The show hadn't even started and I was left wondering whether I'd mistakenly walked into the Emirates Stadium.
Since I caught Louis Dunford, 31, at his debut Lafayette gig in November 2021 he's enjoyed something of a meteoric rise, even if it's been away from the mainstream limelight.
Instead, the grounded singer-songwriter has found himself in the unique position as being heralded by a sect of football fans, despite not once singing about the club per se.
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Viewers of Amazon Prime's All or Nothing series with Arsenal may recognise Louis' anthemic nod to his corner of the capital, 'Angel'.
Gooners can now be heard belting out Angel's impassioned chorus of "North London forever", prior to kick-off each home game.
That might have something to do with Dunford's popularity spelled out no clearer when tickets for his O2 Forum Kentish Town show sold out in a matter of minutes.
Throughout the set, the slightest suggestion of a momentary pause in music coming up was filled resoundingly by various Arsenal chants, each different to the last.
I may not support them but at least my loyalties don't side with their rivals Spurs, whose fans in attendance will have had their patience seriously tested.
When performing to that many people on a Friday night, getting everyone to be silent in respect of two heartbreaking songs about loss, was never going to be easy.
Yet, it was a shame smattering off fans preferred the sound of their own voice to the artist they came to see opening up in an entirely vulnerable state on stage.
Just a week earlier, Louis released 'Lucy' a typically heartfelt story about an atypically sung about circumstance.
In a third request of quiet, the singer explained how the unbelievably catchy track was about an encounter with a sex worker.
"Oh, Lucy, baby
"You don't have to sleep with me
"We'll be strangers in an hours time
"So maybe, I'll just pay for your company
"Tell me all the things that you love"
The night took something of a bizarre turn when Louis and his band suddenly stopped what they were doing to give the crowd a rendition of GALA's Freed from Desire.
Totally uncharacteristic of Louis' own discography, this couple of minutes gave way for any pent up energy to be emphatically released over the course of a few minutes.
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The venue briefly erupted into a dance party thanks to a strategy I'd be surprised if I didn't see adopted elsewhere as it evidently worked as a crowd pleaser.
Louis' mum, the actress and Loose Woman Linda Robson watched on as he poured everything in his arsenal (sorry) into the night.
Pulling down the curtain on any encore charade, the 31-year-old unashamedly spelled out to the crowd "here's what's going to happen", preparing them for the stage to empty before he and his band return for two final songs.
Capping off an evening complemented by football chants, was a resounding "Louis, Louis" on repeat as euphoric recognition of how far the artist has come: from agoraphobia to performing for 2,300 people.
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