Paolo Nutini @ LG Arena, 5th November 2014
On my recent well-managed procrastination of the Book of Face, I had the fortune of coming across the extended version of Paolo Nutini’s Iron Sky with a short film. Woah! After picking my chin up off the floor and indulging in what I could describe as the most raw and authentic piece of genre defying music, this bright idea occurred to me: “I want to see Paolo Nutini live”. Based on one track. Yes. One music video.
I frantically put out a call to review, and it was then confirmed. But in the days leading up to the show it was well documented that Mr Nutini had cancelled gigs in two major cities due to being ill. A really silly voice in my head, though it would be a shame if Paolo Nutini had Ebola, but that was me panicking because I needed to hear Iron Sky live.
Paolo got there in the end, it is safe to say he does not have Ebola, but on the other hand he did look possessed, trouble and disturbed. This man was definitely infected with that very contagious disease – music – and complemented with a well-curated nine piece band and an exquisite light and projector set up, Paolo and Co. were just going for it in every track they performed. Then Paolo was throwing up his short, sharp and vivid lyrics. This man has style, charisma and grace. The music felt like great stories, about the good, the bad, and the uglies of life, but told in a very entertaining way.
He infected with his strain of strong Funk, Jazz and Soul on a genre-skipping roller-coaster of music that was simply magic. At this point you realised that this was more than just a gig, there were live recordings generating short films to match the music in quick succession. This was a magical musical circus and Mr Nutini was the ringmaster, holding back on no occasion.
The band was a watertight and well-rehearsed unit, stuck together playing delicious soulful music right through the night. The visuals to match the music were incredible, akin to the type of Art House short films you see on Channel 4 after watching a late night documentary about The Man With The One-Tonne Testicle, only to realise the poor person has cancer. They’re normally a pleasure to sit through – the short films, that is – so just imagine a two hour set of great music, luminous light and captivating short films.
Just as it all started it ended with Iron Sky, easily the single of the year so far, truly poetic and bold story telling, a song that I am certain will cement Paolo onto musical folklore with this tour title track, amongst the others of his great tracks, taking one of the most iconic speeches from Charlie Chaplin’s The Dictator, and folded it all together to make a breath taking six and half minutes of music. It was stunning to watch these short clips of Mr Chaplin light up the room of the LG Arena. A stunning track, this track is the soundtrack of a Revolution. I genuinely feel sorry for those who missed on his gigs due to ill health, but good things will come to those who wait. Paolo Nutini and his band The Vipers are a tad bit special. They are worth the bloody wait!
Review – Chadwick Jackson
Photograph courtesy of http://www.paolonutini.com/