Sam Smith Takes the London Coliseum for Eight Nights

Sam Smith opens an eight-night residency at the London Coliseum tonight. The 'To Be Free' run takes Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 September, then the 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th — eight nights in twelve days in a West End opera house, which is not the shape of a normal pop booking.

The changeover is its own small piece of theatre. 'Now You See Me Live', the magic show that held the Coliseum for a strictly limited five-week summer season, played its final performance on Sunday 6 September. Two days later the building belongs to Sam Smith.

Sam Smith: 'I'm delighted to invite some wonderful new artists onto the stage for these shows and share in the moment with them.'

Tomorrow is the one to know about. BBC One is filming the 9 September performance for broadcast later in September, with highlights and an interview with Jo Whiley going out on BBC Radio 2 on 24 September between 7pm and 9pm. So if the run sells out around you, it is not the only way in.

The residency follows 'Hazel Eyes', Smith's fifth studio album, released on 21 August. On the record itself: 'This album is an incredibly special record to me. I have been writing it for over three years with a very small group of beautiful, dear friends of mine.' The UK leg opened with two nights at Manchester's Albert Hall on 3 and 4 September; London takes the remaining eight.

Tickets went to fan pre-sale on 9 July and general sale on 10 July, so the good seats went a long time ago. But eight nights is eight nights, and a residency in a theatre is a different proposition from an arena tour: same singer, same album, a room built for unamplified voices rather than a shed built for volume.