Tom A. Smith @ Cambridge Junction
Cambridge Junction, Cambridge - 20/11/25
Tom A. Smith is undoubtedly one of the most exciting names on the UK music scene, a statement that has rung true for years but feels even more certain after the slight sonic shift that came with his incredible EP 'Say What You Want'. Tracks from the release, along with a handful of unreleased songs, are currently being showcased during his run of live dates supporting The Lottery Winners, which stopped at Cambridge Junction last night.
I first saw Tom A. Smith live over two years ago in this very same venue. That might not seem long, but when you consider how much music Tom has put out since and just how much he has grown as a musician, it feels like another lifetime. This is not to say his show back then was anything less than great. I left that night calling him the UK’s "next breakout star" and saying that "at only nineteen he already had a back catalogue most artists could only dream of". The Tom A. Smith who stepped on stage last night, though, is more assured, sharper in his craft and clearer than ever on the artist he wants to be.
Tom opened with the anthemic 'Let's Go Dancing', a vinyl exclusive from the new EP. It is a bold choice to start with a track only available in such a limited way, but the energy built by his stellar live band before he even walked out meant the room was already poised to erupt. It says everything about Tom’s ability, and about the support-loving crowd The Lottery Winners consistently attract, that the room was packed and fully locked in from the first note.
If starting with a vinyl exclusive wasn’t bold enough, Tom and the band pushed straight into a pair of unreleased tracks, 'SFX' and 'Our Song'. Despite neither being out yet, the reaction was electric, another reminder that everything Tom puts his name to lands with ease. If the crowd’s response is anything to go by, things are only going to keep getting bigger for him.
A rapturous rendition of 'I Don't Blame You' was followed by a bass-heavy take on 'Fashion' to close the set. On record, 'Fashion' is a genre-blending gem sitting somewhere between indie and funk with a hint of neo-soul. Live, it takes on a grungier edge. The bass shook through the room and Tom’s raw, passionate vocals added a whole new intensity. It was the perfect closer. Both song and set became a crowd-pleasing, high-energy burst of everything that makes Tom A. Smith one of the most exciting rising artists around.
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