AS one of only a handful of pre-festival warm-up gigs, it seemed highly appropriate that Scottish singer songwriter Paolo Nutini and his band took to the newly-refurbished stage of York’s Barbican Centre on the hottest and sunniest day of the year so far.

Inside the sold-out venue, the crowds were getting hot and bothered to see the star and hear his sunshine-laden songs - and they weren’t to be disappointed.

Following funky support act, Josephine, who got the excited crowd into the swing of things, they positively erupted when the diminutive award-winning main act took to the stage.

There’s nothing diminutive about Paolo Nutini’s powerful soulful voice, however, and much like the young Spencer Davies took the 60s by storm with his well-matured smoky voice, so too, does Nutini, with a raucous tone that belies his 20-something years.

Opening with Jenny Don’t Be Hasty, favourite song after favourite song from his chart-topping albums, These Streets and Sunny Side Up, such as Ten Out Of Ten, Candy, Alloway Grove, Last Request and New Shoes, were given an airing, with the audience singing along at the tops of their voices.

From tender solo appearances under a single spotlight to being part of a full-on band, complete with a fantastic brass section, the Paisley boy had the audience firmly under his spell and, though he didn’t address the crowd much between numbers, the music said it all – right up until the last note rang out after his second encore.