Razorlight at Brixton Academy

I must admit I went into this gig with slight trepidation. It had been years since I had seen Razorlight, and bands reforming can be a bit off. Sometimes just forced together for one big pay day. And they were promoting a new album when most of us would just want to hear their old stuff. Also I was sort of on my own. I did actually go with a mate, but he decided that he couldn't take standing. I had already bought myself a stalls ticket, so got him a seat up in the balcony. We had dinner together beforehand and met up after as he was staying the night with me. But for the gig I was just on my own.

However, actually this gig well exceeded my expectations. The opening act were another blast from the past for me, the Mystery Jets. I had seen them a couple of times before, but must be over a decade ago. They are far more able than most opening acts, and indeed played quite a long set

And then we had Razorlight. They proceeded to play their first album, Up All Night, in full. Which was great. I hadn't realised that this tour was meant as a 20th anniversary tour of that LP. Given in my (and suspect most people's) opinions they just had two good albums, their first two, it was good to hear that one. They sounded just great. Like never been away. If anything better than when I had last seen them in their heyday.

Yes there are other band members. And of course they provide much of the sound. But visually, Razorlight are all about Johnny Borrell. He is a super front man, charismatic more in appearance and mannerisms than in speech. You have to be there. 

 After playing through Up All Night, they reappeared for a significantly longer encore than would be normal, performing "greatest hits" which basically meant better known songs from their second album plus one track from their new one, Planet Nowhere.

And finally, Johnny stripped to the waist for the end of the set. And one has to say he is in remarkably great shape for a bloke who is 44. I had to look that up, because really he could pass for late twenties from my vantage point at the front. But since they formed in 2002 that would have meant them getting  together in primary school!