FOR a while we think we've got the date wrong.

We've arrived with several dozen other early birds at Westonbirt Arboretum for the Forest Live concert of 24-year-old Indie sensation Tom Odell.

But looking around we can't spot anyone under the age of about 50 - and there are even a couple of Zimmer frames, no word of a lie.

As the vast grassy clearing around the big stage begins to fill, though, the age demographics soon gain an even balance, until every generation is represented.

Such is the universal appeal of Odell's music and persona. Celebrity fans include Sir Elton John and The Rolling Stones, and Lily Allen has likened his on-stage energy to that of David Bowie.

When he takes the stage one can be forgiven for thinking 'surfer dude' or 'skater boy'; he's somehow rocking denim on denim and he flicks golden locks from a pretty face. Then he gets behind the piano, takes a deep breath, and there's a sudden, mind-blowing alchemy. Odell’s distinctive vocals effortlessly dominate even in this spectacular open air theatre carved out of the woods. It’s no wonder he was the BRITs’ Critics’ Choice Award winner in 2013 and Ivor Novello 2014 Songwriter of the Year. His melodies and lyrics are captivating and emotive. The Forest Live shows are giving him the opportunity to share a new set that promise to be every bit as popular as those on his debut studio album Long Way Down which reached No. 1 in the UK Official Chart.

The mix of old and new numbers are ordered in a cleverly orchestrated emotional manipulation, rolling waves of adrenaline-boosting bursts punctuated by profoundly contemplative moments and then breathtaking, heart-stopping simplicity. From the dynamic call-to-party Friday Night and stirring Constellations to the dramatic Somehow, hi-energy Cruel and plaintive Till I Lost, his latest offerings prove he hasn’t lost his touch since such hits as Another Love, Can’t Pretend and Real Love, the Beatles cover that warmed our hearts for the first time last winter in the John Lewis Christmas advert (one fan just can’t contain her excitement and yells "Penguins!", to which Tom laughs).

As the show progresses there is a gradual stripping away of layers until it’s just Odell’s voice giving absolute clarity to the poetry in his lyrics. I look around and everyone, young and old, is equally enchanted. Odell once said, “If anyone is still listening to my music in 20 years then that is my kind of dream.’ Seems a simple bet that’s one wish sure to come true.

- Bianca Polizzi