Review Adele at Matt and Phreds 29th October

The latest singer songwriter to come from the London scene has attracted all the right noises from the media. But with no releases, hardly any airplay and a reputation for only singing four songs per set, why is Adele getting so much attention?

The fantastic Matt and Phreds has won the heart of many a gig-goer with its reserve-a-table policy (call ahead and you can get a seat, a great view and table service all night). My companion and I thought about reserving a table, but then decided against it because, we reasoned, Adele was practically unknown until a couple of months ago. Surely, it wouldn't be that busy. This was her first headlining tour, she had not even had her first major release yet and the gig had been rescheduled to 29th October after she had to cancel earlier in the month.

However, arriving at Matt and Phreds we found ourselves at the back of a tightly packed crowd.  Adele managed to sell out not only Matt and Phreds but many of the venues she visited.

This is due to the song Hometown Glory, a soulful and nostalgic hymn to the beauties and contradictions of London which earned her comparisons to Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Amy Winehouse, entranced Jools Holland, Zane Lowe and eventually thousands of Radio 1 listeners, and which would probably have been a top ten hit if she had released more than 500 copies. Limiting her exposure is something she is very good at - for years she would perform only four songs per set.

Squeezing through the crowd we spotted an empty (though reserved) table. A quick dash and one hidden 'reserved' sign later, we had the best view in the bar as the support act, Alan Pownall, climbed onstage with his guitar. He was a quintessential art student - one long, silver earring, a large black quiff and a set of overly earnest songs that blended into each other, punctuated by the steady clapping of the audience. He had a nice enough voice but nothing to set him apart in an already overcrowded genre, and we were ready for him to finish by the time he walked offstage.

Shortly afterwards Adele appeared. Many people in the audience didn't realise this unremarkable girl was the person they had come to see and carried on chatting for a few moments while she introduced herself. But once she began the bar fell absolutely silent. And no wonder, because this girl can sing.

Her voice came as a surprise. Close your eyes and you were listening to a woman from the Deep South, who had lived through disappointment and heartbreak and learnt how strong she can be. Open them and you were watching a 19 year old girl from Brixton who interspersed her songs with a rich, mucky chuckle and told her audience she might have to burp soon.

It was a curious mix, but a charming one. At times she began to pronounce her lyrics like Amy Winehouse and her performance suffered for it, and sometimes her songs weren't strong enough to really show off her voice. But when she got it right, as she did with Daydreamer and a quiet, introspective version of Hometown Glory, the audience were visibly moved.

This was not a once-in-a-lifetime gig, but it was certainly a great pleasure to see. With a voice like she has and taking into account that she hasn't even had her first major release yet, I would be very surprised if her audience couldn't fill Matt and Phreds three times over next time she plays in Manchester.

Words: Claire Symonds