REVIEW: James Blunt at the Brighton Centre

“Why do you want to see somebody whose songs are so depressing?”, questioned my dad, while others mocked my sudden slip into middle-age.

Okay, so the Army-Captain-turned-pop-star isn’t renowned for being the coolest kid on the block, but after his concert at the Brighton Centre on Friday, November 28, it was me who was laughing.

Not only is Blunt a great singer, his new album features lots of upbeat, quite un-Bluntesque tracks.

Most notably, Satellites and Postcards are very happy little ditties that I was humming long after his tour bus had no doubt departed for the next stop on his mammoth world tour.

Then there is also Bonfire Heart, the first single to be released from his latest album, Moon Landing. It reached number four on the UK chart and was definitely a hit with the audience.

What I also liked about Blunt is that he is extremely self-deprecating.

He’s not the meek and humble posh boy I thought I had seen interviewed on TV. He happily poked fun at how it was likely all the men in the audience had been dragged there by their wives and girlfriends.

He also has a bit of a potty mouth but that was more than offset by his convivial manner. He even ran right around the venue mid-show, high-fiving everyone within arm’s reach.

All in all it was a really good laugh, with great music, and by the end everybody was on their feet dancing. I’d say it was a sure-fire sign of a successful gig.

For listings of all upcoming events at the Brighton Centre, visit www.brightoncentre.co.uk

Review by Katherine Hollisey-McLean