Birmingham, Alabama became a whole lot closer as Nottingham's Rock City played host to the eight-piece whirlwind that is St. Paul and the Broken Bones...
Fast forward to 2026, Ballgame is in town with a hotly received debut LP to promote, For The First Time Again, released the morning after opening this show at Rock City.
Bedecked in a rainbow-coloured hoodie, he is backed by a five-piece band who provide the perfect loose yet whip-tight base for Ballgame’s extraordinary vocal range to dance across. The Big O-tinged Help Me Out, recent single - the soaringly operatic Matter Of Time - and woozy Got A New Car proved the highlights from an artist well worth exploring.
Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, headliners St. Paul and the Broken Bones hit their straps from the off in front of a now filled out audience. Led by the powerhouse vocalist Paul Janeway - part Alan Carr, part Alexis Taylor - the eight-piece launched into the yearning Nothing More Lonely before ramping up the soulful stomp with Flow With It (You Got Me Feeling Like).
Featuring a keyboardist, bassist, guitarist, drummer and three-piece horn section, they have plenty to keep you captivated throughout and that’s without factoring in Janeway’s remarkable vocal histrionics.
Other highlights included Call Me and Sushi and Coca Cola, which oozed pure ‘70s Stax vibes with vocals tipping more than a hat to Al Green while also being reminiscent of the best of Jamiroquai. At times, it is difficult to differentiate from one track to the next, but there’s so much to feast on visually and orally, it doesn’t seem to matter.
The set encompassed plenty of time for the rest of the Bones to showcase their wares too with saxophonist Amari Ansari quick to lap up his moment in the sun.
Set closer Apollo is the kind of earworm first-timers to this band's music could be forgiven for thinking is a cover, such is its familiarity. With Janeway now resplendent in a sparkly gold mirrored cloak, he finishes the show by scaling the balcony and sauntering through the crowd, high-fiveing fans as he passes by.
It’s the sort of manna from heaven wet and blustery January nights desperately require.
St. Paul & the Broken Bones performed at Rock City on 29th January 2026.
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