|
After
the soul-searching and downbeat nature of Beck's last album, Sea
Change, it was always going to be interesting to see what type
of performance Brixton Academy's paying guests were going to be
treated to.
| "What
is undoubtedly true is that Beck's live performance now contains
a depth which has been missing in the past..." |
Dressed
in a black shirt and suit, looking like a southern preacher turned
to the dark-side, it was Beck the prankster who took
to the stage
to the strains of New Pollution.
This was quickly followed by shortened but rousing versions of Get
Real Paid and Nicotine & Gravy - with
the crowd being whipped into a frenzy with his trademark splits
and James Brown posturing.
bemused
But
just as we were getting accustomed to this, the pop chameleon cast
aside the white country-boy turned hipster act and slowed the tempo
right down for Cold Brains.
He
followed this with two beautiful gems from Sea Change: Guess
I'm Doing Fine Now and Lonesome Tears.
Some of the audience seemed a little bemused at the sudden change
in pace, but from the onset of his career Beck has never been one
to allow himself to get stuck in one vein for too long.
And
most would have found it difficult not to be touched by the soul-bareing
lyrics: "Lonesome tears, I can't cry them anymore...."
and "It’s only lies that I’m living, It’s
only tears that I’m crying, It’s only you that I’m
losing. Guess I’m doing fine..."
Then
it was back to familiar territory with Tropicalia, Sissyneck
and Short Bizness, but again only for a while.
crowd-pleasing
favourites
 When
he returned to the acoustic numbers for a second time, with Paper
Tiger and impressive solo versions of Nobody's Fault and
Lost Cause, the crowd had well and truly been won over by
the varied nature of the set.
If Sea Change saw Beck bare his soul for the first time,
what is undoubtedly true is that his live performance now contains
a depth which has been missing in the past.
He
rounded off the evening with crowd-pleasing favourites Loser
and Where
It's At and a medley of Nelly's Hot In Here and
Justin Timberlake's Rock Your Body.
It seemed a fitting finale that after belting out Devil's Haircut
as an encore, Beck let out what sounded like a primal scream and
promptly walked off stage - pure sonic genius.
|
Listen live
Click
through amazing shots of London from high up in a helicopter!