Divine Comedy residency at the Barbican

[IsavedLatin]

Is anyone going to some or all of this?

Neil Hannon celebrates 30 years as The Divine Comedy – performing ten of his records in full across a five-night residency.

In 1990 musical history was made when a twenty-year old Neil Hannon signed his first record deal and began releasing one glorious album after another under the name The Divine Comedy. 30 years, twelve magnificent albums and hundreds of spellbinding shows later, Neil Hannon is considered by many to be a national treasure and one of the finest singer songwriters of his generation.

Whether your favourite is the much-loved anthem 'National Express' or deep-dives into the esoteric likes of 'Count Grassi's Passage Over Piedmont', this is a one-time-only chance to immerse yourself in Hannon's imaginative world, as he plays virtually his entire back catalogue, accompanied on stage by a ten piece ensemble.

This was to have been in 2020, tying in with the release of the rather nice box set, and the concert dates obviously got shunted on due to the pandemic.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Yeah I saw this and was considering going to a few of them pre-fuckery. Looks like they're all sold out now though :(

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

Aw bugger. I think I'd have been willing to travel to the UK to see either of these:

[DrGreggles]

Thanks for the bump - completely forgotten about this.
I'm at the first 3.

I bet they send reminders a few days before, so returns might be worth keeping an eye out for that week.

[sardines]

I have tickets for the Paris equivalent (go metropolitan me) but only the Casanova show as everything sold out quickly.
To be honest I'm always a bit doubtful about these album shows. They tend to collapse a bit under the concept once you realise the biggest track is second on the album and the last track is a tedious 7 minute instrumental.

[IsavedLatin]

I have tickets for the Paris equivalent (go metropolitan me) but only the Casanova show as everything sold out quickly.
To be honest I'm always a bit doubtful about these album shows. They tend to collapse a bit under the concept once you realise the biggest track is second on the album and the last track is a tedious 7 minute instrumental.

I am starting to get cold feet as we near the actual performances, and specifically I'm regretting giving into my completist urges and booking for the full run. I am inclined to think @DrGreggles has played it perfectly. There's no getting away from the fact that the last date won't be able to hold a candle to one of those first two dates in particular, for me.

Still, I put off going into a deep dive on the Venus, Cupid box set until the run up to the shows -- so I'm going to make an earnest start on that, and maybe I'll undergo a change of heart.

[Brundle-Fly]

Liberation/Promenade has sold out, which is the night I would like to have attended. Ah well, I saw TDC perform most of both albums live (even once with Peter Greenaway) the first time around, can't complain.

No, I can complain. Gutted.

[DrGreggles]

To be honest I'm always a bit doubtful about these album shows. They tend to collapse a bit under the concept once you realise the biggest track is second on the album and the last track is a tedious 7 minute instrumental.

Each show is 2 albums + "a selection of favourites", so there's going to be a few crowd-pleasers to end each night.

[Ray Travez]

A Short Album About Love would be amazing to hear live, there's so much orchestral drama to it

[sardines]

There's no getting away from the fact that the last date won't be able to hold a candle to one of those first two dates in particular, for me.

Given these are one-offs and they are not chugging the same setlist around a 30 date tour, I think all shows are likely to be good fun.

Liberation/Promenade has sold out, which is the night I would like to have attended. Ah well, I saw TDC perform most of both albums live (even once with Peter Greenaway) the first time around, can't complain.

No, I can complain. Gutted.

I was pretty gutted to miss tickets for that show too. I only came to the band after those albums and I've always wanted to see A Drinking Song live since I first heard it on The Frog Princess bside. It rarely appears in setlists. I suppose either because it is too long or Hannon no longer likes it.

[Brundle-Fly]

I'm always impressed by these album by album residency shows. Brave on two counts, 1) having to rehearse and learn all those songs again. 2) All subjective, but will fans be as eager for the weaker/later material nights? Even NH concedes Regeneration was a slight misstep (although has some strong tracks)

I know Suede have done a week of shows like this, even Richard Herring with his Ed Fringe shows, but were Sparks the first to tackle this endeavour?

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

^ I can see the regeneration night being pretty popular tbf, given that it's also bundled with the album with the two big hits on it

[SweetPomPom]

I know Suede have done a week of shows like this, even Richard Herring with his Ed Fringe shows, but were Sparks the first to tackle this endeavour?

Not quite the same but I remember The House Of Love playing three different gigs in different venues in one night back in 91-92 ish and they pretty covered their entire catalogue.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Do people not like Regeneration then? I thought it was alright at the time, in a Nigel Godrich-y sort of way.

[olliebean]

^ I can see the regeneration night being pretty popular tbf, given that it's also bundled with the album with the two big hits on it

Yeah, tbh I wouldn't blame people for leaving that one at half time and having an early night.

[DrGreggles]

I like Regeneration, but Neil doesn't (he's wrong) so it'll be a chance to hear a lot of it live for the first time (as I missed that tour).

It was the 2nd night I booked because of that, so I thought I might as well go to the one inbetween too.

[Ascent]

I'm doing the whole run and really looking forward to it, been years since I booked the tickets. Never done a run of shows like this before, even booked an apartment so we don't have to commute into London everyday, as it worked out about the same cost.

