TORONTO - David Gray almost made it to the end of his show at Massey Hall on Monday night without having to tell anyone off in the audience.

But then, unbelievably, the 41-year-old British singer-songwriter caught someone loudly having a chat in or near the front row as he wrapped up his hour-and-45-minute set with Nemesis, which turned out to the best new song in a live setting off his latest album, the stripped-down and raw Draw The Line, his first disc in four years.

“This is nuts,” said Gray mid-song, while continuing to strum his acoustic guitar. “I can hear you having a conversation. You can’t wait 10 minutes until the gig is over? Just an idea.”

The lights went up momentarily and the confrontation brought cheers and applause from the rest of the crowd who had been paying proper attention.

And what could have been an uncomfortable moment seemed to just get Gray more riled up as a performer - he was a pretty passionate, animated and intense presence already - as he delivered an outstanding final song with the epic-like Nemesis, punctuated by the glowing reflected lights of a huge, disco ball behind Gray and his four-man band, all of them dressed sharply in suits, while the audience clapped along.

The night began much more calmly as Gray launched the evening with the gentle-sounding First Chance, also from Draw The Line, before rocking it up with the next new song, Fugitive, followed by crowd favourite, Sail Away, from his now decade-old breakthrough album, White Ladder.

Slick lighting and loads of reverb on his vocals made for a dramatic show and some of Gray’s vocal work was staggering like the big notes he let rip during Sail Away, Ain’t No Love and This Year’s Love, while electric-acoustic guitarist Neill MacColl provided lovely harmonies during The Other Side.

Gray, who alternated between acoustic guitar and piano, was also in a downright chatty mood, like when he sat down to perform the rarity Falling Down The Mountainside.

“I’m not getting any younger,” joked Gray as he took a set alone on stage with his acoustic guitar.

A young girl in the audience yelled out: “I’m old David.”

He responded: “Congratulations. This is not a competition.”

There was also a longwinded but entertaining if slightly disturbing explanation about him writing the new song, Breathe, which involved him and some friends drinking wine and watching a Manchester United game at his house before being interrupted by two Iranian intellectuals at his front door seeking donations for their imprisoned and persecuted brethren.

Other standout songs included Be Mine, a slower-tempoed version of Gray’s huge White Ladder hit, Babylon, The One I Love, Slow Motion, and the new song Transformation.

Opening act and Irish singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Lisa Hannigan, known previously for her outstanding work with fellow Dubliner Damien Rice, was perfectly charming and quirky during her 45-minute set of chamber folk-pop which she ended with a winning cover of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus.

Here's the setlist:

First Chance
Fugitive
Sail Away
Jackdaw
You’re the World to Me
Be Mine
Stella The Artist
The Other Side
Ain’t No Love
Falling Down The Mountainside
Breathe
Transformation
Babylon
Everytime
The One I Love
Slow Motion

Encore:

This Year’s Love
Nemesis