EMBARKING on a sold-out UK tour, Jamie Lawson brought his signature style to York on Monday.

Last year, Lawson was announced as the first signing to Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records. His self-titled album achieved number one in Britain shortly after and has sold more than a quarter of a million copies around the world, while his hit single, Wasn’t Expecting That, has sold 400,000 copies in the UK.

Singer Callum Scott, of Britain’s Got Talent fame, served as the warm-up act for the evening, delivering a soulful, pulse-pounding set combining deep, percussive rhythms with lighter melodies and powerful, swelling vocals. His songs were simple but evocative, holding the audience in quiet awe, especially through his rendition of his break-out hit Dancing On My Own.

Lawson started the main part of the night strongly with the single Cold In Ohio. His naturally cheerful everyman personality made him instantly likeable. Unfortunately, he never quite fully managed to capture the attention of the audience; although some were quite taken with him and his music, his quiet, lilting vocal style and derivative songs robbed his performance of some much needed variety.

While still managing to be entertaining and even moving at times, his stilted pacing and repetitive structure saw a section of the audience leave before he could finish his finale.

In a slightly pedestrian show that felt somewhat overlong, Jamie Lawson showed some good potential but he would benefit from additional polish.