Andrew packed out Mercury Lounge on July 31, mere hours before he had a flight booked back to the UK for a rest before heading out for more shows and festivals across Europe. Look, I don’t say this lightly, but this was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Flanked by keys player and self-proclaimed “registered caregiver for [Andrew]” Rich Smedley, the duo played acoustic versions of fan favorites as well as some songs that didn’t make the cut for his support setlist on tour.
A lot of the crowd found Andrew through Louis’s tour, and as a few pointed out at the show, “Louies are loyal. Once you have us, you have us.” The energy in the room was tangible. The crowd was full of people from all over the country who chose to spend their night here, with Andrew. We even got a crowd appearance from some members of Toon Army NYC – a New York group of Newcastle United supporters – for a little hometown pride.
While obviously it was super special to hear a crowd of people sing every word of every song back to Andrew, there was one part of the night that gave me instant chills. Two fans created a special fan project, handing out pieces of hand cut papers to every person in the room before the show to hold up at the same time. The papers said “This is your time,” a play on the lyrics “You’ll find your time” in the chorus of” You’ll Be Free.” Andrew (and let’s be real, everyone in the room too) was visibly moved by the sight of everyone holding up these signs. Such a special moment.
After “leaving” stage, Andrew came back out for an encore. He played his newest release, “Wor Flags,” just two days before it was released – not that you’d be able to tell since the fans knew every single word. But then, to end the show (for real this time), Andrew threw us all for a loop.
“I wrote this song yesterday morning.”
Andrew’s songwriting is so incredibly poignant, and combined with his stunning vocals, we never stood a chance. The crowd was in a flood of emotions as he sang lyrics like “So tell my mom, I’m coming home / If only a day, she said it’s all okay.” Knowing everything he’s done lately, his career is just taking off. There was an overwhelming sense of pride in the room whether you were an OG Andrew fan, found him from touring with Louis, or just stopped in after walking past the venue – everyone could see just how special Andrew Cushin is.
While I personally am a bit jealous he’s spending some (well-deserved) time back near his home in the UK, us Americans won’t be deprived for long. Andrew has a new album, Waiting for the Rain, out on September 29th of this year, and I cannot wait. Not only that, but he’ll be back in the States next year with his full band to tour! Trust me when I say I’ll be one of the first to buy tickets. You don’t want to miss your chance to see him live.
For you lucky Europeans, Andrew’s hitting the road again to support Louis Tomlinson on the European leg of his tour for almost a month starting at the end of August after jumping on a couple festival bills this summer. To close out 2023, he’s heading out on a UK/Ireland headlining run. It’s a busy year for Andrew Cushin, but it’s just the beginning. And I can’t wait to see him absolutely thrive.