The audiences in Halifax are renowned for their enthusiasm, and as Jack Savoretti made his debut at the Victoria Theatre even he could feel the electricity in the air as he arrived on stage.
“I can feel the energy in the audience, this is going to be a good night”, he observed as he welcomed the fans and introduced the opening number, I Remember Us. Looking like he had just left his favourite coffee bar in Italy after his first espresso of the day, Savoretti was casually dressed.
Released during lockdown, Savoretti’s last album, Europiana, brought a dash of sunshine in what were dark times. The singer was quick to remind his fans of this as he described how he had missed taking his family on summer holidays to the Mediterranean during lockdown.
A moving performance
The lighting and warmth emanating from the stage as he sang Too Much History made it feel like you were back on holiday in the Mediterranean.
“That was lovely”, shouted a fan in appreciation at the end of When We Were Lovers, a quip that Savoretti soon picked up on as he looked to be taken aback with surprise. He relented back the compliment, albeit in his best Yorkshire accent!
Violinist Phil Grannell gave songs such as Soldier’s Eyes and What More Can I Do? a sweeping and soulful touch which made the hairs on my back stand up. The lush and romantic theme of Savoretti’s music appeared to move up to another level.
The singer and his band gathered around the piano to perform a stunning version of The Way You Said Goodbye which was an unexpected moment in a show that exuded pure class.
Apparently, Jack Savoretti grew up listening to his parents record collection, which probably explained why he chose Nile Rodgers to add a funky guitar riff to Who’s Hurting Who on the studio version. When sung live Savoretti added a soulful and meaningful twist to the song.
The Dusty Springfield cover of You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me was initially sung in Italian before the audience were treated to the English version.
As Savoretti promised to return to Halifax, he closed the evening with the appropriately named Back Where I Belong. He had clearly missed performing live and the response from a live audience as he sang the track with a feeling and an energy that you could almost touch.
As the fans left, the rain outside the venue poured down but for nearly two hours, we had all just been to a warmer place as Savoretti and his band brought some summer sunshine into all our lives. It was a triumph.
