Even at weddings when instructed to be upstanding for the bride, I've never seen so many people simultaneously leap to their feet as when Tom Grennan took to the stage at Westonbirt. I was distracted, digging into a lump of brie with a wooden spork, when suddenly the sea of camping chairs surrounding me were empty and my view was blocked by someone's back.
We had been a placid crowd until that point, with only a smattering of toe-tapping and shoulder-shimmying during the support acts. Forest Live gigs are some of the most informal and family-friendly festivals I've been to, with people allowed to bring along picnics, folding seats and as large a bag as you can carry - no need to cram your essentials into one that's strictly A4-sized or less, like many other arena venues.
But the laid-back fans were jolted into action as the headliner strode into view shortly after 9pm last night (Friday), wearing an epic satin two-piece with a kaleidoscopic pattern. The band launched straight into business and within seconds his gravelly voice was ringing out against the impressive backdrop of trees at the arboretum.
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It was quickly clear that he is a musician who needs no fancy light shows, fireworks or big production to detract from the singing, with a talent that sounds the same live than the recorded version played on the radio. I don't pretend to be a super-fan, not like the many people in the front sporting his merchandise, but I was surprised by how many choruses I knew the words to.
Sober, Royal Highness, How Does it Feel and This is the Place were among the tracks I recognised in the first half of the set and he also introduced a new song, Psychedelic Kisses, from his album What Ifs & Maybes (released next week). "It's been a long time coming," he told the crowd during one of many interactions throughout the night.
His charisma and ability to connect with his audience makes it feel as if you're watching a mate who's just made it big, even though it's been seven years since his debut single Something in the Water was released. He twirled around the stage with the energy of a sugar-hyped child at a school disco, yet managed to make it look effortlessly cool.
He commented on the "beautiful setting" although as the night wore on, one downside emerged of being surrounded by trees: "My hay fever has kicked in now I'm not going to lie," he admitted, not that anyone would have noticed otherwise.
Despite unwavering confidence he did show some glimmers of disbelief as he considered his mass of fans. "Just look at you all - this is a dream," he said, looking out at thousands of people as they threw their arms in the air and clapped the sequence from Queen's We Will Rock You.
When he said jump, they jumped, when he said clap, they clapped, and it was impossible not to have fun watching him revel in it. As someone who seems to be everywhere on TV right now though, he still seems humble about it. Introducing the meaning of one song he said: "It's like a little hand on my shoulder saying I can do what I want to do and dream as big as I want to dream. If you've got a dream then go and get it."
In case Tom hadn't already won everyone over, towards the end of the night he invited a young fan, Martha, up on stage to help him sing a second take on This is the Place. Her sister tweeted afterwards: "Thank you @Tom_Grennan for making my sister's year after a tough couple weeks after losing our grandad, you've really made her smile."
At one point he also noticed that it was someone's birthday, and stopped to sing 'happy birthday' to her as everyone else joined in. He then mentioned he's playing in Socceraid this weekend, and led a chant of 'Engeeerlaaaand England England' as someone else in his team filmed it.
"I'm in a group with loads of famous football players, I'm going to send this and they're going to love it! Just let me sort my hair out first, I can't be looking like this in front of Jill Scott," he joked. The highlight for me was when he brought forward one of his brilliant backing singers, Petra, to sing a duet of Let's Go Home Together. Both vocals were incredible and I'll have that song happily stuck in my head all weekend.
Tom Grennan is due to play again tonight at Cannock Chase Forest, followed by Thetford Forest and Delamere Forest next week as part of Forestry England's Forest Live concert series. Jack Savoretti and special guest Natalie Imbruglia play Westonbirt tonight.
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