Adele thrills Birmingham's HMV Institute

Adele

HMV Institute, Birmingham

By James Watkins

There's been so much hype about Adele that it's difficult to know where to start.

The woman who has the best voice in British pop, who is single-handedly saving the record industry and who's making it big in the USA popped up in Birmingham to thrill fans.

The gig was booked long before Adele made herself an international sensation and tickets were as rare as gold dust.

The fans lucky enough to have been ahead of the game and to have booked their tickets before Adele broke were privileged indeed.

The show began with Adele singing the opening verse of I'll Waiting, off-stage, before she appeared to rapturous applause.

The Tottenham-born sensation didn't have to whip the crowd into a storm of excitement – they were already anticipating one of the greatest gigs of their lives.

Appearing in a casually laidback black outfit and waltzing onto a set dressed like some underground midnight jazz club, to a backdrop of large shaded lights and velvet curtains, Adele delivered a stunning performance.

"This venue's amazing," she told the crowd, endearing herself to them. "I feel like we're in Paris or something. You lot are everywhere".

Her upbeat set included Chasing Pavements, Rumour Has It and an eccentric cover of The Cure's Lovesong, all with a marvellous eight-piece band.

She offered a sumptuous version of Set Fire To The Rain before slowing down the pace with a spine-tingling and emotional Don't You Remember.

Drifting seamlessly through Turning Tables while under a single spotlight, she offered her most mesmorising moment of the night with the Bob Dylan cover of Make You Feel My Love.

Inevitably, the gig ended with her mega-hit Someone Like You. Beyond doubt, she'd proved that she has one of the greatest voices of the past decade.