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Live Review: Tom Odell
Festival Hall
21 Jan 2026
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Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Them & I kicks off with an emotive set starting off with an exceptional cover of Adele’s ‘Someone Like You.’ With a live cellist and piano by his side the emotional delivery is amplified to command our attention. His soft and vulnerable vocal delivery with restraint gently unfolds in the silence of the hall as the crowd listens attentively leaning into the intimacy and melodic simplicity.
There is a warmth to the performance that feels genuine and organic. Lyrically reflective and emotionally open, Them & I sets the tone for the night ahead. He includes an extended version of his track ‘a tape for what I couldn’t say’ and a beautiful cover of Coldplay ‘Sparks’ to win us over.
Tom Odell makes a quiet entrance with immediate impact starting out solo at grand piano under the spotlight for first three songs ‘Strange House’, ‘ugly’ and ‘Best Day Of My Life’. He wastes no time establishing the emotional stakes of the night. There’s a rawness to Odell’s live presence that studio recordings don’t fully do justice — his voice quivers, strains, and soars, often sounding like it’s on the verge of collapse, yet never quite tipping over. This tension between fragility and power underpins the entire set.
The full band joins in for ‘Grow Old With Me’ and the set continues to with a good mix from his catalogue including his latest album ‘Wonderful Life’. He explores themes of love, despair, resilience, and the search for meaning, all delivered with an almost confessional intensity. Songs build slowly before erupting into full-band crescendos that reverberate through the room.
Tracks like ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ and ‘Can We Just Go Home Now’ showcase Odell’s continued evolution as a songwriter, while older songs ‘I Know’ and ‘Can’t Pretend’ land with renewed weight. Rather than feeling dated, they sound re-energised and reshaped by time. Odell hasn’t toured Australia for more than a decade, so he notes that he’s been really excited for this show for a long time – just like his fans. “Anytime you want us to come back to Melbourne, we’ll come back and play for you. It’s amazing to spend time here,” he exclaims.
Odell’s band provides subtle but powerful support, never overshadowing the core of his performance. Piano and voice remain central, with guitars, strings, brass and percussion swelling in at just the right moments to elevate the emotion without dulling its edge. The dynamics are masterfully controlled, allowing the quieter moments to feel just as impactful as the loudest.
To the audience’s delight, a six-song-encore keeps the night going long after Odell briefly leaves the stage after ‘Black Friday’. The emotional peak arrives when he takes us back to the beginning of his career with ‘Heal’ and Odell opens up and addresses the crowd with an emotionally inspiring speech.
“In the early years, I didn’t really ever sing this song, I couldn’t connect to it, and then it’s in recent years I’ve connected the lyrics much more. I want to leave it with you. I know a lot of people that listen to my music have being through shit, are going through shit, and they use the music as a way to not feel so alone. I hope that my songs, which aren’t the happiest of songs do that.”
“If there’s anything that we all have in common in life, is that no one makes it through without a hand during loss but music is there. It’s the fabric that ties us together and it reminds you that there’s no experience that you ever have to go through on your own. Someone else is almost definitely going for it and that’s an incredible thing. I hope that by being vulnerable in my songs, it encourages you to be vulnerable in your lives.”
As expected, ‘Another Love’ serves as the final track of the evening and as soon as the opening notes ring out, the crowd erupts, every word sung back with conviction. Phones light up the room, voices crack, and for a few minutes, Festival Hall feels suspended in time.
Tom Odell’s Melbourne return is a powerful reminder of the enduring strength of emotionally driven songwriting. His ability to hold a room and to invite thousands of people into his inner world and make them feel seen in the process is rare and compelling.
Words by Michael Prebeg
