PHOTO GALLERY: Sleeping At Last, Royal Festival Hall, London, 03/05/2024
Photo Credit: Kevin O’Sullivan
Some nights live long in the memory – and Sleeping At Last, at the Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre, London, is one of them.
Sleeping At Last is the pen name for the multi-talented Ryan O’Neal. Having only made his London debut back in February, at the inimitable Union Chapel in Islington, Ryan’s near-immediate return to our shores speaks volumes as to the sheer depth of his popularity. But where do you go after selling out a church, renowned for its phenomenal acoustics? Why, only the stunning Royal Festival Hall stated as London’s leading classical music venue could do justice. Those present were lucky enough to pay witness to an amazing talent at probably the perfect venue to showcase beautiful harmonies, particularly given the plethora of classical instrumentalist brought on in tow.
First on stage we were treated to the ridiculously-comfortable-on-stage presence of cellist Philip Sheppard, who has written musical scores for numerous films, TV series and even top video games. Absolutely spellbinding, at one point even compiling a musical recital from random notes shouted out from the crowd. And, as his performance came to a close, it blended seamlessly with Ryan and his string quartet emerging from the wings – it was time for the second set of the night!
And what a set. The crowd were rivetted by quality, perfection and atmosphere. During one of the songs, one of the audience even proposed to his partner which seemed so apt. What a venue, what a performer and what a night!
