Paul Weller gave a "big shout out to his former Style Council bandmate Mick Talbot" as he celebrated his 40 years as a recording artist with a concert at The O2 in London on Saturday night (03.03.18).
The rocker proved why he is one of Britain’s greatest ever songwriters with a mammoth 33-song set which spanned his entire career – which began in 1977 with the release of The Jam’s first album ‘In The City’.
Unlike most of his contemporaries who have relied on reunions and greatest hits tours to keep their careers going, Weller has never needed nostalgia, and chose to release new album ‘A Kind of Revolution’ last year to mark the momentous anniversary.
But The Modfather was in the mood to give his loyal fans a run through of the past hits which made earned their devotion in the first place.
Dropping iconic solo tune ‘The Changingman’ just two songs in, Weller played some of his more recent work before saying: "Good evening everyone, thank you for coming out, for coming out in the snow. Wherever you’ve come from. We’re going to playing some old songs, some new songs, even some from a couple of decades ago."
He then soon surprised everyone with his dedication to Talbot, 59, who was watching in the audience, before performing the soul band’s 1984 hit ‘My Ever Changing Moods’.
Later in his set, Weller again delighted to his fans by playing The Style Council’s ‘Shout To The Top!’ before bringing out his daughter Leah Weller to duet with him on beloved ballad ‘You Do Something To Me’ – from his acclaimed 1995 solo record ‘Stanley Road’ – with the model proving she had inherited her father’s musical talents with a powerful vocal performance.
Other solo highlights included, ‘From The Floorboards Up’, ‘Friday Street’ and ‘Into Tomorrow’, and Weller didn’t neglect his first band The Jam by dropping ‘Man in the Corner Shop’ and ‘The Eton Rifles’.
Weller, 59, and his band returned for two encores, the first one an acoustic set with the musician drawing a huge cheer from the crowd by saying: "This is the second half of the show, there’s a long way to go yet."
He and his band then ran through six tracks, including ‘The Ballad of Jimmy McCabe’ – which featured in the boxing film ‘Jawbone’ – The Jam staples ‘English Rose’ and ‘That’s Entertainment’ and 1993 single ‘Wild Wood’.
And he came good on his promise to keep rocking as after the acoustic guitars were cleared Weller and co returned for a second encore, running through ‘The Weaver’, perennial fan favourite ‘Broken Stones’ and ‘Come On/Let’s Go’.
He ended with The Jam classics ‘Start!’ and ‘Town Called Malice’ sending the crowd wild.
And the celebratory mood continued to the end with his long-time guitarist Steve Cradock being joined on stage by his two sons on guitar and tambourine.
Paul Weller at The O2 setlist:
White Sky
The Changingman
I’m Where I Should Be
Nova
From The Floorboards Up
Saturn’s Pattern
Long Long Road
Have You Ever Had It Blue (The Style Council)
My Ever Changing Moods (The Style Council)
She Moves With The Fayre
Man in the Corner Shop (The Jam)
Above The Clouds
Into Tomorrow
Up in Suzes’ Room
Hung Up
Shout to the Top! (The Style Council)
You Do Something to Me
Woo Sé Mama
Friday Street
The Eton Rifles (The Jam)
Long Time
Peacock Suit
Encore (acoustic):
The Ballad of Jimmy McCabe
Gravity
English Rose (The Jam)
That’s Entertainment (The Jam)
Hopper
Wild Wood
Encore 2:
The Weaver
Broken Stones
Come On/Let’s Go
Start! (The Jam)
Town Called Malice (The Jam)