From far and wide they came, some older, some younger, but there was a common thread linking many of those attending: they moved in couples, with the male counterpart trudging dutifully but no doubt somewhat grudgingly alongside his more enthusiastic female companion.
Appropriately for a former soldier, Blunt is perfectly punctual, bounding on stage milliseconds after the advertised time to feverish cheers. Launching in to ‘Give Me Some Love’, the image from a camera mounted on his microphone is projected onto a screen – an apparent attempt to bring some intimacy to a venue Blunt himself describes as a ‘cattle shed’ later on. The backdrop changes several times throughout the night’s proceedings, including a rather incongruous ‘highlights’ reel of his time in Kosovo during ‘No Bravery’.
Unsurprisingly, there are some quiet acoustic numbers, but Blunt then takes to the piano for ‘I’ll Take Everything’, as good an example as any that he can dole out meatier fare than ‘You’re Beautiful’ when he wants to. That infamous dirge is dispensed with midway through the set, and the strength of the material that follows shows that both artist and fan alike seem to have moved on from its overbearing influence.
A cover of Supertramp’s ‘Breakfast In America’ is delivered with style and gusto, even though many in the audience probably associate the melody more with the recent Gym Class Heroes hit than its original creators. An overdone attempt at psychedelic rock, ‘So Long’ concludes the set, before a return for a three-song encore that ends with latest offering ‘1973’.
The crowd are happy for the most part, but while mass sing-alongs and adoring mobile phone recordings are the order of the night, Blunt ultimately lacks sufficient warmth and presence to transcend the bleak warehouse setting and make the night a truly special one.