Weakest albums for me are probably Regeneration and Victory for the Comic Muse, but there are still several songs I love on them, as with all the albums really. Promenade is my all time favourite, can't wait to hear Don't Look Down.

[IsavedLatin]

Very enjoyable first night, lovely to hear him again with a proper band (I think I've mostly seen him in solo shows or very pared-back arrangements in recent years); my only churlish comment was the fact that the encores were Generation Sex and National Express, when I'd have been happy to hear just about anything else whatever as an encore. You are playing to your biggest possible fans, Neil, do a never-before-played B-side! So I'm now slightly dreading those'll be the encores for three of the remaining four nights, but that's admittedly a small quibble.

[phantom_power]

Did he play Fanfare For The Comic Muse or is he still pretending it doesn't exist?

[Ascent]

Third night down and it's been fantastic.

Encores have mostly changed each night, except for Tonight We Fly which has been done on nights two and three, but I'm not complaining about that as it's is one of the greatest songs of all time and perfect to end a gig (and album) with. I don't really want a b-side as an encore as it ends the evening with a 'I can see why that wasn't on the album' atmosphere.

On night two he did some live rarities, as there was some time seeing as A Short Album About Love is quite, erm, short. They did I Went to a Marvellous Party and then My Lovely Horse, complete with a lovely orchestrated introduction and Gin Soaked Boy, which is one of my favourites.

At tonight's gig we were sat behind two young guys, it's probably my ageing decaying body but they looked about 18, I'm sure they were probably actually 30. They were so into it, knew all the words and seemed to have a wonderful time, it really made me very happy. They asked me to take a photo of them before it started, which they then posted on Instagram. They excitedly turned around to tell me a minute later that the Divine Comedy account had reposted it, and I felt about 95 years old.

[Ascent]

He did put Fanfare For The Comic Muse on the box set a couple of years ago. He's not performing it in this run presumably because he thinks it's shit, as we can all now hear for ourselves.

[DrGreggles]

Wonderful stuff, joyous atmosphere too.

[Brundle-Fly]

Very enjoyable first night, lovely to hear him again with a proper band (I think I've mostly seen him in solo shows or very pared-back arrangements in recent years); my only churlish comment was the fact that the encores were Generation Sex and National Express, when I'd have been happy to hear just about anything else whatever as an encore. You are playing to your biggest possible fans, Neil, do a never-before-played B-side! So I'm now slightly dreading those'll be the encores for three of the remaining four nights, but that's admittedly a small quibble.

Gah! Spoilers. Bang goes the surprise. I'm going on Sunday.

[DrGreggles]

Gah! Spoilers. Bang goes the surprise. I'm going on Sunday.

They weren't the encores on Thursday or Friday, if that helps.

[Ascent]

Another great night. Our Mutual Friend really is sublime isn't it?

One different encore song tonight and one repeated one - as voted for by the audience, much to the annoyance of the loud pricks sat behind me who wanted the other one. I laughed at them, then sang along with everyone else. 

[Ascent]

All done now. That was wonderful and quite emotional at the end. Pretty amazing for someone to perform 140 songs or so with no repeats (excluding encores).

Bang Goes The Knighthood was superb from beginning to end, I've always found it a really underrated album and it was great fun live. I Like was especially good at the end.

Foreverland was great too. To The Rescue was gorgeous.

Encore-wise we got My Lovely Horse, Generation Sex and Tonight We Fly.

[Brundle-Fly]

All done now. That was wonderful and quite emotional at the end. Pretty amazing for someone to perform 140 songs or so with no repeats (excluding encores).

Bang Goes The Knighthood was superb from beginning to end, I've always found it a really underrated album and it was great fun live. I Like was especially good at the end.

Foreverland was great too. To The Rescue was gorgeous.

Encore-wise we got My Lovely Horse, Generation Sex and Tonight We Fly.

Cracking show!  Island life was my highlight of the night. And Napoleon Complex. Great, post-interval beery uplifting opener.

[daf]

Island life was my highlight of the night.

The Swallows and Amazons demos bonus album he put out is one of my favourites - would love it if he got round to polishing them all up properly (like Island Life).

[Ascent]

Cracking show!  Island life was my highlight of the night. And Napoleon Complex. Great, post-interval beery uplifting opener.

Absolutely! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. I'd forgotten how much I liked A Desperate Man as well. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of rehearsal the band had to do to get each of the albums down, I know how long it takes me to to get a few songs sorted before I perform. And as for Sparks doing 21 albums - it melts my brain thinking about it.

[Ascent]

The Swallows and Amazons demos bonus album he put out is one of my favourites - would love it if he got round to polishing them all up properly (like Island Life).

Oh yes, that would be great. Swallows and Amazons is great. I'm not sure why he recorded it so lo-fi, most of it sounds like a mic on top of a piano. It has a nice charm, but a proper version would be very gratefully received.

Have you heard the "In May" bonus album that came with the deluxe version of Foreverland? I listened to it without knowing what it was whilst out for a walk one day, it nearly finished me off it's so emotional and sad.