On this cold winter evening (25th Jan 2017) at Nottingham Playhouse what finer way can we spend time other than in the company of internationally renowned singer Ramin Karimloo and the talents of his Broadgrass Band musicians Jessie Linden, Georgina Leach, Matthew Harvey and stand in Rob on bass guitar.

Duo After You support and offer up fifteen minutes of beautiful sounds followed by Swindon based singer and musician Rob Richings whose playful and often moving set features a selection of his songs from his recent album Parkas and Boots. His set this evening includes The Pavilion, Richer Man, Lord of The Attic, Ten Seconds and Regardless. Like Ramin Karimloo’s set Richings’ songs have proper emotional stories at their heart.

When charismatic Ramin Karimloo and his band arrive on stage they do so to a huge Nottingham welcome. Once into the first two songs his impressive musical theatre career becomes evident with a crowd pleasing rendition of ‘Til I Hear You Sing’ from Love Never Dies.

Ramin Karimloo’s music set is a fantastic mix of show songs and country and ‘rootsy’ broadgrass which regularly features him on banjo and guitar. Even hits like ‘Anthem’ and ‘Bring Him Home’ are put across uniquely by Karimloo, yet still they’re vocally just as moving and powerful as versions sung in the actual shows Chess and Les Misérables. For the many musical theatre lovers in the audience Karimloo offers up a sensational version of ‘Being Alive’ from Sondheim’s Company.

From his first album he delights the audience with ‘Constant Angel’ and the evening in his company is packed with a beautifully packaged and eclectic range of songs including Ol’ Man River, Hushabye Mountain, Sarah, High Flying Adored, Broken and Ramin Karimloo’s own compositions. The Broadgrass Band offer brilliant support not only musically but vocally throughout the terrific set. The evening is not without lavish dollops of humour between songs and a well deserved spontaneous standing ovation completes a lively and magical evening in the generous company of Ramin Karimloo at Nottingham Playhouse.

Reviewer: Phil Lowe

This review was written originally for The Nottingham Post.