Blunt gig is just beautiful

Much to the envy of the screaming sell-out crowd, soldier-turned-songwriter James Blunt treated his fans on the front row to a hug at the end of his triumphant show at a leading Black Country venue.

The bulk of the audience at last night's Wolverhampton concert was made up of females aged from primary school age to 70, with a few reluctant boyfriends and husbands thrown in for good measure.

Blunt performed all of the hits from both of his multi-million selling albums Back To Bedlam and All Lost Souls, including his signature song You're Beautiful at the Civic Hall.

Fans John and Pat Jenkins, from Telford, said they thoroughly enjoyed the gig.

John said: "We've liked him from the very beginning and have been looking forward to the concert for ages.

"He's really talented and came across as a genuinely nice guy on stage," he added.

The 33-year-old Brit Award winner was supported by The Bishops.

He was on stage for an hour-and-a-half, mixing genres such as blues and rock and displaying expert musicianship with both the guitar and piano.

A video backdrop and atmospheric lighting added to the occasion as he performed the hits Goodbye My Lover, 1973, High, Wisemen and Same Mistake.

The night was closed by a three-song encore which included Brightest Star and ended amid a rapturous applause.

Fans Mark and Tracey Stewart said they were impressed by Blunt's talents as a singer, guitarist and pianist.

Mark said: "My wife's a really big fan and it was a great gig. Our favourite song of his is Simona," he added.

Dave Watton and Penny Bould also attended the show together.

They are both members of Friends of the Earth and say that they admire Blunt because he is "passionate about saving the environment".

Penny said: "He seems like a really nice guy who is doing his bit to make a difference to the planet and hopefully he will inspire a few other people to make a stand."

Blunt became the first British artist to top the American singles chart in nearly a decade when You're Beautiful reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006.

He has won two Brit Awards and been nominated for five Grammies.

As the Army sponsored his university education, the songwriter was obliged to provide a minimum of four years service and commissioned as an officer in the Life Guards regiment, a unit of the Household Cavalry.

During his time in the Guards, he rose to the rank of Captain, served in Canada and Switzerland and was the first British officer to enter the Kosovan capital in 1999.

While in Kosovo, Blunt kept his guitar strapped to the side of his tank and would perform for his fellow soldiers and locals.

It was during a tour of duty that Blunt wrote the song No Bravery.

He also became a champion skier while in the Royal Armoured Corps and carried out many ceremonial duties in the Mounted Regiment. He stood guard at the coffin of the Queen Mother in the days of her lying in State. He was part of the funeral procession.

By Elizabeth Joyce.

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