British singer James Blunt lived up to his reputation as a heart-throb and had teenyboppers and women shouting out his name, cheering him on as he belted out his chart-topping hits.
The concert, organised by NNG Promotions, was opened by Malta’s own award-winning band Airport Impressions at 8 p.m. on Thursday, with James Blunt coming on stage an hour later to squeals of delight.
Some 6,000 fans packed the Valletta Waterfront on Thursday to watch the popular singer-songwriter play his moody ballads and songs from his latest album Some Kind Of Trouble.
Opening the show with So Far Gone, James Blunt was clearly enjoying the mood, the setting of the stage overlooking the picturesque Grand Harbour and the balmy weather and he transmitted this to the crowd.
In an interview to The Sunday Times before his concert he spoke of how he knows Valletta well and has clear memories of plunging into the sea off some cliffs in Gozo.
He said he loved the island so much he very nearly took up permanent residence in Malta in 2008, when he was looking to set up home outside the UK. In the end, he opted for Ibiza because it was closer to England and easier for his friends to visit.
“I visited Malta before and it’s beautiful, but more so with the setting from the stage and your smiling faces,” he enthused during one of his interactions with the adoring crowd.
He also attempted to say a few words in Maltese, such as kif inthom (how are you) and grazzi ħafna (thank you so much) but warned the crowd “it’s going to be limited”.
At one point he tells the crowd: “This is a miserable song, which I am known for best. I was going to tell you to sit down and listen to two hours of miserable music but many seem to have forgotten their chairs”.
Asking fans standing at the back how they were, he jokingly urged them to “take off their clothes” if they could hear him. In turn, some women urged him to take off his T-shirt.
He surprised fans by attempting to go crowd surfing during one of his livelier hits but he did not get far.
After fans sang the chorus to his Goodbye My Lover, he heaped the crowd with praise saying: “Of all the crowds, in all the world you are the most in tune” and joked he would take them travelling on tour with him.
He gave a perfect rendition of his most successful single You’re Beautiful and closed the concert with three songs that he played during the encore – Into The Dark, Stay The Night and 1973.
James Blunt left Malta for Zurich yesterday where he continues his tour.