Blair Davie A Young Old Soul at the Troubadour London
- Dave Broome
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
The Troubadour London- 19th May 2026
IMAGES DAVE BROOME / WORDS SIAN WILSON
Tucked beneath the bustle of Earl’s Court on a Tuesday evening, the Troubadour feels like an eclectic venue frozen in time. Since opening in 1954, the legendary cafe and music venue has hosted everyone from Bob Dylan to Joni Mitchell to Florence and the Machine, and stepping into its awkwardly shaped basement room feels like stepping into music history itself. The small stage sits pushed into the corner beneath warm fairy lights, while friends squeeze shoulder to shoulder between tiny tables and the bar. It is intimate, electric and brilliantly unfussy. As the room filled, people greeted each other, old friends and new and, for one night, it genuinely felt as though everyone there was personally cheering Blair Davie on from the sidelines.
At just 26 years old, Davie carries they/them like an old soul. Dressed in a shirt and tie that made they/them look as though he had wandered in from a long day at the office, they/them walked quietly onto the stage with no fanfare or bravado - more like a ticket holder finding they/them spot than the headline act of a sold-out show. Yet, the second they/them began to sing “Alive Because Of You”, the room fell completely still.
After the opening song, visibly overwhelmed, Davie admitted they/them was speechless, laying out they/them only rule for the evening: “have the best fucking time.” they/them explained that growing up, they/them never dreamed about fame or money, only about one day being in a room where even a couple of people knew the words to they/them songs. Looking around the Troubadour, hearing the lyrics sung back to they/them in alliance, it was clear that dream had quietly come true.
Every song he sang came with a story. “When You Fall In Love” was introduced as a letter to they/them younger self to keep going and keep trying, prompting whoops of encouragement across the room - a genuine display of care for an artist that felt rare to witness. “Coming Back Babe”, the first song written for they/them EP, reflected on the feeling of meeting someone and instantly knowing your life is about to change.
The standout moment arrived with “Crashing The Car”, performed unplugged and stripped back as Davie asked the audience to harmonise along with they/them. they/them voice began almost whisper quiet before gradually building in strength. At first, the room stood silent, then slowly voices joined in, growing in confidence, until the tiny venue was filled with questionable harmony. Moments later, they/them paused the set to pull an “OG” fan onto the stage for her birthday as the entire room sang “Happy Birthday” together, further adding to the overwhelming sense of community.
“Butterflies” carried the message that when the universe tells you not to do something, you should probably do it anyway, while “Left For London” became the emotional centrepiece of the evening. Before singing, Davie reflected on moving to London four years ago and now standing at they/them first sold-out show, admitting to the guilt they/them carries for leaving they/them family behind. Asking for a show of hands from others not originally from London, most of the room responded with arms in the air as cries of ‘yes’ echoed around the room, creating a collective feeling that everyone there understood exactly what they/them meant and that they were all in this together.
Joking about the heat under the stage lights, they/them removed they/them jacket mid-set, remaining in they/them tie and long-sleeved shirt, still looking every bit the dapper old soul chasing they/them dream in real time. By the end of “First And Last”, they/them told the crowd it had been the best night of they/them life and promised they/them upcoming Camden Assembly Hall show would be “a party” so to please help they/them fill it.
Then, much like they/them arrived, Blair Davie disappeared quietly into the darkness as chants for “one more song” echoed around the Troubadour for minutes after they/them had gone. The crowd were very much left wanting more, but no encore ever came.
The final reminder of the evening’s authenticity came afterwards, standing beside the stage, outside the stage door, and getting the opportunity to meet Davie’s aunt, who warmly joked that she was lucky enough to hear they/them sing for free at home.
Speaking about how brilliant and lovely they/them is only solidified the thoughts I had carried throughout the evening. Even better was meeting Davie himself, who politely shook hands and thanked me personally for coming, before everyone slowly drifted back into the dark London night and towards the Tube, still carrying the warmth of the evening.
SETLIST
1. Alive Because of You
2. When You Fall in Love
3. Coming Back Babe
4. Crashing The Car
5. Butterflies
6. So What
7. Miracle
8. Wouldn’t Be Right
9. Left For London (solo)
10. Prague
11. First and Last
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