John Newman at The Academy |Review

John Newman at The Academy, Dublin, 25th January 2014

Twenty-three year old John Newman has been heralded as a leader in the revival of soul. With a sound much older than his years, his vocals have attracted global attention, resulting in his single Love Me Again topping the charts and racking up over 80,000,000 plays on YouTube. Newman’s gig in the Academy, which was announced in October, sold out instantly upon the release of his debut album ‘Tribute’.

Following support from Orla Gartland, a hologram of Newman’s face appears on a curtain drawn around the stage. The projected face begins to rattle off the list of his influences, as on the opening track of ‘Tribute’. The curtain finally drops revealing Mr Newman, accompanied by his full band on stage. The backdrop gives a nod to Gatsby-eque graphics and the two backing singers, who dance in sync, immediately evoke thoughts of older soul and R&B bands.

Newman is an energetic, confident performer who gives the impression that he is genuinely delighted to be on stage. His raspy, husky vocals on the new single Losing Sleep combined with his dance moves and sneaky moonwalks elicit a deafening foot-stomp by the audience, and is possibly the highlight of the evening.

The urgency in which he utters the lines “Without you here, I’m losing sleep,” resonates with the audience and results in the crowd serenading him, hands outstretched. All band members engage with each other in a lively, attentive manner which serves to elevate the overall performance.

Slower moments of the set, such as Out of My Head, do not command the same attention from the crowd and noisy chatter distracts attention from the stage, especially from that number. Love Me Again is saved for the grand finale and almost raises the roof off the Academy in a deafening sing-along; so much so that the crowd take over entirely for the latter part of the song.

This is a notable show from a young, promising artist. At times he is like the male version of Adele, singing about heartbreak in soulful manner. Yet seeing Mr Newman live and listening to his album are two very different experiences. The passion in his live performance is an element which is not evident by simply listening to his album. He performs with a grin from ear to ear and his energy is infectious. Be sure to catch his blend of soul & pop in Dublin the next time his tour rolls around.