Stealth

Stealth impresses during short set at St. Pancras Old Church.

As the small capacity crowd awaits Stealth’s arrival, his crew brings out extra lighting equipment to the back of the stage. They flash and blink like something out of Bon Jovi’s It’s My Life music video. A few bulbs is hardly a massive shift in church decor, but it brings a sense of pop-ey razzmatazz to a previously serene venue.

In Keeping with the bright aesthetic, opener ‘Truth Is’ has a soulful blues flavour to it with a catchy chorus to go with it. With solid vocals and a Sean Mendez look about him the Birmingham act wouldn’t feel too far out of place on a bigger stage.

It might be a cliché to mention that the Englishman sounds somewhere in between in vogue stars like Hozier and Ed Sheeran (this review is not the first to mention similarities to the former), but songs like the streaming hit ‘Judgment Day’ and the blues breakup number ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ finds the artist in that vein.

‘Gotta Stop Loving You’, the tale of a love the protagonist just can’t escape, pulls off the required ache and angst in the voice, while the feel-good jazz blues rocker ‘Black Heart’ proves a fun way to close the main set.

The brummie doesn’t say much of note, but that doesn’t stop him from coming across as a friendly and affable fellow. He shares one or two messages behind the songs, funny moments with friends, and staying up late to see his song debut on US primetime TV.

It’s a compelling if short set, that demonstrates the star attraction’s talents and potential for mass appeal. ‘Judgment Day’ has already made an appearance on the TV show Suits and it’s not hard to see that Stealth has the talent to craft, soulful, hook friendly, and ultimately engaging offerings that are good enough to make it to popular radio.