JOSH GROBAN TURNS UNION CHAPEL INTO A CATHEDRAL OF SOUND

LIVE REVIEW | JOSH GROBAN | UNION CHAPEL, LONDON | 1st November 2025 by Kevin O’Sullivan

There are queues, and then there are pilgrimages. Last night, Union Chapel saw one of the longest lines in its history, stretching down Compton Terrace as nine hundred fans waited to witness Josh Groban in the flesh. Tickets vanished in minutes. Inside, the pews were gone—benches removed to make space for an army of cameras capturing every flicker of candlelight. This was no ordinary gig; it was being filmed in full, a once-in-a-lifetime show set to live on long after the final note fades—either as a YouTube release or DVD for the thousands who couldn’t get in.

A “Lazy Start” That Stole the Night

When Groban finally appeared, alone at the piano, he called it a “lazy start.” Twenty-three unbroken minutes later, the audience was spellbound. “You Are Loved,” “Changing Colours,” “Granted,” “Wandering Kind,” and “February Song” rolled gently across the chapel, his baritone rising through the vaulted air.

“I like sad songs,” he joked. “A bit like Adele—just without the record sales.”

Between songs, Groban was the consummate storyteller—funny, self-effacing, and effortlessly warm. He spoke about his reverence for Celine Dion, recalling the surreal day he stood in for her (“Google it,” he teased) and his admiration for her track “Just Walk Away.” He mused on how changing a song’s language transforms its soul before sliding seamlessly into his own Spanish rendition, “Aléjate.”

A Choir, A Cathedral, A Moment

At times, it was impossible to count how many people were on stage. The band, orchestra, and Union Chapel Choir turned the venue into a cathedral of sound for “The Constant.” Co-written with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), the performance was breathtaking as the choir filled the pulpit, turning the moment into something transcendent. Another highlight came when Groban dedicated a song to Tom and Jamie, a couple set to marry next year in the Cotswolds.

Stories Worth Singing

Groban’s affection for London ran throughout the night. He joked about Oxfordshire being “dangerously attractive,” and about splitting a G – his shorthand for a Guinness – at top London restaurant The Devonshire, where he met Oriana Robos and invited her on stage for a luminous duet of “Both Sides Now.” He confessed his dream of performing on the West End and paid tribute to Stephen Sondheim, his “north star,” before launching into a breathtaking medley that held the crowd spellbound.

His stories felt like songs in themselves. There was the tale of being asked by Francis Ford Coppola to sing the Godfather Theme – first in Italian, then, at Coppola’s insistence, in Sicilian – which he performed with operatic grandeur. There was the emotional retelling of hearing Secret Garden’s “You Raise Me Up,” sung by Brian Kennedy, in a Dublin taxi – an encounter that inspired the version that later became his signature.

Heart, Soul, and a Hint of What’s to Come

If “The Constant” was the heart of the night, “To Where You Are” was its soul. Written for Ally McBeal and dealing with loss, it reduced the room to complete silence except for quiet tears.

Groban also offered a glimpse into his upcoming album Gems, thanking fans who had sent requests for “hidden favourites.” His sincerity felt unfiltered, and his gratitude genuine.

Then came the message that cut through the evening’s reverence: unity. Introducing “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” he reflected:

“We live in a time where everything is yelling at us to be scared or angry at each other. Music lets us gather under one roof—to be the bridge, because you never know whose troubled water you’re helping.”

The performance that followed was spine-tingling—a voice, a choir, and a chapel full of strangers suddenly connected. His final song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” one of his lifelong favourites, was offered like a prayer: soft, hopeful, and luminous.

A Moment Captured Forever

Before his bow, Groban delivered the night’s big reveal—he will play the O2 next year. The crowd erupted, begging for the date, but he just smiled. “Soon,” he promised.

As the lights dimmed and the cameras blinked off, it was clear this wasn’t just another concert. It was a documented moment, destined to reach a global audience once the footage is released.

Union Chapel has hosted its share of transcendent shows, but few have felt this alive. Josh Groban didn’t just sing; he sanctified the space. For those lucky enough to be there, it was a night that proved why live music still matters – and for everyone else, the filmed performance will soon let them experience a little of that same magic.