Live Review: Tom Odell, Melody Pool

Huddled in the front corner of the stage at the Metro Theatre on Thursday night, young singer-songwriter Melody Pool introduced the audience to her alternative style of country music reminiscent of an indie spin on The Dixie Chicks. It was a casual affair – Pool seemed content up to strum away while the audience milled about. Pool and her band remained fairly stoic throughout the set, a reflection of the brand of music that Pool herself described as “depressing”. Although this sombre mood came across as lacking energy at times, the moments of upbeat swingin' rhythms won through and the crowd responded with gusto.

Things got hot and heavy very quickly when British golden boy Tom Odell stepped out on stage to the welcoming screams of adoring females. By the time he'd made it through his first track, Grow Old With Me, the Metro was a sauna of sweaty bodies, all delighted by the ruckus that the 22-year-old was causing up on stage. Odell was never still as he banged away at the piano during the 60-minute set, his trademark blonde hair constantly flopping over his face. The physical force that he put behind each track and each lyric was too emotive and powerful for the audience not to respond; there were plenty of goofy smiles plastered on the faces of the mesmerised crowd. His rendition of Hold Me, from his debut album, Long Way Down, was so loud and chaotic it felt as though we were watching Odell stamp around a small bar while he drank and sang of past loves. The set was dynamic as he transitioned easily from intimate moments of soft crooning to great explosions of anger and expression.

While the audience clearly had a great time, Odell appeared to have the most fun of anyone in the room as he got lost in each track, pushing the hair out of his face, loosening the sweaty collar of his white shirt and slapping the top of the piano – who would've thought angry could look so damn good?