George Ezra played to a packed house at Hare and Hounds, and after his performance, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see him playing in such a small venue in Birmingham again.
One of the sounds of 2014, his voice is nothing short of a miracle. As he goes through his impressive catalogue of songs, mostly written during an inspirational trip around Europe last year, his voice becomes more extraordinary.
He opens up with Blame It On Me and the initial shock of that deep, gravelly voice coming from this young, blonde 20-year-old never really leaves you. During Benjamin Twine, you still can’t believe it and when he gets to his latest single Cassy’O, you suspect he might be miming.But no. That is his voice. It is that deep. It is that gravelly. And yes, it is that good.
He chats and jokes with the crowd and explains the stories behind the songs. When he sings them, often with his eyes closed and a wry smile on his face, it looks like he is remembering the times he spent around Europe.
Budapest, complete with amusing story involving buying rum from a chap in a park in Malmo, is catchy and wonderfully put together, and Ezra looks the part as he swings his hips and drops his shoulder while playing guitar.
Angry Hill, once again showcases his voice, while final track Did You Hear The Rain takes it to another level, and the crowd starts to get more involved with dancing.
It was one of those gigs where, for the most part, the crowd are in awe of the talent on show, and his music transports you back to a better, simpler time. Sound of 2014? More like Sound of 1954.
Photos: Andy Hughes @AndyHPhoto
