LIVE REVIEW | BAKAR – ALEXANDRA PALACE, LONDON 5/12/24 by Robert McAlaney

Abubakar Bakar Shariff-Farr, commonly known by his stage name – Bakar, is an English performer whose signature style blends indie rock with hip-hop resulting in a unique and experimental sound. His music is from the soul; with a voice like velvet and enough energy to power a city, it is easy to justify his meteoric rise. He burst onto the scene with Badkid, a phenomenal mixtape that debuted in 2018, garnering him a loyal fan base who appreciated Bakar’s exclusive sound. Since 2018, Bakar has released 2 successful albums and shows no sign of slowing down, we caught up with him at Alexandra Palace to witness his melodic brilliance first hand. 

Anticipation bounced from wall to wall in the Palace, the crowd roared to life with eager screams when Bakar dawned the stage placed smack bang in the great halls centre. ‘All in’ was the perfect song to begin with, a staple of Bakar’s discography that drew out the crowd and set the precedent that tonight was going to be a night of exuberance. I will admit that the stage being placed in the centre did instill some doubt in me, I did not know if Bakar had it in him to perform a 360 degree show for an hour and a half – surely you’d need the stamina of an olympian? Well sign that man up for Los Angeles 2028 because my doubts were quickly dismissed when Bakar rendered me dizzy with sporadic cycle after sporadic cycle. He swaggered around his plinth of a stage as if he were the artwork that sat righteously above it. No matter where you stood within the Palace’s walls Bakar was sure to deliver the performance of a lifetime. 

Bakar’s audience yearn for him and Bakar yearns for the stage. There is a romance to his lyrics and that romance is raw, with the effort he places in each word you’d expect his voice to collapse in on itself at any time. However, it refuses to surrender. His voice crackles and burns like fire; Bakar has the ability to lull you into a deep slumber and awaken a primal burst of life – it is rare for a musician to master both ends of the spectrum and something quite special to witness live. 

The incredibly vulnerable love ballad that is ‘NW3‘ had the audience united in harmony – every pair of lips stood by Bakar’s side and echoed throughout the Palace. ‘Big Dreams’ then brought an unprecedented amount of energy to the crowd who I’m sure were heard throughout London. Bakar was well aware of the scale of his night at Alexandra Palace but was not frightened by it – instead he was encouraged through sheer passion for the craft, in fact he was comfortable. Bakar has clearly mastered showmanship, the word ‘daunting’ is a stranger to him. 

If you get the opportunity to see Bakar live I urge you to grab it by the collar. He is a musician that somehow manages to command the attention of a star, but who also is incredibly humble; he pays homage and conveys great respect towards those who have facilitated his canorous rise – the fans.

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