HOW many encores is one man worth?

Paul Weller did two, but had a packed York Barbican had its way, we’d still be listening to the Modfather right now.

This was a blistering set, even by Weller’s standards.

And compared to the vast surrounds of Dalby Forest last summer, the Fishergate venue felt incredibly intimate.

The Changing Man could have easily filled it five times over but the relatively meagre confines, compared to the stadium king’s usual larger haunts, made it seem so one-off and special.

Laudably, he also resisted the urge to make it a greatest hits night.

Shorn of The Jam and The Style Council tunes that sometimes filter into his larger gigs, Weller cherry-picked liberally from Wild Wood, Stanley Road, Heavy Soul, Sonik Kicks and others – mixing grandstanders like Peacock Suit with the slower-burning Friday Street.

Upcoming LP Saturn’s Pattern hits the streets in May and the promising title track, with a catchy psychedelic refrain, also hit the brightest chord.

What remains incredible about Weller, though, is the enormous energy in his performance.

At an age where some are thinking about retirement plans, the 56-year-old belts round the stage with irrepressible enthusiasm – his voice untarnished and as rich as on the records.

Backed up by a super-tight band which continues to be fronted by the formidable Steve Craddock – an outstanding guitarist in his own right – he can make a 20-year-old song sound like it’s the first time you’ve ever heard it.

That’s why, if there’s the merest chance of hearing just one more, his audience would wait all night if they had to.

York Press:
 Fans lap up the atmosphere