Music > Live Reviews
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
The Adrian Flux Waterfront
17/02/17
Anyone who followed popular music during the Britpop years of Blur and Oasis, and witnessed the arrival of Girl Power via the Spice Girls, will also have memories of Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Perhaps it would be from when she was lead vocalist with of one of the best indie bands of the late nineties, Theaudience. Or possibly for her collaboration with DJ Spiller in Groovejet, the song that kept Dane Bowers and Victoria Beckham off the coveted number one spot. She then went on to record her own dance floor-fillers, anthems like Take Me Home and Murder On The Dance Floor.
Sixteen years later, and that audience has grown up, possibly now with teenage children of their own. SEB is married with four sons, but tonight appears with Familia (the name of her latest album) embroidered onto the seat of her red playsuit.
Not surprisingly there is a certain amount of jockeying for position as she and her six piece band launch into Wild Forever, Death of Love, and Crystallise, the first three tracks off Familia. Everyone seems to want a proper view, and The Waterfront, with its low ceiling and stage, and those supporting columns , is sometimes better for acts that you just want to listen or dance to. Nonetheless, SEB is happy to move around the stage and shake her booty at the first couple of rows, whilst that unmistakable voice floats over their heads to reach the rest of the audience. She is looking and sounding good, and she knows it. She even sings a few bars of our football anthem, On The Ball City, a song she still remembers via an old boyfriend who also happened to be a Norwich City fan.
Most of the first half of the set is devoted to tracks from the new album, and its predecessor Wanderlust, both co-written with Ed Harcourt. During an acoustic 'request' interlude we are treated to stripped back versions of Mixed Up World, Catch You and the old Theaudience classic, A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed.
After Don't Shy Away, the final track off Familia, Sophie changes into a yellow party frock and returns with Come With Us before launching into the disco medley that includes Modjo's Lady and Moloko's Sing It Back, as well as her own dance-floor fillers like Take Me Home and Groovejet (If This Ain't Love). We may all be crammed in too tightly to throw the same moves as we did fifteen years ago (or perhaps our hips and knees just aren't up to it any more?), but we do a good line in arm-waving and swaying. No wonder we are ready to join in with the chorus on the inevitable final song. Yes, it simply had to be Murder On The Dancefloor.
Then, just as we think it's all over, a spotlight falls on the merch stand, where Sophie, her guitarist and violinist reappear to perform a totally unplugged version of Here Comes The Rapture that totally catches out many of the preparing-to-leave audience.
By the way, if tonight's support act tonight looked familiar you may be correct. Sisters Gita and Edie Langley are session musicians that have played on tour with everybody from Kasabian to Muse, Jools Holland and Paloma Faith. Gita's partner is Carl Barât, and with the two other Langley sisters are in a string quartet called, appropriately enough, Dirty Pretty Strings. Edie is a classically trained cellist, and married to the aforementioned Ed Harcourt. Together they are Lock, a pop-noir electronic duo, clearly inspired by the cinematic work of artists like Kavinsky, but with a touch of Human League retro-ism and glamour thrown in for good measure.
Whether it is down to first night nerves, or perhaps it is simply a huge step forward to be fronting their own band, but Gita and Edie seem slightly apprehensive of their audience tonight. No need for them to worry. Tracks like Click and New York vs Paris mark this pair out as a talented and stylish force for the future. Most effective when they are sharing vocals and guitar duties, the synths and drums still manage to contribute exactly the right amount of rhythm and atmosphere. Remember the name.