REVIEW: Olly Murs at the Brighton Centre

Apparently it’s not the coolest thing for a 31-year-old woman to do after work on a Tuesday evening.

But I don’t care, because I’m happy to report it was a great night out and I had a fantastic time.

The cheeky chappy was playing the first of a two-night stint at the Brighton Centre.

As I joined the throngs of excited teenagers in taking my seat, I began to realise why my workmates might have found my gig choice amusing.

The second Olly came on stage, I’m sure I went just a little bit deaf from the piercing screams and shrieks let out by the excited young female crowd surrounding me.

The Essex boy opened with his latest single, Army of Two, popping up at the top of the stage – a giant, light-up staircase with built in areas for his impressive live band.

Featuring traditional and Caribbean-style drums, a three-man brass section, two guitarists and two back up singers, they provided a lively accompaniment to the energetic 20-something.

The crowd was immediately on his side, singing along from the word go, and warned to him even more when he told them Brighton was one of his favourite places to visit in the UK.

He played a mix of singles released from his last albums, as well as unreleased tracks from his latest record Right Place Right Time.

My favourite moment was when he slowed things down to perform Busy and Heart on my Sleeve on his acoustic guitar. Ballads are perhaps what Olly is best known for, but they show he is more than capable of delivering something on the slower side of life.

Points for effort are also deserved for attempting to play the piano on one track, something which the singer admitted he had only done once before at a live gig.

Having shot to fame on the X Factor in 2009, always likeable Olly has been at the top of pop hierarchy ever since.

And judging by his performance this week, that won’t be changing any time soon.

For more information about upcoming Brighton Centre gigs and events, see www.brightoncentre.co.uk