Scritti Polliti
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of Cupid & Psyche 85, Green Gartside and company not only brought their stunning 80s pop synth noise to Norwich but opened their tour right here in this fine city.
As Gartside pointed out Norwich had always been kind to him and the band and it is fair to say there was a lot of love in the room.
Cupid & Psyche 85 is an album I remember my mum playing on Sunday afternoons whilst making a Sunday roast. Whilst that nostalgia for me is ingrained it is very important to state that these songs still sound incredibly fresh and in parts extremely current.
Tracks like 'Perfect Way' sound like the kind of music Brandon Flowers would Kill for. The Word Girl, full of 80s synth goodness would not sound out of place on the latest Harry Styles or Nation Of Language albums. The songs fuse that synth pop vibe perfectly.
The audience felt quite tentative at first but under the current climate that's completely understandable, they certainly got into the groove quickly with the banter from stage to audience coming across easily.
Whilst the main bulk of the gig was Cupid & Syche 85 they also showcased songs from across their impressive catalogue. The Sweetest Girl and The Boom Boom Bap were highlights for me and I get the feeling that the band enjoyed these the most too.
Live music is seemingly back, finally and getting lost in wonderful music for a few hours is always welcome, Scritti Polliti being joy to the stage and it is wonderful to have them around.
