James McCartney is in search of star quality

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At 32, the son of Sir Paul and Linda has taken the long and winding road to the stage, including time spent waiting at tables in Brighton and performing under the alias Light.

With his debut album due out this year, he came to the 100 Club last night on the ninth leg of his UK tour.

Backed by a three-piece band, McCartney possessed dad’s high vocal register and played his guitar through a Vox — the same snarling amplifiers made famous by The Beatles.

The similarities to his father largely ended there. Dealing in messy, riff-based rock, with a voice that had a tendency to scream when it should sing, there was little that was exceptional about this balding, earnest performer.

The polite applause that met spiky numbers such as Mix and Denial suggested that he’s unlikely to have to call an end to live performance due to unmanageable levels of crowd hysteria, although he did give the audience something to cheer about.

The lilting, mandolin-led I Love You Dad was a three-minute pop gem, while the jangly guitar and high-pitched harmonies of Angel brought the evening to a rousing finish.

Nevertheless, with neither the songs nor the voice to set him apart, James McCartney looks likely to struggle to become a star in his own right.

James McCartney