James Morrison at Somerset House Summer Series

The Summer Series at Somerset House continued last night with James Morrison who returned to the venue ten years after his first performance. Despite the threatening-looking clouds, the sold-out crowd bopped within the courtyard of the neo-classical building in the centre of London. Morrison’s set included a good balance of his groovier tunes and his more emotive ballads that got people cuddled up to friends and partners in the square. 

The Derby singer-songwriter’s band was fantastic throughout, tight with each other and their frontman, whilst two backup singers provided powerful harmonies. This included covering Nelly Furtado’s solo in Morrison’s hit Broken Strings, a clear crowd favourite that builds to a powerful and classic chorus, and Morrison sang the crescendo with ease, showing off his power and control of his vocal range.

Moving easily from one song to another, he spoke effortlessly in-between, happily giving the backstory to several of his tracks. From Michael Jackson’s influences to random encounters on the bus, his insightful stories amused and gave an extra dimension to much of his music. Morrison’s style is catching and his voice versatile, moving from smooth soul to huskier moments. 

In particular, tracks from his platinum debut album, Undiscovered, got everyone singing. The encore of the night, his smash hit single You Give Me Something, was not only a highlight of the gig, but of Morrison’s career, making him the best-selling male artist of 2006 and earning him a BRIT award. Sadly, like with a lot of pop-rock, many tracks were similar and the gig sometimes blurred in-between his better known, popular hits.

For James Morrison fans this was a great performance in a great venue, with a fantastic production and quirky interludes. Even for those who knew less of his music, his strong vocals and catchy rhythms throughout made this an entertaining show.

Molly Lempriere
Photos: Guifré de Paray

For further information about James Morrison and future events visit here. 

Watch the video for I Need You Tonight here: