Best known as one third of the Grammy-winning trio Lady A, Charles Kelley has spent nearly two decades helping shape modern country music with a run of global hits and richly melodic songwriting. As a vocalist and writer, Kelley has been behind some of the band’s defining songs while also building an impressive reputation in Nashville beyond the group, penning tracks for artists including Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Brett Young. Away from the band, he first stepped into the spotlight as a solo artist with his 2016 debut ‘The Driver,' whose title track earned a Grammy nomination and showcased his ability to balance country storytelling with wider pop influences.
In recent years, Kelley has embraced an even broader musical palette, culminating in his second solo album ‘Songs for a New Moon,' a bold project that leans into the glossy textures and emotional drama of 1980s pop and rock. Inspired by artists like Toto and Bryan Adams and driven by a spirit of creative renewal, the record sees Kelley trading genre boundaries for pure expression, exploring themes of reinvention, gratitude and personal growth. For this special one-off London performance, the singer-songwriter stepped away from the arena-sized world of Lady A to present a more personal side of his artistry, bringing those retro-tinged songs and his unmistakable voice to the stage in an intimate setting.
On a cool London evening in Notting Hill, Charles Kelley — best known as one third of country-pop powerhouse Lady A — stepped into the intimate surroundings of The Tabernacle for a rare and very special one-off show. The performance was designed to spotlight his recent album Songs for a New Moon, but it quickly became clear that the sold-out crowd had been invited into something far more personal: an up-close, heartfelt evening that felt less like a concert and more like a gathering of friends. (Our review of ‘Songs From a New Moon')
The Tabernacle’s church-like architecture — high ceilings, warm wood, and tight proximity to the stage — created the perfect setting for an artist used to arenas to strip things back emotionally, even while performing with a full band. Kelley took the stage accompanied by a six-piece backing group that included Lady A’s longtime guitarist and bassist, immediately giving the show a sense of continuity between his solo work and the band that made him a global star.
He opened with ‘Driving & Listening to the Music,' a loving tribute to glossy 1980s West Coast pop. Smooth synth textures washed through the room while sharp AOR-style guitar lines cut through the mix, transporting the audience somewhere between Los Angeles boulevard drives and classic FM radio. After the opening number Kelley paused to take in the room, smiling at the audience before offering one of the night’s many heartfelt asides.
“Y’all are some of the best listening crowds we get to perform to,” he said warmly, praising UK fans for their attentiveness.
The show rolled smoothly into ‘Never Let You Go,' another slice of polished ‘80s-inspired pop-rock. Here the saxophone — a defining sound across ‘Songs for a New Moon' and the decade itself — made its first appearance, instantly time stamping the music with that unmistakable retro sheen. The extended outro allowed Kelley to loosen up a little on stage, dancing and vibing with the band while sax and guitar traded smooth melodic lines.
Between songs Kelley spoke candidly about how rare evenings like this are for him. “I don’t do many of these shows,” he explained, noting a recent performance in Nashville and a few support slots for John Mayer. “But this one felt special.” He also slipped in a nugget of news that drew cheers from the room: Lady A would be heading back into the studio in April to record new music.
Next came the effortlessly slick ‘Photograph,' its soulful vocal phrasing and sax flourishes carrying clear echoes of George Michael’s 1984 classic ‘Careless Whisper.' The silky arrangement perfectly matched Kelley’s rich vocal tone, drawing appreciative smiles from a crowd clearly loving the nostalgic sonic palette as everybody's guilty feet began to find their own rhythm.
The first Lady A moment of the evening soon followed with ‘I Run to You.' Delivered largely in its familiar form but dusted with a subtle 80s gloss, the song ignited the room. The crowd clapped along and sang loudly, and Kelley stepped back from the microphone at one point, giving them their moment to belt out the chorus. They did not disappoint. A delicate flute line introduced ‘Kiss This Thing Goodbye,' evoking the smooth pop-rock stylings of artists like Toto and Richard Marx. Kelley used the moment to introduce his band before delivering another effortlessly catchy chorus with that unmistakable smooth yet powerful vocal delivery.
At one point Kelley explained that ‘Songs for a New Moon' was an album he simply “had to get out of his system,” citing inspirations like Phil Collins and Bryan Adams. To underline those influences he dipped into a song that inspired him growing up: a beautifully fitting cover of ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over' by Crowded House. Sonically and emotionally it felt completely at home in the set, as if it were a sibling to Kelley's own progeny. Humour surfaced during the introduction to ‘Can’t Be Alone Tonight,' which, latterly, features as a duet with Maren Morris on record. Kelley joked that she probably agreed to sing on the track “because I helped get her son into the local school,” drawing a big laugh from the crowd. Musically it was another sleek slice of polished ‘80s rock, capped with a classic spotlight moment as Kelley waved the saxophonist to the front of the stage for a dramatic closing solo.
