6th November
Phones4U Arena
9/10
Paolo Nutini saunters onto the stage. The area is packed to capacity. Of the 16,000 waiting, 80 per cent scream hysterically. Nutini takes the mic, laughs a dirty laugh and launches into ‘Scream (Funk my Life Up)’… Instantly I regret bringing my girlfriend.
Nutini is sexy and smooth as silk. Following up ‘Scream’ with ‘Let me Down Easy’ his voice is powerful and visceral, filling the arena with ease. ‘Coming Up Easy’ is straight and slick, while ‘Jenny Don’t Be Hasty’, one of the singers earliest hits, is updated and provokes even higher levels of hysterical cries from women and men alike.
Segueing straight into ‘New Shoes’, also updated for a new tour, Nutini evidences himself to be more rock ‘n’ roll than most who claim that status. In fact his music predates even rock ‘n’ roll, evoking the soul and R’n’B that informed rock ‘n’ rolls inception.
A brief snippet of Oasis’s ‘Half the World Away’ provokes a quick sing-a-long, however this is nothing compared to the response to ‘Better Man’. The energy is then instantly reignited with the trio of ‘One Time’, ‘Cherry Blossom’ and ‘Pencil Full of Lead’, the last of which is reimagined and turns the show into one almighty disco.
“Not going to lie I’m trippin’ out”, Nutini delares before ‘Iron Sky’ – an incredible song on record that transcends anything else in the set live. Nutini’s voice is unbelievably emotive, like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, as if it’s the last song he’ll ever sing.
Nutini leaves the stage to ear shattering cheers before returning for a quick MGMT cover. ‘Time to Pretend’ turns the arena into a soul dancehall before alone and acoustic he performs his most famous hit ‘Last Request’. It’s a poignant end to a great live show.
On this evidence it’s so easy to see why Nutini remains such a powerhouse despite a low profile private life and without gimmicks. The truth is his music stands up, and blow the competition away. His ability to steal my girlfriend’s heart in an hour? That’s just an added bonus.
