Seal, Symphony Hall, Birmingham - review and pictures

The 55-year-old singer/songwriter played to a packed-out Symphony Hall, presenting a 90-minute show packed with beautiful covers and stonking hits.

Admittedly I was unsure what to expect when attending the show, but now - without a doubt - would see him again in a heartbeat.

Much to my surprise, however, some of his fans really are Crazy. Seal is one brave man. But more on that later.

The London-born icon took to the stage in a black suit jacket and black jeans, oozing sophistication and style. He was joined by 10 backing musicians; split between a powerful rock band and a talented horn section.

"It's great to be here," grinned Seal, as the audience whooped and cheered.

"When you've been going as long as I have, you tend to see your fans grow with you.

"Lots of faces here I've seen before, but there are lots of new faces here too."

Seal kicked off the set with a number of stunning covers from his latest album Standards, released in November last year. Among these were Luck Be A Lady, They Can't Take That Away From Me, My Funny Valentine, I Put A Spell On You, and It Was A Very Good Year.

Each of these classics was sang with stunning power and devotion, as the star danced along with fans sat on the front row and laughed along with the crowd as the odd audience member shouted out.

"It's clear to see why so many of these songs have stood the test of time," added Seal.

"Each of them tells a story.

"As a musician and a singer, it is an honour to be able to sing these songs."

The icon then moved on to his catalogue of hits, beginning with 1994 favourite Kiss From A Rose. And though he sang the number with unbelievable power, his performance seemed effortless, as he strummed along on an acoustic guitar.

For the entirety of the evening, each of Seal's words could be heard as he and the band delivered an impeccably clean sound throughout.

The highlight of the show was when he climbed down from the stage to sing among the crowd, performing tremendous renditions of Killer and Fly Like An Eagle, as the venue burst into life.

And his fans went wild. Seal danced with some, was hugged by others as he gladly posed for pictures - but was basically mobbed by others who more or less clung to him as he moved around the hall.

He really seemed to love getting so close to his followers, showing his down-to-earth, compassionate nature and great sense of humour.

But my word, was he courageous. The sheer enthusiasm and extreme fan-girl-like behaviour actually even made me shy away from the crowds, but Seal certainly didn't seem to mind.

After clambering back on stage, the audience were treated to an incredible performance of Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up, which saw Seal sing with a phenomenally wide range - reaching stupendously high notes with excellent quality.

Ending the show with Crazy, the star danced around the stage and ended what was an already brilliant show with a bang, before encouraging the crowd to applaud his talented band.

A surprisingly tremendous show.

Seal, next time you're in town, we'll be Waiting For You.