Back down under for two sold out shows, Paolo Nutini took to Melbourne’s Forum Theatre on Tuesday night for a set that proved the man is as versatile as they come. It’s no secret that the Scotsman has little trouble wooing the young ladies, but all squealing aside, he and his band put on a very eclectic set, showing off both of his albums and a great selection of covers.
Sitting below his self-titled banner, you could be mistaken for thinking the first support of the night was some kind of action figure, what with a name like Joe Echo. Tinkering away on his acoustic guitar though, the Irish singer songwriter proved he wasn’t marketed at 12 year old boys. It wasn’t hard for Echo to make fans – all he had to do was show off his accent – but his songs certainly helped him out too. The folky The Heart That Moves Desire demonstrated his soft natured style, whilst his closing number was a little more upbeat with his looping effects shuffling behind his voice and a fairly cooperative sing along from the crowd.
Plugging a new album set for release this week, Whitley was undoubtedly out to show off some fresh tracks. A longwinded and eerie introduction started things off in the darkness before the whole band burst into a new track – instantly making a statement that they’d upgraded their sound. It’s definitely a good move for Lawrence Greenwood and the band, as their rising popularity means their venue sizes are likely to grow and this is the kind of sound they need to fill such rooms as the Forum. The set progressed through a selection of new tracks and some strange and self-deprecating banter from Greenwood: “Buy the album … I have a really nasty crack habit”.
Poison In Our Pockets was a highlight amongst the latest material; starting off in a soft, similar vein to his earlier material before progressing into the full rock sound Whitley is now taking advantage off. Another highlight was Greenwood’s impromptu blues number My Pizza Just Landed On My Lap – a result of his story from dinner, and of course the couple of old tracks that appeared – All Is Whole and Lost In Time.
Paolo Nutini was certainly playing on his reputation when, through the darkness of the Forum Theatre, You’re Just Too Good To Be True started crooning out. Spotlights eventually protruded and out walked the band, bursting into the rollicking Alloway Grove, and of course followed by a casually strutting Nutini. Then came the screams. And the cameras. It was almost like the stars of the Forum’s ceiling were reflected on its floor with the amount of sparkling screens trying to get a snap. Luckily, Nutini doesn’t play on such devotion and whilst many heartthrobs might lavish the attention, he just stuck to the music.
In the jazzy High Hopes that followed, it was clear why Nutini has received the musical recognition he has. His voice sounds well beyond his years, not to mention its uniqueness, and was immediately impressive on stage. Not to get stuck front and centre singing though, he quickly retreated to the drum kit to lend an extra pair of percussive hands – his showmanship an instant pleasure to watch.
Whilst Nutini did revert to front and centre to impress with his voice for most of the show, his band were certainly proving themselves as stellar performers in their own right. The one man horn section, Gavin Fitzjohn, was an absolute delight, delivering crazy saxophone jams during the likes of Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Donny Little was similarly energetic, playing the ukulele like a madman in Pencil Full of Lead, a circus-like track that also included some awesome bass harmonies courtesy of Dave Nelson. Little and Nelson calmed things down behind Nutini in a gentler, duel-guitar rendition of Chamber Music, showing their adaptability as musicians.
Speaking of renditions, Nutini isn’t one to shy away from covers in his live show and tonight was no exception. The shanty-like version of It Takes A Worried Man – a Carter Family song from 1931 – was a set highlight. With dominant bass and trumpet driving it along, it was no wonder Nutini felt the urge to run around for most of the song. A hefty dose of call and response care of Mini the Moocher led into a cover of The Coasters’ 1956 track Down In Mexico, which was translated into a real big band sound from its RnB roots. These covers were full of serious energy from everyone of stage, though the majority of the crowd didn’t look like they even wanted to bob their head. The massive hoedown that was Funky Cigarette and expressive enjoyment of Ten Out of Ten were further examples of this, wherein the band gave everything they had but got little energy returned to them from the crowd.
Rounding out the set, Nutini reflected his soulful influence yet again with No Other Way, squalling like James Brown and even utilising Brown’s trademark stoop in his delivery. Jenny Don’t Be Hasty then finally got the biggest reaction from the crowd. Another cover made it into the encore – Love’s Alone Again Or, in which even Nutini’s vocals were outdone by Fitzjohn’s striking Spanish trumpet. Finally, Last Request concluded the set on a calmer note, screams once again filling the room as Nutini finished things up.In his second visit here, Paolo Nutini proved to be one hell of a performer, along with the help of his fantastic band of course. In a mixed set that included soul, jazz, blues, folk, a little bit of country and even a shanty, it’s hard not to notice Nutini’s versatility as a musician and the Forum was certainly the place to celebrate such a fact.
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