Hark, the herald angel sings


(Not the Amsterdam show)

The minute Elbow started their show with most of the band members blowing trumpets, I knew we were in for a treat. I’ve loved Guy Garvey’s voice from the moment I first heard Leader of the free world on MTV, but I’d never seen the band live before.

This was my first show in a long time. I’ve been lazy about going to gigs, skipping most of the
ones I’d bought tickets for this year. I’m glad it was a good one.

There’s something quite moving about Elbow’s songs and Garvey’s voice in particular, which is often compared to Peter Gabriel’s. I hear it too. It’s that other wordly vibe that Gabriel has in spades. It’s more subtle in Elbow’s lead singer, but it still affects my tear ducts. I felt myself welling up a number of times, particularly during the first 15 minutes of the show.

Elbow is a band I like, but have never invested in before. Haven’t bought their albums, haven’t learned their history. I didn’t even know the singer’s name before last night. I don’t know what the songs are about, but now I’m eager to find out.

No pro cameras allowed at this show, so I only took a couple.