The evening then took a more personal turn. Kelley spoke openly about how his wife had encouraged him to fully embrace the 80s sound on the record and how she had supported him through four years of sobriety. Sharing that kind of honesty in such a small room gave the show an emotional weight rarely felt at concerts by artists of Kelley’s stature. That vulnerability flowed straight into ‘Run,' before he delivered ‘Can’t Lose You,' a song that cracked the Top 10 in the United States. With its huge chorus and bright pop-rock energy, it had the audience pumping fists and singing along.
Midway through the set Kelley sat down on a stool and offered another affectionate compliment to his British audience. “You’ve got the best taste in music over here,” he said. “You listen to deep cuts. You listen to whole albums.” From that perch he launched into a heartfelt cover of ‘Here With Me' by The Killers. Beginning with just piano before the band swelled in on the first chorus, the arrangement gave Kelley ample room to show off his remarkable vocal range, including several huge anthemic “woh-ohs” that echoed beautifully around the hall.
He briefly sang a snippet of “She Don’t Love You' in tribute to songwriter Eric Paslay as a segue into the title track of his debut solo album, ‘The Driver.' Paslay, who is a co-writer with Lady A also lent his considerable talents to ‘The Driver.' The song — intimate, reflective, and deeply human — was one of the evening’s most touching moments, the audience finishing the final refrain themselves after the band dropped out. Well worth the 10 year wait we've endured to hear the song live! Energy surged again with ‘Take Back Goodbye,' a bright uptempo number where Kelley cheekily warned the audience about the dramatic key change before it happened — then laughed afterwards about how difficult that leap is to hit live.
“This one’s pretty fitting for the times,” he noted before launching into ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World' by Tears for Fears — a cover that felt both nostalgic and oddly current before one of the biggest highlights of the night arrived with Lady A’s global smash ‘Need You Now.' Reimagined with a soaring saxophone replacing the iconic keyboard hook, the arrangement brilliantly transformed the early-2010s hit into something that sounded like it had come straight from 1985. The entire room sang along at full volume. The main set closed with the high-energy pop-rock blast ‘Angel Eyes,' guitars roaring as Kelley and the band pushed the show to a rousing finish.
But the most powerful moment of the night was still to come.
For the encore Kelley returned with just Jason ‘Slim' Gambill, Lady A’s guitarist, and at the audience’s request performed ‘Leaving Nashville.' Stripped down to little more than voice and guitar, the song offered a brutally honest look at the struggles of songwriting and the realities of the music business. In the hushed room Kelley delivered what could only be described as a vocal masterclass — soaring notes ringing around the venue and leaving more than a few misty eyes in the crowd. The evening closed with ‘Look What We Did,' the deeply personal song he wrote for his wife and the track that closes Songs for a New Moon. Poignant and reflective, it was the perfect ending for a night defined by openness and connection.
Charles Kelley has long been regarded as one of the finest voices in modern country music, and this performance made a compelling case for placing him firmly in the top tier of male vocalists in the genre today. But beyond the technical brilliance, what made the night unforgettable was the intimacy. Seeing a singer who normally commands arenas standing just a few feet away, sharing stories about sobriety, family and songwriting, created a rare atmosphere of authenticity. Inside the small, church-like space of The Tabernacle it truly felt as if Kelley was performing for a room of friends. When the inevitable ‘Best Gigs of the Year' lists start forming months from now, this special London evening will loom large. Expertly performed, emotionally generous and musically superb, it offered a rare glimpse behind the curtain of an artist at the very top of his game.
For everyone lucky enough to be inside that room in Notting Hill, it was nothing short of magical.
Setlist: 1. Driving and Listening to Music 2. Never let you go 3. Photograph 4. I Run to You 5. Kiss This Thing Goodbye 6. Don’t Dream it’s Over 7. Can’t Be alone Tonight 8. Run 9. Can’t Lose You 10. Here With Me 11. The Driver 12. Take Back Goodbye 13. Everybody Wants to Rule the World 14. Need You Now 15. Angel Eyes 16. Leaving Nashville 17. Look What We Did Venue: The Tabernacle, London Date: March 5th 2026
