Paolo Nutini, Hammersmith Apollo, Sept 30th
Paolo Nutini played the Hammersmith Apollo on Sept 30th
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I arrived just in time to catch the last warm-up act. Despite their lead singer sounding uncomfortably like James Blunt, I found myself mesmerised by the unusual sound of their drummer, armed with a mallet and brush, and ultimately quite enjoyed their set.
Following an uncomfortably long wait in sweltering heat in the art deco setting of the Hammersmith Apollo, Nutini and his back-up band arrived on stage to rapturous applause, arguably born more out of relief that the wait was over!
If I'm honest, I've never been a huge fan of Paolo's, but I couldn't help admire the talent on display from the Scot and his musicians, as they embarked on an eclectic journey which took the crowd from through a real mish-mash of genres, which somehow blended together perfectly.
There was a real old 'country' feel to his earlier songs, with a strong jazz sound emerging as his brass section (complete with trombones, trumpets and a sax) cut in. Back for an encore, Nutini then rounded off the gig with his best known, more 'commercial' numbers. The crowd really perked up to the bouncy sound of Jenny Don't Be Hasty, and even I found it hard not to sing along to his final (and probably best known) song Last Request, the name of which seemed very apt for its purpose.
Ever-present throughout the show was the soul in Nutini's husky voice, which really is an instrument in its own right. The measure of a great artist is how they sound live, and he really didn't disappoint.
Rob Cleeve