Like a who got the cream only to find itself allergic to dairy produce, David Gray strived for fame for three unsuccessful albums, but when it came with 1998’s White Ladder, he instantly recoiled.

One decade and three albums later, he's just about coming to terms with his popular troubadour status, although, as befits this restive soul, since 1995’s Life in Slow Motion he’s dumped his long-standing band and changed record labels. Initially last night's show was shot through with a certain heavy-legged tension and it never truly soared until the very final song Please Forgive Me.

Gray still can't shake his underdog diffidence and while “oh Christ, here's another song from the new album” wasn't perhaps an introduction to inspire confidence in Full Steam Ahead, the album's tongue-twisting title track, Draw The Line, was almost a state of the nation address and Nemesis (“I'm the thoughts you're too ashamed to share”) is his darkest and richest song yet.

Less afraid than ever of his more popular moments, Gray transformed Babylon into a genuinely heart-tugging acoustic lament and the imperious Be Mine and The One I Love reminded us that he can be a master of his craft.