THE DIVINE COMEDY + STUDIO ELECTROPHONIQUE – BRIGHTON DOME 13.10.25
The Divine Comedy arrive at Brighton Dome tonight, courtesy of Lout promotions, in order to promote their ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album. This is very much an evocative title for the middle-aged and above as they will remember when on Sunday afternoons shops were shut, pubs were shut, and if it rained that was pretty much the excreta on the cake. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, because before we explore Neil Hannon’s works of genius, we must first consider the merits and possible demerits of the opening act, Studio Electrophonique.
Based upon their name I’d been expecting a display of electronica, but this proves not to be the case. The closest we get to electro are the very 1980s sounding electronic drums on the backing track. Studio Electrophonique is the brainchild of singer-songwriter James Leesley from Sheffield. Unsurprisingly there’s something of a flavour of Pulp about the music, but that’s by no means all. At times the band sound like a rather gentler version of The Velvet Underground. The band are a three piece, with James on vocals and rhythm guitar, Laura (“a Red Rose from Lancashire” according to James) on keyboards and vocals, and Simon Tong (formerly of The Verve) on lead guitar. Indeed, Studio Electrophonique’s debut album was recorded in Simon’s south London studio. James is clearly well thought of, having previously been a member of Richard Hawley’s band.
The material has a vaguely mid to late 1960s feel, possibly influenced by French pop of that era. ‘Too Many Lonely Nights’ is pleasantly soporific in a way that leaves the listener feeling warm and cosy. Before ‘I Don’t Think I Love You Anymore’ James warns us that “the tone doesn’t get much higher than this”. No problem James! Things are fine as they are! ‘David And Jayne’ may well be James’s masterpiece. It’s about a weekend away at a run down holiday resort. It’s gloriously understated with plenty of pathos. This has been a very impressive set. Simon Tong’s playing throughout has been very tasteful, but to be fair, everyone’s contribution has been equally vital. Studio Electronique are more than worth checking out.
Studio Electrophonique:
James Leesley – vocals and guitar
Simon Tong – lead guitar
Laura – keyboards and backing vocals
Studio Electrophonique setlist:
‘Too Many Lonely Nights’ (from 2025 ‘Studio Electronique’ album)
‘Jayne’ (from 2019 ‘Buxton Palace Hotel’ EP)
‘I Don’t Think I Love You Anymore’ (from 2019 ‘Buxton Palace Hotel’ EP)
? (unknown)
? (unknown)
? (unknown)
‘David And Jayne’ (from 2025 ‘Studio Electronique’ album)
‘Buxton Park Hotel’ (from 2019 ‘Buxton Palace Hotel’ EP)
linktr.ee/studioelectrophonique
After such delicious hors-d’oeuvres the audience would be forgiven for having a reduced appetite for the main course. However, this is The Divine Comedy that we’re talking about, and the audience is therefore ravenous! Neil Hannon essentially is The Divine Comedy. He writes the songs and is joined by other musicians both to record and to tour. On this tour he is joined by six other musicians making the live version of The Divine Comedy a seven piece band. On this tour there is an understandable focus on current album “Rainy Sunday Afternoon’, with eight songs being given an airing, including one during the encore. However, the new songs are liberally sprinkled throughout the set, which constitutes a pleasant amble through Neil’s back catalogue.
The first two songs are from the new album. Starting your set with two new songs may be considered brave, but when the songs are of such high quality as this it really doesn’t matter. Second song ‘The Last Time I Saw The Old Man’ is particularly moving and poignant as it refers to the last time that Neil saw his own father. The band features two keyboard players: Andrew Skeet, who is also responsible for the live arrangements, and Ian Watson, who chiefly plays the accordion, which is first deployed during this song. Neil’s between-song banter is very witty, and he has the audience in his hand from the very start. At the beginning of the middle eight of ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ he shouts “clapping!” and the audience clap along. At the end of it he shouts “clapping stops!” and we all stop clapping. Oh to have such power!!!
The band’s musicianship is extraordinary, and they’re given plenty of opportunity to show off their abilities throughout the set. For example, during ‘Have You Ever Been In Love?’ bassist Simon Little excels on an electric upright bass, whilst Rosie (we’re not told her surname) turns in an exquisite violin solo. Neil starts the set on acoustic guitar, but then is without a guitar until ‘Norman And Norma’ when he regains his acoustic. Astonishingly Simon Tong appears to be his guitar tech! Neil walked on wearing a trilby hat which he quickly discarded. He puts it back on for ‘I Want You’ from the new album, as he believes the song warrants it. I see what he means. Suffice to say that it’s not the most frivolous song that Neil has ever written. Unfortunately it seems very relevant to today’s current affairs. It certainly contains plenty of food for thought.
‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ is a few years old now, but the political corruption that it illustrates, albeit in a darkly comic way, is probably not very far below the surface, regardless of whichever political party that you choose to consider. Neil gets the audience clapping again for ‘Absent Friends’, which despite its title is distinctly jaunty. ‘The Man Who Turned Into A Chair’ from the current album has an amusing story behind it. Neil’s partner told him that he would “turn into that f*cking chair” if he spent much more time sitting in it watching the cricket. Seems a little harsh I must say.
For ‘Songs Of Love’ Neil encourages the audience to “stand up and sway about”. There’s always time to have fun at a Divine Comedy gig, despite the lyrical subjects of some of the songs. ‘Indie Disco’ pops up and I start to wonder whether we’re getting towards the end of the set. Luckily we’re not! Hurrah!!! We get ‘Neapolitan Girl’ from ‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ which tackles the subject of prostitution in Naples during World War II. This is a subject that is covered by very few songs in the rock canon. Neil has a very novel way of introducing his band members. Simon Tong brings a drinks trolley onstage and Neil asks each band member what they would like to drink, and dispenses said drinks, introducing his bandmates in the process. He chooses his drink last: “I’ve had a few heavy days, so I guess that I’ll stay with Guinness”.
The band go into ‘Mar-a-Largo By The Sea’ from the new album, which is a wonderfully subtle critique of Donald Trump, which criticises the man without actually mentioning him by name. It’s one of the best examples of Neil Hannon’s songcraft that we hear tonight. Having said that, it’s followed by ‘A Lady Of A Certain Age’, which is equally magnificent. Neil isn’t just a superb singer (he has a supremely rich voice) and songwriter, he’s no slouch on guitar either. On ‘The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter’ (another track from the new album) he plays the electric guitar solo. Okay, so he’s not Hendrix (apart from Jimi who is?) but his playing is way beyond competent. Now we are in ‘greatest hits’ territory, and the crowd are on their feet. Served up in quick succession are ‘Generation Sex’, ‘Something For The Weekend’, ‘Becoming More Like Alfie’ and ‘National Express’. The band leave the stage but we know that they’re coming back, and so they do.
The band give us a three song encore including one more (‘Invisible Thread’) from the new album. Then they’re gone. This gig has felt somehow intimate. That’s probably because not only have the performances been extraordinarily good, but Neil has chatted to the audience throughout, which has made it feel very inclusive. Neil Hannon may not have quite achieved the status of a national treasure just yet, but he certainly will. Perhaps when Neil finally comes to retire, the National Trust could perhaps accommodate him in one of their properties, and we can go and visit him on rainy Sunday afternoons.
The Divine Comedy:
Neil Hannon – vocals and guitar
Tosh Flood – guitar, banjo and backing vocals
Simon Little – bass and backing vocals
Tim Wheller – drums
Andrew Skeet – arrangements, keyboards and backing vocals
Rosie – violin and backing vocals
Ian Watson – accordion and keyboards
The Divine Comedy setlist:
‘Achilles’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘The Last Time I Saw The Old Man’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘When The Lights Go Out All Over Europe’ (from 1994 ‘Promenade’ album)
‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘Have You Ever Been In Love’ (from 2010 ‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ album)
‘Norman And Norma’ (from 2019 ‘Office Politics’ album)
‘I Want You’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ (from 2010 ‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ album)
‘Absent Friends’ (from 2004 ‘Absent Friends’ album)
‘The Man Who Turned Into A Chair’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘Songs Of Love’ (from 1996 ‘Casanova’ album)
‘At The Indie Disco’ (from 2010 ‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ album)
‘Neapolitan Girl’ (from 2010 ‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’ album)
‘Mar-a-Largo By The Sea’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘A Lady Of A Certain Age’ (from 2006 ‘Victory For The Comic Muse’ album)
‘The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘Other People’ (from 2016 ‘Foreverland’ album)
‘Generation Sex’ (from 1998 ‘Fin de Siecle’ album)
‘Something For The Weekend’ (from 1996 ‘Casanova’ album)
‘Becoming More Like Alfie’ (from 1996 ‘Casanova’ album)
‘National Express’ (from 1998 ‘Fin de Siecle’ album)
(encore)
‘In Pursuit Of Happiness’ (from 1997 ‘A Short Album About Love’ album)
‘Invisible Thread’ (from 2025 ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’ album)
‘Tonight We Fly’ (from 1994 ‘Promenade’ album)
