Paul Weller - Review From The Halifax Evening Courier

From The Halifax Evening Courier.

Published Date: 06 May 2008
By Suzanne Rutter
The Victoria Theatre, Halifax

IT WAS almost too good to be true, like a Bank Holiday gift from heaven – The Modfather played Halifax. I like to think being born when the Jam's Going Underground was number one gave me a good ear for a decent tune. So I had high expectations of Paul Weller's sell-out Victoria gig. And I was not disappointed. Last night, the intimate venue felt like a communal living room for his Calderdale fans. The consummate showman, he strutted around the stage showing that performing was truly his only business. There was little chit-chat in between.

It was a bit of slow start as he played tracks from his new album, 22 Dreams, to be released in June. "New songs, new band, so we're kind of still practising," he told us.

So it was a relief to hear tunes such as From The Floorboards Up and Porcelain Gods – songs we knew the words to. A highlight was Paul's new single, Have You Made Up Your Mind? Following that was a four-man acoustic set, including On A Misty Morning and Brand New Start.

People got on their feet for Peacock Suit and Changing Man but, disappointingly, crowd-pleasers You Do Something To Me, Wild Wood or A Town Called Malice were missing from the set. A sound collection of new material, but some more of the old would have thrilled the audience even more.

But when he sings live Paul Weller shows he knows the science of music.

Now, that's entertainment.