Tom Odell in Nîmes: piano, a powerful voice and a Roman amphitheatre under the open sky
Tom Odell performs at the Arènes de Nîmes on Monday 2se open at 19:00, while the start of the concert programme is announced for 20:30. That difference is important when planning your arrival because the security check, finding your section and moving through the stone corridors can take time.
"Another Love" remains the song with which Tom Odell gained a global audience, but his repertoire spans more than a decade of piano pop and intimate ballads that develop from quiet introductions into powerful choruses. He comes to Nîmes in a phase marked by the album "A Wonderful Life", alongside songs such as "Heal", "Grow Old with Me" and "Black Friday".
The concert is part of a summer series of European performances. According to the tour schedule, Odell performs in Pori and Berlin several days before Nîmes, and in Carcassonne two days later. Nîmes is an important French stop in the packed festival section of his 2026 schedule, in a setting different from a standard indoor arena.
Ticket sales for this event are under way.
Why Tom Odell sounds different live than on a recording
Odell's main instrument is not only the piano, but also dynamics. Songs often begin with a few chords and the voice in the foreground, after which the arrangement expands and the audience takes over the chorus. That transition from silence to collective singing is an important part of his concerts.
A report from the "A Wonderful Life" tour performance in Madrid described the beginning of the concert as notably stripped back, with Odell at the piano and his voice at the centre of the stage. The band joined later, and the programme gained a broader, more energetic sound. Songs from different periods were performed at that show, including newer material and older favourites. This is not confirmation of the repertoire for Nîmes, but it provides a useful indication of how Odell builds an evening: first intimacy and concentration, followed by a larger sonic arc and songs that the audience sings together.
His style suits a space that can become quiet during a piano ballad and turn into a choir a few minutes later. You should not expect a continuously fast-paced concert, but rather an alternation between fragile passages and more powerful pop-rock moments.
"A Wonderful Life" and the current phase of his career
The latest album, "A Wonderful Life", was released in 2025 and continues the direction in which Odell increasingly openly combines personal themes with the unease of the modern world. The songs deal with tension, vulnerability, the need for closeness and the attempt to find hope in noisy everyday life.
Among the songs that defined this period are "Don't Let Me Go", "Don't Cry, Put Your Head On My Shoulder", "Ugly" and the title track "Wonderful Life". The piano remains the foundation, but the sound includes fuller band arrangements and subtle electronic textures.
For long-time fans, the concert offers an opportunity to hear how the newer material fits alongside songs from the albums "Long Way Down", "Monsters", "Best Day of My Life" and "Black Friday". For the wider audience, the entry point will probably remain "Another Love", but his signature is broader: piano in the foreground, lyrics resembling a personal confession and a chorus that turns a private feeling into a shared moment.
RIOPY as the confirmed opening act of the evening
The programme is opened by RIOPY, a French-British pianist and composer known for contemporary instrumental music, a rhythmic approach to the piano and compositions that move between a neoclassical sound, cinematic atmosphere and meditative repetition. His fifth album, "Be Love", was released in 2026 and, alongside instrumental compositions, also brings more intimate vocal moments.
RIOPY has not been paired with Tom Odell by chance. Both performers build their music from the piano, but use it in different ways. In RIOPY's work, the instrument often carries the entire narrative without a conventional pop structure, while Odell turns it into a foundation for lyrics, voice and chorus. For that reason, RIOPY feels like a natural introduction rather than an unrelated addition to the programme.
It is worth arriving early enough not to miss his performance. The exact schedule of individual stage appearances, the duration of the performances and any programme changes should be checked immediately before arrival, because the published timetable confirms the opening of the entrances and the start of the concert programme, but does not specify the duration of each act in detail.
Arènes de Nîmes as part of the concert experience
The Arènes de Nîmes were built around the year 100, approximately two decades after the Roman Colosseum. The amphitheatre is 133 metres long and 101 metres wide, with an oval arena measuring 68 metres in length and 38 metres in width. The outer wall reaches 21 metres, and the structure is shaped by 120 arches arranged across two levels. In Roman times, the venue could accommodate around 24,000 spectators in 34 rows of seating. This is a historical figure and does not represent today's concert capacity, which depends on the stage setup, security zones and event configuration.
This is an open stone amphitheatre, not a modern hall. Access to certain seats leads through galleries and stairways, so comfortable footwear is important. A small cushion can also be useful and is permitted upon entry.
The open sky changes the feeling of the concert. The programme begins while the summer evening is not yet completely dark, and the lighting and projections become more pronounced as night falls. With Odell's music, that transition can be particularly effective: the first quieter songs receive the venue's natural light, while the later choruses arrive in the full evening atmosphere. The exact production design for Nîmes has not been announced in advance, so special guests, effects or stage scenery identical to other dates should not be assumed.
Places are disappearing quickly. It is worth securing tickets in good time.
Who will find this concert most appealing
Tom Odell's audience is not limited to one age group. Alongside listeners who have followed him since the beginning of the 2010s, there are also younger visitors who discovered "Another Love" or newer singles on digital platforms.
