SHAWN MENDES Puts on a Flawless Pop Rock Extravaganza at First Direct Arena in Leeds [Photos & Show Review]

Some people are just destined to be superstars from a young age and Canadian pop-rocker Shawn Mendes is one of them. Last Summer his hit single “In My Blood” was never off the radio airwaves and, as he returns to the UK for this sold-out UK arena tour, everywhere you look there are streams of teenage girls pouring towards the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

Predictably, the noise is deafening as the house lights dim and the impressive stage lights up. As the youngster walks out onto the stage and kicks into opener “Lost In Japan” followed by “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” all around there is a sea of remote-controlled wristbands lighting up the entire arena. Handed out to fans on the way in, the singer’s crew control the wristbands thus providing an additional light show in sync with the music.

The music itself is pop-rock at its most pleasing with the crowd bouncing, waving their arms and, of course, screaming along to his every lyric. Using every inch of the stage, the Canadian makes sure no part of this hardcore audience feels left out even going as far as performing a few songs, including “A Little Too Much,” from a piano situated on a B-Stage at the back of the floor but that’s not before shaking hands with plenty of excited teenagers squashed at the barrier.

The night ends with a hysteria-inducing rendition of the aforementioned hit single “In My Blood” and, as the house lights finally come up, this polished pop-rock extraveganza comes to a conclusion for the thousands of excited fans packed into the Arena and, having spent the last ninety or so minutes in the company of this utterly likeable Canadian, you get the feeling that there is no limit to how big this superstar youngster can get.

Superstardom? It’s “In My Blood” says Canadian singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes: