Letters Tour

The Letters Tour was the debut concert tour by Matt Cardle in support of his debut solo album. It included 23 dates across the UK and Ireland in early 2012. The tour sold out [1] causing an extra date to be added. It received largely positive reviews.

Letters Tour
Tour by Matt Cardle
Associated albumLetters
Start dateFebruary 28, 2012
End dateMarch 29, 2012
No. of shows23
Matt Cardle concert chronology

Background

The tour was announced on 24 October 2011[2] with tickets on general sale on 28 October. A second date in Dublin was added due to the first selling out. The tour began on 28 February 2012 in Wales. He performed all of the album tracks on the first two shows, as well as "Run For Your Life" B-side "Lost & Found". On the third show into the tour he took "Reflections" out of the set list and added a cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face",[3] a song which he'd received high praise for on The X Factor.[4]

As well as playing acoustic and electric guitar himself, Cardle had a live band backing him, the same band he plays with for promotional appearances and gigs. They are Remy Mallett on bass, Lorenzo De Feo on lead guitar, pianist Paul Bullen and Tom Peters on drums. The support act on the tour was Kyle Parry on the first two dates and Roxanne Emery thereafter.

Reception

The tour received largely positive reviews. Becca Longmire from Entertainment Wise said "Cardle’s voice is amazing, a real natural talent" and "few people seem to be able to portray such emotion through their music, but with Matt it just seemed natural."[5] Amy Senior of Mancunian Matters said "His voice is faultless and his guitar skills more than just a stage novelty and yet unlike most talent show finalists his presence is down to earth and unrehearsed."[6] Lucy Needham of Retford Today said "Matt shows off his impressive vocal range as he skips between notes with incredible ease."[7] Fraser Wilson from the Nottingham Post said "time dragged during the opening section of his 70-minute show" but "the singer turned things around in style with a handful of pitch-perfect ballads...you could truly understand why so many people picked up their phones and voted for him."[8]

Daniel Cairns from AAA Music wrote "everyone is shown that he has more to offer than just being an X Factor winner."[9] Backstage Pass said he "shows his lack of natural confidence between songs but tonight is about music and music alone. His songs are powerful - his impeccable voice could stand alongside anyone and not be embarrassed."[10] Jackie Davies of South Wales Argus said "his ballads sit equally well alongside the more upbeat, rock inspired numbers" and "he is a natural and affable performer."[11]

Setlist
  1. Stars & Lovers
  2. Amazing
  3. Letters
  4. Walking On Water
  5. Slowly
  6. Faithless
  7. Lost & Found
  8. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Replaced Reflections on the third show)
  9. Beat Of A Breaking Heart
  10. All For Nothing
  11. Pull Me Under
  12. Starlight

Encore:

  1. When We Collide
  2. Run For Your Life

Tour dates
Date City Country Venue
February 28, 2012 Rhyl Wales Rhyl Pavilion
February 29, 2012
March 1, 2012 York England York Barbican
March 3, 2012 Cambridge Cambridge Corn Exchange
March 4, 2012 Oxford Apollo New Theatre
March 5, 2012 Birmingham Symphony Hall
March 7, 2012 Nottingham Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
March 8, 2012 Bournemouth O2 Academy Bournemouth
March 10, 2012 Swindon Oasis
March 11, 2012 Portsmouth Portsmouth Guildhall
March 12, 2012 Southend Cliffs Pavilion
March 14, 2012 Liverpool Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
March 15, 2012 Glasgow Scotland O2 Academy Glasgow
March 16, 2012 Newcastle England Newcastle City Hall
March 18, 2012 Belfast Northern Ireland Waterfront Hall
March 19, 2012 Dublin Ireland Olympia
March 20, 2012
March 22, 2012 Manchester England O2 Apollo Manchester
March 24, 2012 Cardiff Wales St David's Hall
March 25, 2012 Bristol England Colston Hall
March 26, 2012 Plymouth Plymouth Pavilions
March 28, 2012 Brighton Brighton Dome
March 29, 2012 London Hammersmith Apollo

References
  1. "MATT CARDLE ANNOUNCES UNPLUGGED TOUR". Female First. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  2. "X Factor winner Matt Cardle announces first solo tour". BBC. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  3. "Matt Cardle Setlist". Setlist.fm. 1 March 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_wOnVbDtdg
  5. "Review: Matt Cardle Live at the Hammersmith Apollo, London". Entertainment Wise. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  6. "Review: Matt Cardle @ O2 Apollo Manchester – March 22". Mancunian Matters. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  7. "Review: Matt Cardle live at the Royal Centre, Nottingham". Retford Today. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  8. "Review: Matt Cardle, Royal Concert Hall, by Fraser Wilson". This Is Nottingham. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  9. "Matt Cardle @ New Theatre". AAA Music. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  10. "Review: Matt Cardle - York Barbican". Backstage Pass. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  11. "Matt Cardle, St David's Hall". South Wales Argus. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
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