Sweat, Soul & Intimacy: Tom Grennan’s Scorching Performance at Hull’s Welly Club

In an era of algorithm-driven pop and soulless arena spectacles, Tom Grennan chose sweat over slickness for his Hull album launch. On 8th August, the Bedford-born powerhouse traded stadium spotlights for the low ceilings of The Welly Club - a 1,200-capacity Hull institution with many years of rock ‘n’ roll history.

Promising an "old school gig," Grennan delivered a primal, transcendent night where temperatures soared past 30°C. With temperatures high enough to melt the vinyl at the merch stand, one fan dramatically collapsed in the heat. Not to worry, however - Tom paused the gig and launched a blessed bottle of water into the crowd.

With many larger venues available in Hull, The Welly wasn’t just a backdrop; it was Grennan’s deliberate return to "the pubs and clubs" where his career began. Tucked away on Beverley Road, this legendary hub—with its sticky floors and "Pub in a Club" annex—hosted Grennan’s stripped-back acoustic set to launch his fourth album, ‘Everywhere I Went Led Me To Where I Didn’t Want To Be.’

Grennan weaponized intimacy, transforming chart-toppers into raw, acoustic confessions, including fan favourites ‘Found What I’ve Been Looking For’ - the crowd roaring the chorus like a survival hymn - and delivering ‘Let’s Go Home Together’ which, stripped of its studio sheen, became a communal prayer, Grennan’s gravel tones cracking open its vulnerability .

When it came to ‘Little Bit of Love’, the crowd’s ecstatic shout of “I need a little bit of love!" shook the rafters.

A seismic, sweat-drenched finale saw Grennan drenched, grinning, and declaring himself an "honorary northerner" for the night.

Between songs, Grennan reflected on his ten year journey which has seen him upgrade from pub gigs to sold out stadium tours. But he has never lost sight of his roots, and his self-deprecating humour shone through. He has now become the face of Gillette - and joked with fans that he has been inundated with requests to sign razors.

As doors flung open at the gig’s end, steam poured into the cool Beverley Road air—a visual metaphor for the night’s alchemy. Grennan’s Welly show wasn’t just a launchpad for his new album; it was a manifesto. In an industry chasing scale, he proved closeness is everything. With an arena tour looming (including Leeds’ First Direct Arena on the 18th) , this sweat-slicked communion reminded everyone: Grennan’s soul lives not in spotlights, but in the shared, sweltering dark where voices fuse and guitars echo.

Writer: Madeline Horton