Having seen him
perform several years ago I was aware of what to expect, a strong voice and
truthful songs that compensated for a slightly average delivery. However the
man that walked out on stage this time wasn't the same man that scurried out
all those years ago. Gone were the hunched shoulders, slightly awkward gestures
and eyes focused on the stage below him. In his place a man who confidently
slithered in front of the audience with the stance of a Shakespearean lothario,
hips dipped and chest out.
The production has
become more elaborate but still kept in the confines of tastefulness with just
the occasional artistic projection on the back wall of the stage. His band the
Vipers are stunningly tight and together, as though this is the only
performance they will ever do and they have to make it perfect.
In the five years
since Sunny Side Up was released Paolo has had a transformation, not only
musically but also physically. Boyish good looks have given way to a robust
form and poise, which in part is why the Brighton Centre is filled with women. His
new physical stance has improved his singing ability, one that deserves to sit
among the greatest voices around at the moment.
Throughout the set his
voice veers near the edges of dangerous but always remains in the confines of
wonderment even when it approaches its most fragile notes such as in ‘Diana’.
He manages to relay emotion not only through the nuances of his voice but also
how he commands himself, his face acting as though he is reliving every tear
soaked goodbye or existential revelation. So much so that the desperation in
‘No Other Way’ makes you think he might just crumble on stage. ‘Iron Sky’ produces
an ineffable sensation thanks to its borrowed images and speech from Charlie
Chapin’s film The Great Dictator, and Paolo’s evocatively faultless singing of
perfectly crafted lyrics.
There isn’t a huge
amount of engagement with the audience, but certainly enough that fits the
occasion. People haven’t come to hear him tell jokes or prance around
in-between costume changes; he is not that sort of artist. He doesn’t have to
rely on expensive light shows or arbitrary props; his strength lies in his
ability to transmit his songs in a way that makes them sound like they were
written that day, that he is still feeling them.
The older songs have
been given a facelift of sorts and blended together or completely taken apart
so that even though he crosses the boundaries of genres like pop, rock, soul
and the odd psychedelic accompaniment, the songs feel like a cohesive whole.
‘Candy’ started with an atmospheric, moody intro and built into a tribal,
primal beat, lending eagerness the original was without. The set ends with ‘Last
Request’ that causes the audience to sing along without any prompting and for
the first time that night causes him to look speechless.
‘Caustic Love’ appears
to be Nutini’s seminal album just as 21 was for Adele and Back to Black was for
Amy Winehouse. Both female artists are praised not only for their singing
ability but for the way that they wrote / write about deeply personal issues in
a way that everyone can relate to and Paolo belongs in the same category of
truly talented artists.
