SPIRITUALIZED – BRIGHTON DOME 30.4.22
Jason Spaceman (known to his Mum as Jason Pierce) brings Spiritualized and their ‘Everything Was Beautiful’ tour to Brighton Dome. Spiritualized have never been the most mobile of bands, and tonight they are stationed in a semi-circle on the stage, with Jason at stage left looking across the stage at his fellow musicians, who comprise two guitarists, a bassist, keyboards, drums and three backing vocalists. The way the band are set up almost gives the feel of a live rehearsal.
However, this is very much not a rehearsal! Opening with ‘Hey Jane’ from ’Sweet Heart, Sweet Light’ (2012), ‘She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit)’ from ‘Amazing Grace’ (2003) and ‘Shine A Light’ from ‘Lazer Guided Melodies’ (1992), the band are clearly on top form. The acrobatic basslines in ‘She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit)’ and that same song’s apocalyptic ending are almost worth the price of admission alone.
Those songs are the nearest that we get to oldies for the bulk of the gig though, with six songs coming from ‘And Nothing Hurt’ (2019), and four songs from the current album ‘Everything Was Beautiful’ (2022). This is not something that I personally have a problem with however. Any gig or tour should be a representation of where the artist is at that particular time, and that’s what we are presented with tonight, and a very fine presentation it is too. These are both extraordinarily good albums, although some of the music borders on soothing. Indeed, I did momentarily close my eyes a couple of times during the gig. The effect of the music reminded me of when I was prescribed valium (I kid you not!) for a bad back a few years ago. It was like being gently laid down on a very comfortable bed.
We are thirteen songs into the set before we get another older song, ‘Soul On Fire’ from 2008’s ‘Songs In A&E’, and I’m sure that ‘Come Together’ was a highlight for many. Spiritualized played for two hours, so nobody can say that they didn’t get their money’s worth. Most importantly, we got quality as well as quantity. I can’t think of another band quite like Spiritualized. They do definitely take the audience on a journey. Tonight’s gig was absolutely a life-affirming experience.
Spiritualised setlist:
‘Hey Jane’
‘She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit)’
‘Shine A Light’
‘I’m Coming Home Again’
‘A Perfect Miracle’
‘I’m Your Man’
‘The Morning After’
‘Here It Comes (The Road) Let’s Go’
‘Best Thing You Never Had (The D Song)’
‘Let It Bleed (For Iggy)’
‘The A Song (Laid In Your Arms)’
‘Damaged’
‘Soul On Fire’
‘Come Together’
‘Sail On Through’
(encore)
‘So Long You Pretty Thing’
