Can you feel it all over?
Olly Murs is one X Factor factor who has always had the shiny bright sheen of stardom about him; a charming lad who crisscrosses the female population of UK women, from Grannies to tots, with a sexiness that is never prurient and a spirit that mixes boyishness (he nearly became a pro soccer player) and pop star fervor. At Irving Plaza Thursday night, a mad dash thru the three major markets, Chicago and L.A. to follow, before an Arena Tour of the UK, Olly played to the British girls who couldn't believe their good fortune at seeing the popstar up close and personal and man did they get their moneys worth.
Over 75 minutes, Olly danced, flirted, took you back as far as his X Factor audition and all the way to his pending first US release, the excellent Right Place Right Time. Performing pop sings that mix dance with Calypso, high strung ballads with Dr. Lukeish multitracking pop extravaganzas, and hip hop guest stars for that certain market value (the great Flo Rida on "Troublemaker" -the final song of the evening) and a hilarious take on "New York New York ("I wanna wake up in the City that never speaks!" he misremembers). Jim Farber name checked Maroon 5 in the Daily News but Murs has much more personality than Adam Levene. The man exudes a sweet sensuality, a salty self awareness and a pragmatic self-deprecation that is part of his English heritage. Olly is, in a word, a charmer.
Do I sound like a fan?
I'm a late arrival. I really loved the Chiddy Bang featuring "Heart Skips A Beat" and when I compiled the UK Charts every week found myself youtubing Olly from time to time. But it was his two song showcase, he would save them for the end at Irving Plaza) that convinced me; between One Direction and Taylor Swift at MSG Jingle Ball 2012 there was every chance on earth he would be simply ignored, but he performed both songs very well and made himself nothing but fans. Visiting my family across the Pond in December, three generations of women had tickets (four if you include my 11 year old niece Miriam) to see him in March.
At Irving Plaza Olly made no new fans because this was preaching to the choir so let's assume it was for the Columbia Records execs he shouted out. In that case, they must have been very pleased with themselves: around the two thirds mark, Olly covered Stevie Wonder's "Superstition", "Sir Duke" and topped it with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and he was a ball of energy and soul, bringing it right to the audience who loved him any way, and putting himself in harms way, which, three albums into his career with a catalog already he didn't have to, and delivering a passionate tribute.
Indeed, with a cracker little band and two back up singers behind him, Olly sold a skin tight tee ("take it off take it off" shouted the fans, he gave em a flash) and a pork pie hat with all the faith in yourself necessary to make it in the US pop world. Opening with "Dance With Me Tonight" he performed mini pop classic after mini pop classic, always ready to turn it into a singalong when the mood took him, a terrific "I'm OK" was topped by a better "What A Buzz". And even so, he missed out on a couple of big big songs from his newbie, since only two songs are available in the States, he should have given us the title track and dodged "Dear Darling". I think he will break Stateside, though the last time I thought a UK Pop star was gonna break the US was Robbie Williams at Hammerstein Ballroom, so I am not sure but it could certainly happen…
Olly looks like Tatum Manning with all the ego and smirkiness drained out of him and plays the girls in the audience magnificently, "If I came down there I have a feeling I'd return with no clothes on!" he jokes and the audience screams for more. Yes pop pickers, they could feel it all over.
Grade: A-