By Delia Paunescu
On a very pleasant October evening, the brightly-colored sign of Radio City Music Hall drew fans of all kinds to the sold-out show for a very unlikely star: James Blunt. His hit, “You’re Beautiful” has struck a chord the world over, an aspect that was easily seen in the mottled array of people entering the famous venue, before turning into a song that even he is probably sick of hearing.
The eager and diverse fans would have to wait for that now-corny staple, however, while a lackluster opening band did something much less than their hardest to get noticed. The band, who’s name was not once mentioned and perhaps for good reason, resembled a more overtly angry U2 – especially because of the lead singer’s uncanny vocal likeness to Bono (perhaps an attribute to their shared homeland). Overall, this nameless band was lackluster and perhaps even a bit pretentious.
Blunt then emerged to an audience who was glowing – both of excitement and the small wands that lit their drinks. The decision to open with a new song was certainly fitting of a man who’s seen international success with just one small album, 2005’s Back to Bedlam, to show that he’s capable of more. This introduction’s title, “Come Sit Next To Me,” was undoubtedly Blunt’s invitation to his thrilled audience and a precedent to what would become an evening surprisingly relevant to the music’s lyrics.
The show continued with a successful mix of tunes from the wildly popular album, as well as many new creations – which the audience was forewarned “might be complete shit.” Fortunately, the latest selection was anything but and, as expected, more upbeat both musically and lyrically (because really, a second depressing album would go over as whiny and annoying rather than soulful and deep).
The banter with the audience was relaxed, if irritatingly humble – it’s still confusing as to why Blunt would play off his vast success as nothing important. But perhaps this self-deprecation is part of his appeal – this “star” was certainly not one as of two years ago and still maintains the appearance of an average guy. With normal looks and everyday feelings, Blunt could definitely be the funky downstairs neighbor. But not since Paul Simon has a “simple” man with a guitar and piano brought so many different types of people together – a power which he uses not only to elevate awareness of our own feelings through his music, but also to bring awareness to world issues. A pre-concert auction for a meet-and-greet raises money for Doctors Without Borders in Darfur and Blunt’s own footage of Kosovo from his time as a peacekeeper with the Royal Army is shown during “No Bravery,” a song about his time there.
During the entire concert, the initial difficulty of deciphering between Blunt’s various songs became increasingly apparent. Yet this too can be attributed to his success. He self-admittedly “sings like a girl” but knows how to play it up and delivers similar music that fans are consistently pleased with, yet never bored. He’s either taken conscious steps to not release singles which greatly differ from the rest of the album, or we’re all just very lucky that he was discovered.
Even while covering Supertramp’s 1984 hit “Take A Look At My Girlfriend,” Blunt managed to make it his own with piano and that high voice (the song was dedicated to the American audience). Other notables of the evening included “Goodbye My Lover,” which turned into a mass karaoke with Blunt providing backup at the piano, “Out Of My Mind,” the anthem for quirky people everywhere, and personal favorite “So Long Jimmy.” Ironically, the latter was the song played before the encore.
Ultimately, Blunt’s talent can simply be measured by album or ticket sales, both of which are extensive, yet it would not be nearly as enjoyable. His onstage presence is not something you’d isolate but is, in reality, quite impressive. If nothing else, the show was a genuine good time. In “Wisemen,” he sings, “Gotta ask yourself the question, where are you now?” For Blunt, he’s playing two sold-out shows at Radio City on the tail-end of a massive world tour. He’s obviously in a very good place and it’s looking even better – even if he still has to sing “You’re Beautiful.”
