James Blunt’s first Australian tour came to an end in Perth on Friday Night. Blunt proved himself to be quite a popular man with people from all walks of the region turning up to catch the show. If this proves anything it’s that big artists can pull a crowd here in Perth.

Kick starting the evening was Melbourne youngster Gabriella Cilmi with the soulful, Got No Place to Go. The newcomer had he first taste of success with her single Sweet About Me. Her vocal abilities, for one so young, were impressive, and she showed that she was no one hit wonder by announcing the release of her second single Don’t Want To Go To Bed Now.

Cilmi has been compared in the past to Amy Winehouse, but on Friday night she sounded like a young Anastasia. A credible performance considering she has only two songs with which the audience was familiar, including a revamped bluesy cover of Justin Timberlake’s Cry Me a River. With one hit single, and a James Blunt tour under her belt, it’s doubtful that this girl will fade quickly away.

The audience was beginning to show signs of weariness from watching an almost unknown, until finally someone who could have been Blunt walked on stage and sat down at the piano. Turns out, he was just the guy on the keys. Soon, however the star of the show entered to tremendous applause.

Opening the set was Give Me Some Love an upbeat tune from the new album All the Lost Souls. It seems that this new album has lived up to its expectations. Unreleased songs from both albums prove that Blunt is a true song writer.

Blunt gave a rare and intimate experience to his audience, each song introduced with information rarely shared in interviews, giving fans an insight into Blunt’s mind and the feelings that inspired each one.

I’ll Take Everything from the new album is an answer to the success of songs such as You’re Beautiful which has become the number one song played at weddings and Goodbye My Lover the number one funeral song. Blunt declared himself to be the wedding singer, and explained that I’ll take everything is the soon to be the number one divorce anthem.

Blunt’s performance was cheekily playful, he ran about the stage encouraging the audience, and in respose to the frequently shouted “you’re so hot!”, he commented to the rest of the audience that it was just his mother in the crowd. It wasn’t all fun and games, however; the most touching moment of the night came with a song called No Bravery said to make Goodbye My Lover seem happy. Introduced as a song which highlights the best and worst in man, it was played against a slide-show of clips from war torn countries and those hit by natural disasters.

As soon as You’re Beautiful began, excited cheers and applause followed as if this was the moment they had been waiting for. It was of course Blunt’s first hit. Ending the song he noted how nice it was to hear that song sung with an Australian accent.

Finishing the set a gong slowly descended from above the stage. Blunt ran about revving the crowd exclaiming “We’ve got a fucking gong!” and as the crowed cheered, whistled and screamed he ran towards it and hit it with such energy that the worn out crowd was put to shame. The band then said their goodbyes and exited.

Of course, the crowd remained motionless, waiting for the encore, and sure enough the band returned within minutes to conclude the show for real with his two latest singles Same Mistake and 1973. James Blunt and his band linked arms at the centre of the stage, and took a final bow.