The Irrepressibles

Taking the stage without introduction or acknowledgement, aside from a wave to a child in a tiger outfit, this was a no-frills performance: a bare stage with the band swathed in spotlights. A technical problem meant ditching the electric guitar early on resulting in two versions of ‘So’, the second selection from their new ‘Nude:Viscera’ EP and a chance for Jamie to stretch his voice with its operatic Billy MacKenzie dramatics. The string players interacted perfectly, whether conjuring up mournful melodies or plucking pizzicato and their irrepressible leader rounded off this mesmerising show with a haunting solo piano piece.

Studio Theatre, Brighton Dome, 7 March 2014

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