James Walsh at the Half Moon

James Walsh kicked off Independent Venue Week 2017 as he took to the stage at the Half Moon in Putney. The Starsailor frontman treated fans to songs both from the band’s back catalogue as well as tracks taken from Walsh’s multiple solo efforts.

With just himself and a guitar, Walsh oozed charisma as he got the crowd on their feet and singing along to the anthemic Empire, taken from his 2014 album Turning Point. Then just like that the Wigan-born songwriter delivered stirring performances of Starsailor classics including Tie Up My Hands and Born Again, which had the audience captivated.

A venue as intimate as The Half Moon lends itself to artists being able to really interact with the crowd and make them part of the show. While some musicians choose to keep their gigs strictly all about the music, Walsh was more than happy to talk to those assembled and even risked veering from his set list to take requests from fans who had travelled from as far as Chile to see him perform. It was this personable nature that made it feel as if one wasn’t at a gig, but enjoying a few pints with a friend.

At one point Walsh told the crowd that Starsailor was working on a brand new record and that the music would have a much more “bombastic” sound than previously heard. The singer then gave the audience a taste of this new work as he debuted a track called Blood. With its mesmerising lyrics and Walsh’s falsetto seeming to know no limits, if Blood is a taste of what is in store for the next group album then fans are right to be giddy with excitement.

The singer closed the show with a blistering performance of Four to the Floor with the 200+ strong audience clapping along to the beat. Having recently finished doing the festival circuit with the rest of Starsailor, there was a worry that a smaller, much more personal gig would be out of Walsh’s comfort zone, but by the third song of the concert it was clear he was completely in his element.

Yusuf Tamanna
Photos: Nick Bennett

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

Watch the video for Turning Point here: