Newcastle showed its love for Jack Savoretti at a sold-out O2 City Hall last night – and he returned the affection with shout outs to Sam Fender and to two of his biggest fans.
Father and son Lee and Jim Clough first met Jack around 10 years ago – after Lee had Savoretti’s face tattooed on his chest – and the singer has been telling the story ever since!
He was delighted to find BA sales man Lee, of Westerhope , and dad Jim, of Scotswood , in the audience and turned the spotlight on them in the balcony before dedicating a song to the pair.
The singer-songwriter, whose album Singing to Strangers went straight to Number One earlier this year, said: “ Newcastle is one of my favourite places in the world. I’ve played the Cluny about 20 times and last time I played the Sage I was telling that story. The fact you are here is incredible.
He added: “I’m not singing to strangers in Newcastle.”
Jack also played Mouth of the Tyne in Tynemouth alongside North Shields star Sam Fender in the summer and said: “This city is also the best in the world for music and you have Sam Fender and should be proud to have that boy representing you.”
Though touring the new album, Jack delighted fans with many old favourites too, including a snatch of Dr Frankenstein, which he debuted 12 years ago.
Sharp-suited Jack and his talented band played for an hour and 40 minutes, with their trademark soulful, rousing or simply touching folk-rock ballads and love songs.
The show opened with Love is on the Line, which resembles a James Bond theme song with echoes of The Godfather.
The gravelly voiced singer, accompanied by violin, keys, drums, and three guitars including his own, then dived into We Are Bound from the album Sleep No More, and new tracks Dying for Your Love, Better Off Without Me and What More Can I Do – accompanied by a romantic anecdote.
When We Were Lovers, another album title track, came next, building to a big finish before the acoustic Dr Frankenstein and Soldier’s Eyes, from Between the Minds, with its haunting lyrics.
Everyone got to their feet for Catapult from the album Written in Scars and another title track, Home. And the audience stayed on their feet as he returned to the new album with songs including Greatest Mistake, followed by The Other Side of Love and Back Where I Belong from Written in Scars, whose title track was the final farewell on a great night.
Just before that came Singing To Strangers, which is how his young daughter described what he does for a living. Keep doing it, Jack.
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