Belle & Sebastian

Belle and Sebastian are a bit like Glaswegian musical marmite; some see them as overly twee and saccharine, others see them as one of the finest things to happen to Scottish verse since Robbie Burns. I myself fall into the latter category- songs like ‘Expectations’, ‘Stars of Track and Field’ and ‘Like Dylan In The Movies’ are as musically well-thumbed as any classic rock band’s catalogue on my iPod. Although none of these tracks were played at their gig at Birmingham Symphony Hall, it was a night of truly splendid music.

The labyrinthine Symphony Hall has the look of an art-deco maw, and amongst the vacant seats of an orchestra yet to arrive, Daniel Kitson, the support act performed. Composed of two fellows, the first gentlemen, guitar in hand and messy blonde hair, performed a love song stuffed with beautiful evocations of youthful infatuation of desperately bringing the girl you like who just wants a cuppa ‘a suitcase full of darjeeling’. When the song ended however, Daniel began to read a story of love, interspersed with further songs. It felt very surreal and yet fitting for Belle and Sebastian- poignant, real, but at the same time innocent and delicate. A tale of shrines in garden sheds and girls named Mandy Walters.

As enjoyable as the blend of music and manuscript from the support act was, Belle and Sebastian’s arrival was what we were all there to see. With the London Contemporary Orchestra at their back, they started with an orchestrated rendition of ‘I Fought In A War’. The effect of the orchestra’s presence was the feeling of space dust exploding in my skull; a gentle champagne of joy and serenity that pervaded every single note. From old classics like ‘Piazza, New York Catcher’ (performed by just the band) to new tracks like ‘I’m Not Living In The Real World’, the entire show was a firework of witty lyrics and wonderful new arrangements. It was a strange fairytale world you entered when they cast their sonic spell, where, as Stuart Murdoch said- you don’t ‘hide being your Cadbury’s Roses- because this is a Belle and Sebastian show, and you can do anything at a Belle and Sebastian Show’. As if to prove the point, a rendition of ‘I Want the World to Stop’ got the audience dancing- only for the grey-garbed ushers to force people back down into their seats. But that did not stop the entire hall singing and dancing through most of the set, everything from ‘Judy and the Dream of Horses’ to an incredible string-infused version of ‘Lord Anthony’ during which Murdoch walked amongst the audience and the women, wordlessly, drew mascara markings on his face as he sang.

Even the torturous cold of a Birmingham midnight could not quite destroy the talisman of quiet joy that Belle and Sebastian planted in the heart of this lucky onlooker. I can only hope they include more of the London Contemporary Orchestra in future work.