George Ezra: Live at The Sugar Club

From the opening bars of ‘Blame It On Me’, the crowd packed into Dublin’s Sugar Club tonight are mere putty in chocolate-voiced Bristol singer George Ezra’s hands. Going it alone (minus backing band), the affable BIMM graduate has the kind of rich, booming voice that belies his 19-years and commands our full attention. ‘Benjamin Twine’ from last year’s EP Did You Hear The Rain? is given an extra soulful treatment – further showcasing The Voice (yep, it gets capital letters), while latest single, the upbeat, singalong-friendly ‘Cassy O’, is crackling with life and energy.

There’s a slight lull halfway through, though this can largely be blamed on those chatterboxes at the bar. “Shut up!”, yells one punter, helpfully. “Thanks”, grins Ezra. “Well, as long as that wasn’t aimed at me!” And we’re off again...

‘Get Lonely With Me’ was written, Ezra tells us, after a solo trip around Eastern Europe, and has a lovely, subtle gypsy feel to it. He follows it up with the mighty ‘Budapest’ (check it out). Rhythmic and melodic, it’s Ezra at his finest. Opting to finish with EP title-track ‘Did You Hear The Rain?’, the singer opens it with a goosepimples-on-arm- inducing bluesy a cappella, conjuring up the balmy, stifling Deep South right here on chilly Leeson Street. And with a brief encore comprising lovely newbie ‘Blind Man In Amsterdam’, Ezra exits, stage left, though not before letting us know he’ll be around for a pint afterwards if we want to say “hello.” A true gent - and An Amazing Voice.