Adele: Hello From Munich!

The year is 2008, and in front of an audience with fewer than seventy-five, a new artist presents her new album in full at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on the eve of its release.

Dressed casually, the artist chattered nervously in-between the songs; affable, with a touch of innocence, none of the lucky few present could have denied her outstanding vocal abilities that were emotional and distinctive, nor in anyone’s wildest imagination could have dreamt what was to follow in terms of success.

The singer’s name - Adele. 

Fast forward sixteen years, and I am once again sitting in awe of Adele, who is now, so far this century, Britain’s most successful female singer. Munich has replaced Manchester, and eighty thousand concertgoers have gathered in a purpose-built pop-up outdoor arena on the city's outskirts.

If anyone had wanted to see Adele in concert recently, it would have meant a flight to catch her residency in Las Vegas. Many choose Munich, a Bavarian city in the heart of Europe, as a shorter journey from the glitz and gambling of Vegas.

Aside from the arena is Adele World, which includes an English pub, a wine bar (I Drink Wine, named appropriately after one of her songs), a ferris wheel, and Munich's beer garden.

Under a dusky early evening summer sky, a lone voice rang out - "Hello" and there she is, standing in a long dress, greeting her fans who have come from across Europe and beyond with the song of the same name. Though the piano ballad is still her forte, she can still provide rockier alternatives, such as Oh My God and Send My Love (to your New Lover).

Hometown Glory was set against scenes of London on what is said to be the world's biggest LED screen, and her orchestra gives the track an even more melancholy feel.

“I couldn’t think of anything nicer than spending my summer in Munich, she said midway through taking a sip out of a Bavarian-style drinking tankard, emblazoned with her name on. 

Interrupting her set so that everyone can watch the women’s 100 metre final at the Paris Olympics felt like she had just invited us all around to her house to watch the event on her television, despite her 220-metre-wide LED version.

The gig's enormous scale is enough to stir anyone's nerves. Forgetting the first few lines of When We Were Young, Adele soon picked up the song to rapturous applause.

Someone Like You, the song that put Adele firmly in the limelight, sounded magnificent and emotional, making the track feel like she was singing the song directly to you before Rolling in the Deep closed the two-hour set on a journey that had taken her fans on one Adele of a ride.

Adele has hinted that she plans to take a break from music and performing after her German residency, but after tonight's spectacular concert, everyone's long journey was undoubtedly worthwhile.

Adele in Munich continues up until 31st August.