Full disclosure: I am not a religious person, but Thursday night at Brisbane’s Riverstage I may have experienced something akin to a conversion. Through a few small miracles and a touch of divine intervention, James Blunt’s first Australian stop on the Who We Used To Be tour was easily one of the best shows of the year if not one of the best I’ve ever seen. No hyperbole.
An artist easy to dismiss, Blunt’s meteoric rise with 2004’s Back to Bedlam and the world-dominating tracks “You’re Beautiful”, “Goodbye My Lover” and “Wisemen” both cemented and perhaps pigeonholed the artist as a soft-pop balladeer. Carving out a rebrand Jaguar would be jealous of, the singers recent resurgence as the king of self-aware humour and overhaul of his public persona has been both comedic and career genius. Yet, as contradictory as it might sound, I still underestimated what a James Blunt show could be. The “You’re Beautiful” guy? Really? I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
I should have known however, that divine providence was on the way as three days of relentless downpour ceased around Brisbane’s Riverstage, ensuring the grassy open-air amphitheatre remained mercifully dry. With the stinging QLD humidity inexplicably zapped from the atmosphere, the 9,500-strong crowd packed in shoulder to shoulder with not a drip of sweat to be seen. A diverse crowd piled in from heavily mulletted young men, couples, groups of seniors and a smattering of UK and European expats dotting my walk to the centre stage, a mere row from the action. From the best seats in the house, I was ready to see what an artist with this kind of universal pull could deliver.
In prime position, Melbourne duo The Pierce Brothers delivered a short, high-energy opening set that felt like a celebration of Australian sound. With a fusion of didgeridoos, percussive drums, and acoustic guitar the brothers warmed up the amphitheatre like pros. Their heartfelt dedication of a song to their sister, Genevieve, was a nice addition as was their warmth and authenticity. Encouraging the crowd into some back and forth and getting the buy in they deserved, they set a perfect tone for the evening and appeared equally appreciative at the opportunity.
As the Pierce Brothers packed down I pondered how little time I’ve spent with James Blunt’s music beyond his radio staples, and if it would impact my enjoyment of the show. What followed however was more than performance, it was a revelation.
As Blunt’s band donned their instruments to a blackened stage, an ECG graphic thumped as pockets of jubilant screams cascaded throughout the venue. As Blunt appeared from side stage guitar in hand, he raced by the front of the stage gesturing the crowd to their feet onto the barrier, where they would remain most of the night. With a shout out to Brisbane the artist kicked into “Beside You” from 2023’s “Who We Used To Be”, as the crowd danced, grooved and vibed to the opener with gusto. Commanding with confidence and control, Blunt traced the stage left to right like an athlete playing both sides of a field, engaging every part of the crowd.
As king of self awareness, Blunt’s crowd interactions were as endearing as they were hilarious and his quintessential English humour beamed off the stage. As cheers rang out louder for Blunt to play his old stuff over the new, he responded “Well it doesn’t matter cause I’ve got your fucking money!”. Acutely aware of what brought the audience through the gate though, Blunt’s setlist reflected a person comfortable blending older classics with new material while highlighting Blunt’s versatility as a performer.
“Saving a Life” from his latest album melted into the nights first mega sing along in the nostalgia-rich “Wisemen” and “Carry You Home.” Seated at the piano, ballads like “Goodbye My Lover” had the audience in a spell, and yet even through the “miserable songs” as Blunt called it, there was a surprising liveliness to the evening. Playing his only “happy songs”, tracks like “Bonfire Heart” and “Stay the Night” injected infectious energy, and proved that in the 20 years since his debut, Blunt’s song writing is still sharp. Hardly a pop music tragic, even “Postcards” with its saccharine sweet sing alongs had my buy in, through the sheer force of Blunt’s levity, charisma and energy earned through the night.
A standout moment came with “Monsters,” the tear jerking tribute to his father which earned a few tears on the front row barriers. The performance held the crowd in collective silence, as I took a moment to turn and appreciate the near 10,000 strong crowd held in mute silence. Aware of his catalogues moodiness, Blunt’s greatest asset as a live performer is his disarming humour and utter desire to connect and interact with the audience. Earning belly laughs between songs, the singers antics of jumping off the stage to disappear into a wall of bright eyed fans, performing atop his piano, encouraging Mexican waves and phone light orchestras gave the show intimacy and connection no matter the dips and dives in the setlist.
Blunt’s band is also an incredibly tight assortment of musicians, serving a clean foundation of equally unflashy parts that provide the singer his room to confidently swagger across the stage. There weren’t too many massive guitar, drum or bass solos but it hardly mattered. My ears couldn’t believe that they weren’t under complete assault as per usual beneath the towering speaker cabinets, with the drums, bass, guitar and keys sitting flawlessly amongst Blunt’s voice and guitar.
Closing the night on “Bonfire Heart,” and “1973,” I was so perplexed that I had missed the mark on James Blunt so badly. The man is infinitely more than the ballads that made him famous, and loading up his discography onto my Spotify for the car ride home was equal parts shameful and exciting. The man quite simply, is a bona fide entertainer.
Energetic, self deprecating, hilarious, vocals that never seemed like wavering, and of course utterly capable of wrangling a tear or two at the same time. Midway through Blunt suggested that our wives and girlfriends bought his music but he’s fairly sure a few blokes did too but won’t admit it. I’ll admit I’m a self confessed convert, and wholeheartedly unashamed to say it.
The tickets to Blunt’s run of shows from Sydney through to Perth are absolutely a hot ticket you should be glad to get your hands on. So now you’ve got to ask yourself the question, where is James Blunt now and where can you get a ticket!
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
James Blunt is currently on tour througout Australia. Grab your tickets below!
