Keane

Keane doing a special pre-world-tour gig at a venue near where they grew up was immensely enjoyable and would have swayed even the coldest cynics. Flushed with enthusiasm and effort, Tom Chaplin proved that he is a truly brilliant singer by hitting every note perfectly.

The crowd responded to all of the new songs with ecstatic applause and they were often strong enough to justify it. ‘Black Rain’ for example was intelligent with beautiful falsetto parts, but I personally found ‘Sovereign Light Cafe’ (a song about a cafe nearby in Bexhill) a bit too sentimental and sweet. Keane are a band who wear their heart on their sleeve however so they can get away with it, and the generous set included all their big hits to counter the few duds.

De La Warr Pavilion, 9 March 2012

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