Ellie Goulding Gig - Manchester Academy 2. Tuesday, 8th June 2010

I take my hat off to Ellie Goulding, she absolutely blew me away. I wasn't sure what to expect beforehand - however my cynicism was belted away the second she started singing. In my humble opinion her voice sounds better live than it does on the album. In reality her voice is husky and gutsy but with a charming vulnerability, and absolutely note perfect throughout the set. I was also hugely impressed by her commitment to the performance and the way she engaged with the audience.

I was surprised she was on at Academy 2 rather than its big bother "the proper Academy". I've often thought artists at Academy 2 can suffer from the fact it is situated above the Student Union (in fact it used to be called the Student Union) and sometimes frequented by people who are going to a gig for the sake of it, rather than out of genuine interest in the band. However once again I was proved wrong as Ellie Goulding drew a very strong and dedicated fan base who hung off her every word. I won't bore you with a blow by blow account of the set list, she played her album flawlessly and since I have seen her live I listen to it with different ears!

To summarise, she far exceeded all my expectations of the night. She has a flawless voice and is a beyond talented song writer. So impressed was LMWW that I have bought tickets to see her again in November when she returns to Manchester - this time at the more fitting venue of "the proper Academy"! Snap up your tickets here