WHILE many people are quick to dismiss X Factor winners as one-hit wonders, the packed house at the Oasis on Saturday night suggests fans will not be letting Matt Cardle fade in to the background any time soon.
Despite releasing only two singles from album Letters since his 2010 win on the popular ITV show, Matt showed off the impressive vocals during the 70-minute set which saw him become a favourite amongst those TV viewers.
With no costume changes, fancy lighting, pyrotechnics, backing dancers or distracting staging, Matt sang his way through tracks from his album while telling the stories behind the lyrics, mainly evolving around the ups and downs of past relationships.
Dressed down in a blue shirt and jeans, Matt had thankfully ditched the infamous hat which had become a staple in his wardrobe during his time on the reality show.
From note-perfect performances of Beat of a Breaking Heart, Letters and Slowly, one of the highlights came when he performed The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – a song he first performed while on the X Factor.
And you could almost hear a pin drop as the audience sat captivated with Matt hitting every high note perfectly. A flawless performance was met with a standing ovation from the crowd.
The pace of the show increased when Matt, who seemed overwhelmed with the support shown from his Swindon fans, introduced the popular track Starlight and requested that everybody in the house rose to their feet – and they did so, young and old.
It was the encore of the show, in which Matt sang top 10 singles When We Collide and Run For Your Life, which really proved he was a worthy winner of the show and ensured that if music fans have got any taste, 2012 will finally be Matt Cardle’s year.
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