Brilliant Paul Weller at the top of his game as he closes Bedford Summer Sessions with stunning show

And it is a mark of the songwriting and musical genius he is, that he could have played a completely different 31 and still sent more or less every single person in the crowd home happy.

Next April will mark the 50th anniversary of the release of The Jam's debut single In The City, and Weller has been, more or less, at the top of his game ever since.

He has written countless classic tunes over the past 49 years, and is still producing brilliant music now - highlighted by the feat of him having achieved at least one number one LP in each of the past five decades.

Let's face it, Weller could put together two-hour shows featuring just songs from the two bands he famously fronted, The Jam and Style Council, or another with just solo material, and the adoring crowd at a packed out Bedford Park on a beautiful summer evening would have lapped it up.

Indeed, there are many out there who would love him to do just that!

But as it turned out, those lucky enough to be there were treated to more than two hours of classic tracks, hits and hidden gems from all three of the exceptional stages of his career.

One of those solo hidden gems kicked the night off with a storming Rip The Pages Up getting things going... a song that was criminally relegated to a bonus track on the deluxe edition of the 22 Dreams album in 2008.

It's a belter.

That kick-started a breathless opening to the set, which featured Precious, the first of seven Jam songs to get an airing, with that funky track merging into Move On Up, the Curtis Mayfield cover that has always been part of the Modfather's live repertoire.

Weller was looking as sharp as ever, and was in chatty and very happy mood... warning the crowd they were in for a long night as he intended to rattle through the decades!

And it was to prove to be a night of some nostalgia, mixed with the here and now, with Weller and his excellent band on top, top form.

The main show featured 24 songs, including Jam greats Strange Town, Man In The Corner Shop and That's Entertainment, and Style Council classics Shout To The Top, a wonderful Long Hot Summer and My Ever Changing Moods, ther latter dedicated to the innocents that have been suffering for far too long in Gaza.

A couple of stints at the keyboard saw Weller belt out solo high points Broken Stones and You Do Something To Me, with the main man admitting he 'wouldn't get out of Bedford alive' if he didn't play that one!

It was all rounded off with a rollicking Peacock Suit, before Weller and Steve Cradock returned for a beautiful rendition of English Rose from classic Jam LP All Mod Cons that set the wheels in motion on a seven-song encore.

Underrated solo track All The Pictures On The Wall was followed by The Changingman and a mighty version of The Eton Rifles, sounding as good today as it did when it was released back in 1979!

The pace slowed with a sumptuous Wild Wood and Rockets from 2020 LP On Sunset, before the night ended with Weller's very own 'national anthem', Town Called Malice.

It was a joyous end to a fantastic night.

Special words of praise should also go to support act Arkayla, who were given extra weight to carry with Miles Kane having to pull out at the last minute due to illness.

That will have been a blow to everybody attending as the Liverpudlian is box office in his own right, but the Manchester four-piece put on a great show, and they are definitely a band to keep an ear and eye on in the future!

Anyway, it probably won't be a surprise to anybody reading this far, that I am a big fan of Paul Weller...

I have seen him live many times over the years, but I have to admit, the show on Sunday was one of the best, if not the best, I have seen.

Here's to the next one!

Setlist: Rip the Pages Up; Precious; Move On Up; Come On/Let's Go; The Weaver; Strange Town; Man in the Corner Shop; Up in Suze's Room; That Pleasure; Hung Up; Village; Broken Stones; My Ever Changing Moods; Have You Ever Had It Blue; Shout to the Top!; Stanley Road; You Do Something to Me; Long Hot Summer; Can You Heal Us (Holy Man); Out of the Sinking; More; That's Entertainment; Shadow of the Sun; Peacock Suit. Encore: English Rose; All the Pictures on the Wall; The Changingman; The Eton Rifles; Wild Wood; Rockets; Town Called Malice