James Blunt at the Royal Albert Hall

Songwriter and entertainer James Blunt dazzled the Royal Albert Hall with a fun and nostalgic concert for the first of his two sold-out shows in the city. As one of the early stops on his world tour for new album Who We Used to Be, released in October last year, the London gig held both the charm of a magnificent venue and the buzz of songs that are, as in the words of the author himself, “pretty miserable” for the most part, but nonetheless have an infectious rhythm.

Despite his jokes, Blunt delivered a setlist not just dominated by his latest tracks but rather a generous outpouring of the oldies that have defined and renewed the artist’s success over time. He had merely walked halfway across the stage, and his hands were already inciting the first row to stand, and in the blink of an eye, all the arena were on their feet, dancing to the notes of Beside You. He then dove straight into the more melodic Saving a Life, its pensive words mirrored by the calming water projected on the big screen in the background. What came next was an almost two-hour showcase of Blunt’s skill as a performer, one who knows how to stoke the energy in the room – tear-jerking lyrics and emotive ballads with bursts of intensity alternated with moments of self-irony that lifted the atmosphere.

The choruses rising thunderously from the crowd made it clear that Wisemen was a more than welcome hit. All the Love That I Ever Needed started off enticingly, although by the halfway point lost its lustre, with guitar riffs that sound too familiar to thrill, a common issue with the recent material, even those with a dancey vibe like I Won’t Die With You. A touching homage to his friend Carrie Fisher was Dark Thought, permeated as it was with narrative details of the house they used to work in, followed straight after by Goodbye My Lover, which is said to have been recorded in the piano-equipped bathroom of the late actress.

Blunt’s dive into the crowd during a piano-led cover of Slade’s Coz I Luv You was an unmissable segment, and, as usual, the singer made the full round of the arena high-fiving the fans. You’re Beautiful was accompanied by slow-motion colourful flowers on the digital display, whereas for Same Mistake, the lights in the whole hall were turned off, smartphones raised above the heads becoming luminous beacons: it was clear it was a special song for both Blunt and the concertgoers.

The artist kept the audience glued to his every word until the very end, regardless of how late into a Tuesday evening in Kensington the gig stretched: eventually, 1973 arrived, echoed by fans with gusto, tugging at their heartstrings.

Cristiana Ferrauti
Photos: Virginie Viche

For further information and future events visit James Blunt’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Beside You here: