For a singer with such an impressive sales record — the biggest single of the Noughties and four No 1 albums — Will Young’s live show was surprisingly low-budget.
To make his big entrance, Young burst out of a crate to sing the Motown-style Love Revolution. During a lovely cover of The Beatles’ Golden Slumbers, he appeared to be perched on a plank of wood.
What the show lacked in stage production, it made up for with entertainment value. Young’s a chart star with funny bones — a rarity in the music business. At 40, he’s evolved from Pop Idol winner to a soulful singer with shades of George Michael and Pet Shop Boys on smart pop such as My Love, Losing Myself and Jealousy.
A consummate performer, Young danced to his hits and wandered the multi-level stage to join in with the band. A possibly contrived speech complaining about people taking selfies during the gig at least showed his commitment to the music.
Ending with early No 1s Leave Right Now and Evergreen, Young demanded an audience singalong. “Don’t let me down now, you bastards,” he said.
It was a rare moment of nostalgia from a singer who’s improving with age.
