“From the moment Sam stepped onto the stage, it was clear that this was going to be a very special night” - Sam Tompkins - Amsterdam Gig Review - By The Fans Magazine

Words & Review: Tessa Van Eijkelenburg

Photography Credit: Tessa Van Eijkelenburg

Sam Tompkins – A Night Filled with Love, Gratitude and Emotion

Sam Tompkins is an incredible artist who has performed in the Netherlands four times since the beginning of 2023: three times at Melkweg in Amsterdam and once at BIRD in Rotterdam.

In November 2023, Sam lost his father, who had been struggling with mental health issues and ultimately died by suicide. At the time, Sam was in the final stages of a tour, leaving him with little time to process what had happened. He continued working, even embarking on another tour in 2024. While preparing for his wedding, he buried his grief by throwing himself fully into his work. He became the person he felt he needed to be at that moment, putting his own emotions aside to keep moving forward.

Now, he is learning to navigate his grief through music, finding a way to live with such a huge loss. Sam has always been open about his experiences, and he believes it is incredibly important to talk about mental health and emotions. This honesty is a defining part of who he is as an artist, and his gratitude for his audience is unmistakable during his live performances.

Eventually, Sam stepped away from social media and stopped touring, taking time for himself after everything he had been through.

Two years later, in the summer of 2026, he released a new album and returned to the stage for a seven-city tour in October, concluding in Amsterdam.

When Sam first returned to social media, he was understandably nervous about how people would respond to his comeback and his new music. After being away for so long, he questioned whether people would still connect with him and whether his music would still matter to them. But this time was different. He had created an album he believed in wholeheartedly. Rather than making music with the intention of producing a hit, he created something deeply personal, honest and entirely his own.

The album's title was inspired by his father. Its final track features a recording of Sam and his dad, with his father saying the very words that would eventually become the album's title. As Sam himself explained, it felt as though everything had come full circle.

The album ”Are We Gonna Sing?” is an ode to his father, but it also explores emotions surrounding love and the journey of finding himself again. It reflects his love for his girlfriend, the challenges he has faced and the person he is becoming. Above all, it is a record he is incredibly proud of.

Announcing the tour was a nerve-racking experience for Sam. He had been so open about his personal struggles, sharing deeply vulnerable and authentic moments of his life with the world. Putting himself out there again, both personally and musically, was a big step.

To see the entire tour sell out was something he hadn't expected. For him, it was a big milestone, one that seemed to give him a much-needed sense of reassurance. After everything he had been through, knowing that people were still there, waiting for him to return, clearly meant the world to him.

From the moment Sam stepped onto the stage, it was clear that this was going to be a very special night.

Throughout the performance, he was visibly moved by the audience on several occasions. The crowd wasn't simply there to hear him sing; they were there for him. It felt as though everyone was collectively telling him, "It's all right. We're so glad you're back."

At one point, the audience continued cheering for almost two minutes. Sam was overwhelmed with emotion and brought to tears by the outpouring of love and support. It was a beautiful moment, a reminder that he belongs on that stage and that his music truly matters to people.

He performed his entire new album, interspersed with six familiar favourites, including See Me, Die for Nobody and, of course, Lose It All.

The performance of “Lose It All” was very special. Sam performed the song acoustic, accompanied only by a piano, while the entire audience sang along. He mentioned that it was one of his favourite songs to perform live because of the way the crowd always responds to it. Hearing an entire room sing those words back to him was incredibly moving.

Sam had mentioned that, because the album is titled “Are You Going to Sing?”, he had hoped people would sing along to the new songs. That was exactly what he wanted. He had written this album with such clear intention, and he was curious to experience what it would feel like to hear these  personal songs sung back to him by an audience.

And the audience delivered. Not only did everyone sing along to the older, familiar songs, but the new material was met with just as much enthusiasm. It was beautiful to see how readily people embraced the songs, even though many of them had only recently been released.

During the show, Sam mentioned that this was the final performance of the tour and that his voice was feeling a little raspy. To be honest, you would never have known. His voice sounded just as incredible live as it does on his recordings, if not more so. Accompanied by his band, without relying on backing tracks, he delivered such an amazing performance that showcased just how remarkable his voice really is.

It's almost amusing that some people on social media speculate that his voice must be AI-generated, because hearing him sing live makes it abundantly clear that his talent is very real. There is nothing quite like experiencing that voice in person.

Throughout the show, Sam repeatedly acknowledged the incredible atmosphere in the room. He even described it as his favourite night of the entire tour, saying he couldn't have asked for a better way to bring it to a close.

The room was filled with love, and Sam could feel it. Every cheer, every word sung back to him and every moment of collective emotion seemed to remind him that he had a place here.