed with one of their bigger songs, “Shooting Star,” leaving fans in excited anticipation for Ellie to begin.

When you listen to Ellie Goulding’s music, it’s easy to get hooked right away. Yes, she has a pretty voice. But most of her songs also feature catchy beats. Her live show really illustrated what a talented artist she is. Throughout the entire show, Goulding was dancing around the stage, showing off her incredible vocals and playing a couple of different instruments. She had the crowd interacting the whole time and was having as much fun as the audience.

The setlist illustrated Goulding’s versatility and did a great job of throwing together sing-along and dance songs. There were definitely a few numbers that stood out. Any song that featured Goulding playing the drums was a blast to watch. She had a trap kit at the front of the stage next to her microphone, as well as an acoustic guitar. The guitar served as the main component of her beautiful acoustic rendition of “Wish I Stayed.” It was sad and stripped-down, as she explained the song was written about a time when she really missed her home. Later, to a large round of applause and cheers, she introduced one of her cover songs: A quiet piano version of Elton John’s “Your Song.” The crowd sang every word at the top of their lungs.

 

After the set, Goudling and her band came back for a two song, high-energy encore. They first played “Your Biggest Mistake,” a piano-filled pop song that leads up to a great chorus everyone can sing. They ended with their often-remixed, biggest hit “Starry Eyed.” The crowd was at their liveliest and so was Goulding, finishing the night with everyone dancing as she belted out the last note of the song.

Check out the dates for the rest of Ellie Goulding’s tour with Bag Raiders!