Sunny Side Up for nervous Paolo
You would have thought that Paolo Nutini might have shaken off his nerves, after enjoying a string of hits and two massive albums. But as he waltzed onto the stage at the O2 Academy, amid screams of "Paolo" and with anticipation heavy in the air, he had fear in his eyes.
Paolo Nutini
Birmingham O2 Academy
words and pictures by James Watkins
You would have thought that Paolo Nutini might have shaken off his nerves, after enjoying a string of hits and two massive albums.
But as he waltzed onto the stage amid screams of "Paolo" and an air of anticipation from the mostly-female audience, he had fear in his eyes.
The singer/songwriter channeled that nerrvous engergy, however, and once the beat started for the soulful 10/10, the nerves disappeared and Paolo delivered a virtuoso performance.
At times caressing the mic, Paolo's subtle Scot-enriched vocals combined beautifully with brass, ukulele and a plethora of acoustic guitar. The crowd swayed from side to side and sang out loud to hits new and old, creating a fun-filled atmosphere, which peaked during the fantastic Coming Up Easy.
Paolo's skill was in transporting the listener from their ordinary, humdrum lives to a feel good place where of sunshine and good vibes.
He rolled through a hit-packed set of songs including Loving You, Candy and Worried Man, proving his ability to entertain with an unparalleled vocal performance that sent shivers down the spine.
The man from Paisley ended his show with a stellar performance of Last Request, which was simply magical. He'd given fans a fun-filled night when they forgot about their cares and marvelled at his truly amazing voice.nextpage
