LIVE FROM THE PIT: Lølø, Ella Red and Dawson Gamble

Rolling into Manchester for the highly anticipated God Forbid A Girl Goes On Tour, the night promised huge energy from three artists all bringing something completely different to the stage.

Opening the night was Canadian indie-pop artist DAWSON GAMBLE, performing a more intimate solo set without the full band behind him. Even stripped back, his mix of catchy melodies, emotional vocals and guitar-driven indie pop instantly grabbed the crowd’s attention. By the final song, the entire room was chanting back at him, proving he’s quickly becoming a rising force in the scene.

Next up was ELLA RED, who completely transformed the atmosphere the second she stepped on stage. Dressed in a ballerina-inspired outfit, she danced effortlessly across the stage while commanding the crowd from start to finish. By only the second song, the audience were already singing along, and every time she told the crowd to scream, dance and party, the room answered with huge cheers. One of the standout moments came when she jumped onto the barrier to dance with fans mid-set, making the whole performance feel chaotic in the best possible way. Her second-to-last song had the entire venue singing together and perfectly warmed the crowd up for what was coming next.

Then came the main event everyone had been waiting for – LØLØ. With her new album only dropping a few weeks ago, most fans barely had time to learn the lyrics before hearing them live. Somehow, that didn’t matter at all. From the second the journal-style intro rolled into The Devil Wears Converse, the crowd screamed every word back like the songs had been out for years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJjqnXhLeM0

What followed was pure unadulterated fun. The Floor Is Lava and Debbie Downer sent the Manchester crowd into overdrive, once again proving why the city has one of the best live atmospheres around. During Debbie Downer, LØLØ brought a fan on stage to sing with her and crowned her with a “Debbie Downer” banner and pom-poms were thrown into the audience so everyone could dance along.

The highlight songs of the night were Faceplant and u turn me on (but u give me depression). The energy in the room hit another level during both tracks, with the crowd louder and more chaotic than at any other point in the set. One of the most memorable moments of the night came during the acoustic section. LØLØ returned to the journal theme, writing in it on stage with it being announced over the music before dropping it dramatically and disappearing offstage briefly before coming back out for a more emotional run of songs.

Between songs, LØLØ constantly interacted with the audience, which made the whole show feel incredibly personal. At one point she joked that Manchester had “taken her toastie virginity”, which immediately led to someone in the crowd shouting asking whether she’d had one that day. Laughing, she admitted she hadn’t because her usual place was too far from the venue, which earned a wave of playful booing from the crowd. Moments like that made the night feel less like a polished arena-style performance and more like hanging out with a friend who just happened to be putting on an incredible show. 

Whether it was the crowd booing the sound team for not letting her play both Hurt Less and Lonely & Pathetic as they didn't have the time to play both, or the sea of phone lights during Lobotomy & u, every moment felt personal. That’s what makes a LØLØ show stand out — it feels less like a concert and more like a giant therapy session where every single person in the room is part of it.

Closing the night with Hot Girls in Hell was the perfect ending. It was easily the loudest song of the night and sent the crowd out on an absolute high.

Words: Jack Norris

Photos: Nicola Small