The concert will be particularly suitable for visitors who enjoy:
- songs led by piano and voice, without the need for every moment to be overemphasised by the production
- a repertoire that moves from an intimate ballad into a large collective chorus
- lyrics about relationships, loss, anxiety, hope and emotional resilience
- concerts at which people listen as attentively as they sing
- historic open-air spaces in which the architecture is a visible part of the evening
Those who come only because of "Another Love" will probably receive a broader overview of Odell's development, but they should not expect the entire concert to sound like that song. The newer albums contain quieter, darker and more experimental sections, while more energetic moments appear as a contrast.
Arrival by train, public transport and car
The Arènes de Nîmes are located in the city centre, which is a major advantage for travellers. Gare Nîmes Centre is about a five-minute walk away. This makes it possible to arrive without an additional city transfer. The return journey should be planned carefully because the end time of the concert has not been published, and the final evening connections vary depending on the destination.
During concert evenings, the T1 and T2 tram-bus lines operate for up to an hour after the end of the programme, subject to possible timetable changes. The Montcalm République stop on the T1 line and the Gare Triaire stop on the T2 line are located about 200 metres from the arena. Travellers leaving their cars outside the centre can use the Park and Ride facilities at A54-Caissargues, Costières Parnasse, Paloma and Laennec, which are connected to the city's public transport.
For arrival by car, the most important routes are the A9, A54 and A7. The Gare Feuchères and Jean Jaurès car parks are approximately a five-minute walk from the amphitheatre. Because of the summer programme, it is not reasonable to count on finding an available space immediately next to the entrance. Arriving earlier leaves time for the security check.
Practical arrival plan
- Check that the information on the ticket matches your identification document because the tickets are personalised.
- Arrive before 19:00 if you want to avoid the largest wave at the security checks and hear RIOPY's performance.
- For the return journey by train, check the last connection on the same day and allow extra time to leave the amphitheatre.
- For public transport, check the summer timetables of the TANGO network, which apply during July and August.
- If you are arriving by car, choose a car park before entering the city centre.
Entry, bags and items worth checking
Security checks and visual inspections of bags are carried out at the entrances. Every person, including a child, must have their own ticket. Re-entry is not permitted after leaving the Arènes de Nîmes, so collecting belongings, food, water and all other obligations should be dealt with before entering.
Water bottles and reusable plastic bottles of up to 50 cl, small plastic water sprayers, smaller backpacks with a capacity of less than 20 litres, sandwiches and snacks, small portable batteries, compact cameras, small umbrellas and cushions are permitted. Large containers, cans, metal bottles and sprayers, chairs, selfie sticks, drones, GoPro cameras and other recording equipment, alcohol, pyrotechnics, dangerous objects and animals other than guide dogs are prohibited.
The forecast should be checked before departure. Only small umbrellas are permitted, while water in approved packaging and footwear suitable for stairs are practical. Hearing protection is recommended for children, especially those under the age of 10. Minors are allowed to enter under the responsibility of their legal guardians, with adult accompaniment recommended.
Visitors who require an accessible area should check the conditions for PMR places and the required documentation in advance. Historic architecture is not the same as a modern arena, so preparation is more important than usual.
Nîmes before and after the concert
The amphitheatre's location makes it possible to combine the concert with a short tour of the city without long transfers. The historic centre, known as the Écusson, begins practically next to the arena. Maison Carrée, one of the best-preserved Roman temples, is within walking distance, as are Carré d'Art, the squares of the old town and the route towards Jardins de la Fontaine and Tour Magne.
Those who arrive earlier can walk between Gare Nîmes Centre, the amphitheatre and Maison Carrée and return before the entrances open. Musée de la Romanité is located opposite the arena. The opening hours of attractions may change on event days.
After the concert, it is useful to have an agreed meeting point in advance because the stone passageways and multiple exits make a vague "see you outside" difficult.
What is confirmed and what should not be assumed
Tom Odell, RIOPY as the opening act of the evening, the date of 20 July 2026, the opening of the entrances at 19:00 and the start of the programme at 20:30 are confirmed. The final set list, the precise duration of the performances, the finishing time and any special guests have not been announced. Experiences from previous concerts are useful for understanding the dynamics of the performance, but they do not guarantee that Nîmes will have the same song order, guests or production elements.
The most realistic expectation is an evening with the piano at its centre, an important place for the new album and familiar songs that connect the audience. The Arènes de Nîmes are not merely a backdrop, but a visible part of the experience.
Tickets for this event are in demand. For a more relaxed arrival, it is worth securing them in good time, checking the information on the ticket and preparing the return journey before departure.
Sources:
- Festival de Nîmes - date, entrance opening time, start of the programme, RIOPY, entry rules, permitted items, public transport and parking
- Tom Odell - schedule of summer performances in 2026 and the position of Nîmes within the European section of the tour
- Cadena SER - description of the dynamics and performance approach at the "A Wonderful Life" tour concert in Madrid
- RIOPY - biographical context and the album "Be Love"
- Nîmes la Romaine - history, dimensions and architectural features of the Arènes de Nîmes
- SNCF Connect - location of Gare Nîmes Centre and walking distance to the amphitheatre
- Office de Tourisme de Nîmes - attractions and the pedestrian context of the historic city centre