Gig Of The Week: Paul Weller @ Sydney Metro Theatre

Watch: Paul Weller

“What a lovely little civilised Sunday night concert this is!” 

It’s hard to imagine the Modfather holding a civilised gathering back in his rebellious days with The Jam, but on this Sunday night – some 30 years since the punk rockers disbanded – Paul Weller and his band ended a trio of Sydney shows with a final, extraordinary performance in the intimate surrounds of the Metro Theatre.

Australian fans had waited more than two decades for Weller’s long-overdue 2008 shows, and when he returned with his Wake Up The Nation two years later, none of that anticipation had dissipated. Few musicians have flown the Mod flag with the same style as Weller, and thankfully that night he delivered the same degree of punk rock passion he had in the ’70s to the eager crowd.

The sharply dressed silver fox delighted them with spirited tunes including ‘From The Floorboards Up’, ‘Into Tomorrow’, ’22 Dreams’. And true to his word (“I promise to play you some old tunes in a little bit…if you behave”), he threw in Jam hits ‘Pretty Green’ and ‘Art School’ plus the classic ‘Shout To The Top’ from his days with The Style Council. Now that’s entertainment.