John Carpenter

John Carpenter’s first ever UK tour kicked off at Brighton Dome, and the horror soundtrack maestro proved a surprisingly up-for-it showman. Leading proceedings from his trusty synthesiser, Carpenter cheerfully and melodramatically introduced songs while scenes from his movies played behind the band. Consisting of two guitarists, two keyboard/synth players, one bassist and a drummer, the band produced a balanced, punchy sound: the short and sweet pieces often simple to play but with flashes of fun ’80s style lead guitar and other flourishes thrown in for good measure.

A fun, nostalgic atmosphere permeated the whole evening in fact, with a delighted audience relishing picking out obscurer films and getting swept up in a horror movie reverie. Numbers from his recent ‘Lost Themes’ albums were all solid songs that were arguably more suited for a live concert, although were perhaps a little lost on the audience at times. The evening was a theatrical triumph with just a few little niggles, such as the screen’s footage occasionally being difficult to see due to the lighting setup on stage.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 20 October 2016
Rating:
Joe Fuller