Live Report: Calum Agnew demonstrates his star power in Whelan’s upstairs

Watching Calum Agnew take over the stage in Whelan's upstairs, there is a feeling nobody can shake off: some day, and probably sooner than later, this man is going to be huge.

Star power – a word that has been thrown around an incalculable amount of time, usually exaggerated, overdone, almost meaningless. But what, exactly, constitutes star power? Looking at Calum Agnew performing his set yesterday, the list basically writes itself.

Calum Agnew at Whelans Upstairs on May 8th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Talent, first of all, is the most self-evident, yet most visible element in Agnew’s performance, in every possible way. The first thing that jumps out is the incredible strength of his voice, carrying through the venue and above the full jazz band he's brought with him. From the opening track ‘Bloodmoon’ and onto the entirety of the set, the singer is an absolute powerhouse, vocal technique relentlessly perfect, each vibrato, breath and belted note measured to a T. On the track ‘Hard To Breathe’, he allows himself an acapella intro that sends shivers down the spine, only enhanced by the ethereal entrance of his two background vocalists.

Agnew lines most of his set with the languorous quality that his honey-rich voice seems to have been born to offer, particularly on tracks like ‘Let It Die’ and ‘Bad Boy’. In his songwriting, too, the musician has the recipe down for creating melodies that are as romantic as they are burning hot – slow to mid tempo percussions, flirty lyrics, lingering bass lines and amorous, reverbed guitar chords that perfectly blend into the vocal performance.

Calum Agnew at Whelans Upstairs on May 8th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

However, it is from his impressively large range that Agnew truly shines, jumping from those jazzy, seductive numbers to pretty, quietly emotional tunes, where his accompanying big band steps out and belted notes suddenly take on a heart-wrenching quality, like on the tracks ‘Break Down’ or ‘The Psalm’.

Another important aspect of star power is a capacity to surround yourself with equally talented people. Seeing opening act All Things Eve warming up Whelan’s upstairs with her infinitely magnetic voice and the stirring quality of her songwriting, it's already clear that Agnew knows how to do that, too.

All Things Eve supporting Calum Agnew at Whelans Upstairs on May 8th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

As he brings out no less than seven musicians, including two backing vocalists, as well as Grooveline’s saxophonist Evan Gerry and bassist Glen Feely, the notion is hammered home some more. Where Agnew offers an incredibly joyful and invigorating performance, the jazz band accompanying him creates the perfect platform for him to jump off of – bass lines and sax melodies working in service of his voice, almost like an extension of it.

Calum Agnew at Whelans Upstairs on May 8th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Although talent is, decisively, the main ingredient that goes into making a star, the importance of charisma cannot be understated: and Agnew has plenty of that, too. The stage in Whelan’s upstairs is, by any means, small – and this evening, it is decisively crowded. Yet, your eyes stay completely stuck on the man of the hour, unwavering, as if his presence hypnotises the room. With big smiles, incredibly charming banter and unapologetic flamboyance, Agnew sets the room alight over and over again for the entirety of his hour and half show.

Calum Agnew at Whelans Upstairs on May 8th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

By the time Agnew reaches his closing tracks ‘Never’ and ‘Doctor Jones’, the crowd is still ready to sing, clap and dance their heart out, the heat of the room having only gone up throughout the set. When he finally salutes and leaves the stage, the audience has big smiles plastered on their faces, the euphoria of knowing they have just seen something really, really special lingering in the bones.