Melanie C at Union Chapel Old and New Collide in a celebration of ‘Sweat’
- Dave Broome
- 7 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Union Chapel, London - 30th April 2026
IMAGES DAVID BROOME / WORDS SCARLETT AMELIE
Living at the end of the Thameslink has meant I have been lucky enough to visit a great deal of concert venues in London. Union Chapel, however, had remained a novelty to me. No sooner had I picked up my phone and opened google maps, I slipped it back in my pocket, as towering over me, just a wander away from Highbury and Islington tube station, was a breathtaking nineteenth-century chapel. The chapel – somehow even more impressive from within – served as a uniquely memorable space for Melanie C to celebrate the release of Sweat, perfectly complementing her acoustic take on the album. I am confident in saying that however brilliantly as her upcoming tour goes, she truly gave her dedicated London fans a unique and intimate performance, and a special chance to share in the celebration of her album – set to be her most successful yet!
Whilst the evening did not feature a support act, the audience were given the opportunity to bask in the magnificence of Union Chapel. The glorious evening sunlight poured in from the stained-glass windows, casting atmospheric shadows around the room. Audience members raised their phones to take pictures of the building before Melanie C had even entered the stage! I noticed, as the audience chatted excitedly, the impressive acoustics of the building. Sounds bounced and echoed around the room. Whilst this proved incredibly immersive, I noticed how vocally vulnerable the venue would be for Mel C. It leaves no room to hide. However, as Melanie stepped onto stage and began to sing, I realised how I was foolish to have worried on her behalf. The vulnerability of the Chapel served only to highlight her vocal precision and heighten the intimacy of her performance.
I, and seemingly many other members of the audience, was delighted to see that Melanie C stayed true to her Spice Girl roots, sporting a colourful sports bra and running trousers, reminiscent of her dual identity Baby Spice. She naturally claims the stage, speaking to her crowd, as if old friends, about everything from her experience writing the album to her pet peeves about staying in hotel rooms. She generated an intimate atmosphere not just through her soulful vocals, but through playfully joking with the crowd between songs. The audience responds, joking back, and a certain rapport is established between artist and fan base, that emanates throughout the evening.
Melanie sang a mixture of solo work, featuring songs such as “Undefeated Champion”, “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?” (a song she deems to be the soundtrack of her life), “Never Be The Same Again”, and the primary song of her new album Sweat (we will return to this masterpiece later). She further embraced her Spice Girls roots and treated the audience to iconic tracks such as “Spice Up Your Life” and “2 Become 1”.
The golden age of 90s pop rung out around the nearly 200-year-old Chapel. The small band accompaniment allowed Melanie’s smooth vocals and playful performances to take centre stage, whilst providing a groovy backing that helped the audience stand up from their seats and dance. Occasionally Mel C was joined vocally by her band; the men’s voices perfectly complement Melanies’, generating a deeper, goosebump-inducing harmony that echoed throughout the Chapel.
I had promised to return to “Sweat” – the track from Melanie’s new album that the evening was dedicated to celebrating. Familiar with the track, I must admit I was curious as to how Melanie would achieve this performance acoustically. But once again, my fears were laid to rest. She explained the challenges of acoustically adapting “Sweat”, and how her and her team had worked together to create something they had named ‘sweatitude’ – a partially acoustic driven remix of the song.
Sweat slots into the sonic climate of more electronically intense mainstream pop music of the 2020s, spearheaded by musicians such as Charli XCX, whilst bringing the smoothness and groove of 90s pop. The ‘sweatitude’ remix allowed space for the funky rhythms to shine whilst retaining the high energy kick drum of the recorded song. The song began with just a kick drum, as the audience clapped along excitedly, before the groovy ‘one, two, three, four’ chorus began to play. There was a palpable energy in the room, testament to the success of the upbeat tune. Like many songs from her new album, the stripped back acoustic revisions delivered a rawer performance, intensifying moments of high energy, and more reserved emotion.
For the final song, the iconic “I Turn To You”, the energy in the room grows emotional. Melanie expresses her love for the crowd, and how she wishes she could begin the concert again – after eight hours sleep, she jokes! As the energy picks up for the second verse, the crowd stand up and begin to clap, dancing and singing along. It is here, during this last song, that Melanie ensures her vocal prowess is remembered. And sure enough, as the crowd reluctantly filter out through the pews, remarks of an unforgettable performance fill the great Chapel.
SET LIST
1. Undefeated Champion
2. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
3. Never Be The Same
4. Northern Star
5. Sweat
6. Spice Up Your Life
7. 2 Become 1
8. Drum Machine
9. I Turn To You
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