Tommy Emmanuel's guitar masterclass at Sheffield City Hall

Tommy Emmanuel gave Sheffielders a masterclass in the instrument on Wednesday night.
Tommy Emmanuel live on stage at Sheffield City Hall.Tommy Emmanuel live on stage at Sheffield City Hall.
Tommy Emmanuel live on stage at Sheffield City Hall.

The Australian guitar legend showed how quick his fingers still worked, and the joy the instrument still gives him, at a gig at Sheffield City Hall.

The show was part of his It's Never Too Late Tour which showcased the album of the same name.

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He still threw in some of the old favourites, though. He wouldn't have been allowed out of the building if he didn't play his famous cover of Mason Williams' Classical Gas.

The beautiful Angelina, which is named after Tommy's daughter, also got a run, containing four guitar chords which "melted" Tommy's Heart.

Blue Moon gave him a chance to introduce us to his "one-man band" concept, where Tommy plays bass notes, lead melodies and percussive noises all at the same time. It leaves you in awe of a man at the top of his game after more than 50 years in the music business.

He is less known for his vocal abilities, but he showed off his voice on a couple of numbers, including Chet Atkins' I Still Can't Say Goodbye.

The pair were great mates.

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Tommy gave some of the limelight to young Rotherham guitarist James Haigh, who wowed the crowd with his skills.

After the song, Tommy declared James was "born to play" guitar.

Tommy also invited his support act, Essex guitarist Clive Carroll, on stage near the end of the show. The pair traded licks and had a blast doing it.

Earlier, when Clive was playing his support slot, Tommy snuck out from backstage to watch from the shadows, further demonstrating his love of music.

The tour moved on to London on Thursday night, before heading over to Germany and the Netherlands.

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