Olly Murs is a man stalked by adjectives beginning with C – cheeky, chirpy, cheerful, and, begrudgingly among some cynics, credible.
During his Abu Dhabi debut he added H words humidity and heat.
After igniting du Forum with 2016 chart whopper You Don't Know Love, "I'm sweating so much I don't think I'm going to have any clothes by the end," he announced to predictable shrills.
Murs wisely slowed the tempo occasionally with Grow Up, Back Around and the analytical Flaws providing breathers.
And weaving Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It into a fulsome Back Around showed a star still happily galvanizing covers.
This was a match fit Murs; leaner and livelier than the 2014 Dubai Jazz Festival version. At times a slightly cheesy tease, the singer sought out singletons in the crowd, rousing hope as he confirmed his unattached status; as well as the "broken heart" that inspired Dear Darlin'.
Murs’ stage persona mostly blends kids’ TV presenter exuberance with Lee Evans-esque facial expressions and occasional David Brent-worthy banter.
“I heard Abu Dhabi is the new place to party,” he grinned. “I don’t know about you, I’ve come here to party.”
Breezy positivity flows from the 32-year-old, though, fuelling a loyal Yas Island legion stretching from balloon-wielding kids and giddy teens to mum scrums and unlikely huddles of 30/40-something men.
Then seven years in the Murs' oeuvre has also diversified, beyond the perma-trilby days of Thinking Of Me or Heart Skips A Beat – lifted here from radio wallpaper to highlight, notably by able-tonsiled male backing singers.
Troublemaker and Deeper were ever-reliable rabble-rousers and Up another sonic tonic informed by life, but a late covers medley running from Luther Vandross and Arrested Development to Timberlake robbed the set of some original Olly output (although his U Can't Touch This would have done MC Hammer proud).
Few minded. It teed up a lively climax: retro-channeling Dance With Me Tonight, saucy Kiss Me and career catalyst Years & Years completing 90 minutes of largely feel-good decibels. Oozing gratitude, Murs promised to return…next time wearing shorts.
artslife@thenational.ae
