James Blunt performs at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside on Sunday, May 18, 2014. (Vanessa Franko/Staff)
James Blunt didn’t have his five semi trucks of production on hand for his gig at the Fox Performing Arts Center, but that didn’t stop him from putting on an arena-worthy show in the theater on Sunday, May 18 as part of his “Moon Landing” tour.
While Blunt is known for his big ballads, he was as much of a showman as the Fox as hosted, nimbly moving across the stage and making rock star poses with an acoustic guitar in his hands. By the end of the night, he had leapt off the organ riser and ran a lap through the two center aisles of the theater, giving high-fives to audience members along the way.
Blunt was vivacious, charming and funny throughout the one hour and 45 minute long set. He and the other four members of his group appeared on stage wearing vintage space suits.
“We’re not dressed up as idiots, there’s a theme,” he said, pointing out the band was on the tour for the 2013 album “Moon Landing.”
After finishing the up-tempo “Satellites,” Blunt cheekily addressed the crowd’s expectations.
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“That’s enough of the happy songs,” he said. “I know that you’ve come here for misery.”
While the upbeat numbers were energetic and fun, the reason Blunt is a star is the raw emotion he conveyed in songs such as “Goodbye My Lover,” which featured him on the piano, bathed in purple light, and “Miss America,” a song about the spectacle of the downfall of celebrity that he dedicated to Whitney Houston and Princess Diana.
The only thing that marred the evening was a disrespectful audience. It’s one thing to snap a quick photo with your phone from your seat–it’s quite another to stand in the middle of the aisle of the seated theater blocking other fans, oblivious to the fact that you’ve suddenly turned great seats into obstructed view tickets. There were also quite a few in the crowd who talked through the songs, not to mention the woman who kept professing her love to James Blunt at inappropriate times during the set.
However, when Blunt commanded the audience, they listened. Despite those who clearly ignored concert etiquette, the nearly full crowd was loud and enthusiastic throughout the whole set. As the crowd sang on “I’ll Carry You Home,” it induced goosebumps, and mega hit “You’re Beautiful” and new single “Bonfire Heart” were also fan favorites.
The Fox is built for singer-songwriters like Blunt and Jason Mraz (who played two sell-out shows there in March)–the room has fantastic sound and offers the artist a more intimate way to be a pop star.