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Live Review: Tom Grennan at Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
9 October 2025
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Tom Grennan brings his signature mix of grit and heart to the Northcote Theatre, supported by Irish pop-rock band Picture This.
Opening the show, Picture This makes a strong impression on their Australian debut and tonight is their second ever show on our shores.
The four-piece wastes no time in winning over the early crowd, delivering a polished, melodic set full of catchy hooks and big choruses. Songs including ‘Things Are Different’, ‘Get On My Love’ and their self-proclaimed national anthem for Ireland ‘Take My Hand,’ showcases their infectious sound with tight harmonies and clear-cut vocals from frontman Ryan Hennessy.
They work the stage with charm and connect with the audience by chatting between songs and drawing them in by mid-set. Their uplifting energy builds nicely towards the main act, proving them more than a mere warm-up.
They still have so much to give with their explosive confidence and melodic sound that we don’t want it to end. They’re excited to announce they’ll be back very soon for their first Australian headline shows planned for next year and by the sound they’re clearly destined to build their own Aussie following.
As soon as Tom Grennan hits the stage, his soulful pop spirit instantly makes the energy levels spike.
Dressed in a casual swagger with a cropped-tee and jeans along with his trademark grin, he launches into ‘Full Attention’ a fiery opener that set the tone for the night. Grennan’s live reputation precedes him, and it’s clear why — his voice is powerful and agile, equally at home in raspy belts as in tender falsetto.
Tonight is a celebration of his third album ‘Everywhere I Went, Led Me To Where I Didn’t Want To Be’ and he ignites the room with hits like ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, ‘Diamond’ and ‘Higher’ to raise the roof off the theatre. ‘Crown Your Love’ is one song in particular that summarises how grateful he is for his fans. “I wrote this song because I am a very lucky boy – I get to travel the world with my best friends and see you lot. This song is all about love,” he shares.
With back-up singers by his side, his band is tight, and they fill out the room with crisp percussion, shimmering keys, and rich guitar tones. Each arrangement strikes a balance between the studio polish of his records and the rough-edged immediacy of a live show. The intimate setting let Grennan’s charisma shine as he cracks jokes, shares stories, and has the crowd hanging on his every word.
Standout moments include a heartfelt ballad duet with singer Angel for hit track originally sung with with Ella Henderson ‘Let’s Go Home Together.’ We put our phone torches up for ‘I Won’t Miss A Thing’ – a song Grennan wrote for his grandad. The very special heartfelt performance silences the room as we tear up in awe of his incredible vocal performance.
His collaboration with Calvin Harris ‘By Your Side’ has everyone dancing and phones waving in unison and ‘How Does It Feel’ ramps up the energy levels even higher with euphoric singalongs. The crowd is in sync with him and dances through the upbeat numbers. Grennan feeds off the energy, moving fluidly across the stage.
‘Little Bit of Love’ serves as the last track – a fitting close to a night that felt both heartfelt and electric – proof of Grennan’s ability to make even a mid-sized theatre feel like a shared living room. His blend of vocal firepower, emotional honesty, and crowd connection makes for a memorable and entertaining night that balances big pop anthems with moments of real emotional vulnerability.
Words by Michael Prebeg
