James Blunt at the O2 Arena

Musical artists don’t come more self-aware than James Blunt. Celebrating the 20^th anniversary year of bestselling debut, Back to Bedlam, the singer returns in full-force tour mode. In his own words, it’s time to “milk it for all it’s worth”. There’s already been an album remaster, chart campaign promising a name change if successful (“Blunty McBluntface”, FYI) and now a worldwide tour with the UK leg culminating at London’s O2 Arena. 

With an opening set from Toploader, it’s a guaranteed evening of feel-good nostalgia and talent wrapped up in catchy, poppy hits. By the time the British musician walks onto the stage, the energy is fittingly High for his first performance. Wasting no time for introductions, signature track You’re Beautiful is already up next, an almost identical replica of the version that spent five weeks at number one, nearly two decades ago. Fortunately, this is no one-hit wonder and so the remainder of the album is played in order, in its entirety, followed by an array of fan favourites through the years. 

The great thing about touring a record two decades old is that the audience have had plenty of time to get familiar with the material and can expect the expected for once. There are no experimental new songs to test the waters or awkward muted reactions, so it’s plain sailing for both crowd and singer: a pure, unapologetic celebration even for a famously melancholy soundtrack. After playing the album’s four singles, including a surprisingly earnest Goodbye My Lover as a piano solo, the famously self-deprecating performer jokes that “it’s all downhill from there”. He proves himself wrong, with the band delivering a delightfully rocky rendition of So Long, Jimmy as well as a powerful, understated No Bravery, which details the horrors of war with themes still harshly prevalent today. 

Back to Bedlam is noticeably short in length, and so the second half revisits other career highlights, drawing upon covers to ramp up the energy. The audience are reminded of the artist’s capable range – both in vocal falsetto and musical mood. There’s surprisingly raw, touching moments from Carry You Home, Monsters and Same Mistake, but also an upbeat showcase featuring Postcards on ukulele and a cover of Slade’s Coz I Luv You complete with an energetic lap of high-fives around the O2 Arena. Finally, an electric encore of Bonfire Heart and 1973 sing away any Sunday blues.

The showman balances ballads with uptempo, as expertly as he balances music and comedy. Full of quips, he thanks his fans for funding his “lovely house in Ibiza”, roasts the men who were “dragged here by their wife or girlfriend” and kids “conceived to You’re Beautiful” and rebuffs his famous haters (“even Charlotte f-ing Church”). There’s no shortage of entertainment and, love him or vocally hate him, it’s impossible to deny the musical ability onstage…and the fact that the world in the past 20 years has been a more interesting place because of James Blunt.

Bev Lung
Photos: Nick Bennett

For further information and future events visit James Blunt’s website here.

Watch the video for the single You’re Beautiful here: