Review: Nerina Pallot, Birmingham Glee Club

The intimate surroundings of the Glee Club proved the perfect setting for the show, which saw Pallot ditch the band in favour of a completely solo show – just a piano, a guitar, and her incredible voice.

And that only served to show just what a talent Nerina Pallot is. Without a full band behind, the spotlight shone more fiercely on the quality of the songs, and that is where the Jersey-born star excels.

No more were her talents as a singer, musician and songwriter showcased than on numbers like Idaho and Human.

The tour, we were told, had a theme of 'love gone wrong' but Pallot isn't one for sticking to the script, and favourites such as Everybody's Gone To War snuck onto the set-list, as did a cover version of Love Will Tear Us Apart, after the singer decided she would take requests from the audience.

There were also new songs from the EP written to accompany the tour. Both Once and Live Is An Unmade Bed were warmly received from the sell-out audience and are fine additions to Pallot's catalogue.

And this being a Nerina Pallot gig, there were also the ramblings between songs which are almost as entertaining as the tracks themselves. This time we heard her views on crotchless underwear and why you should play the Lottery online, as well as an offer to play at the wedding of any couple that had met at any of her gigs.

There was also an unexpected emotional moment when Pallot's husband walked to the stage to inform her her young son, who had been ill just before the gig, was fine. It brought tears.

But not showbiz tears.

The tears of a working mother and a very human, down-to-earth performer.

All too soon, the gig came to an end. Put Your Hands Up was given a new rhythm section from the hand-clapping audience before the inevitable encore of the spine-tingling Sophia.

A wonderful evening's entertainment from a wonderful performer who proved that with talent, just a piano and a guitar are enough to hold a room enthralled.