DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS – BRIGHTON DOME 1.1.26
Until this tour, it’s been more than two decades since Kevin Rowland toured under the full Dexys Midnight Runners name, but from the moment the seven-piece band took to the stage at Brighton Dome, there was absolutely no mistaking who we were watching.
The denim was back, Rowland was sporting a familiar-looking beret, and the distinctive blend of Celtic soul, brass and theatrical storytelling sounded every bit as recognisable as it did during the band’s early-eighties heyday.
At 73, Rowland remains the only original member of the current line-up, surrounded by a younger, hugely talented group of musicians who effortlessly switched roles throughout the evening. With two keyboards, drums, violin, saxophones and trombone, the arrangements were rich, vibrant and wonderfully unpredictable. Just as importantly, Rowland’s unmistakable voice seemed remarkably untouched by the passing years and his stage charisma undimmed.
The evening was divided into two sets, with the first leaning heavily on material from ‘LOVE’, the band’s seventh studio album, released in September 2026. Their first album under the full Dexys Midnight Runners name since 1985’s ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’, it explores relationships, family, ageing and the different forms that love takes throughout a lifetime.
Six songs from the new record featured in the setlist, and impressively, they more than held their own alongside the established classics.
Opening with ‘I’ll Always Love You’ and ‘Once A Man, Twice A Child’, both from 2026, Rowland immediately demonstrated that his songwriting remains as personal and emotionally engaging as ever.
During 2012’s ‘She Got A Wiggle’, he sat down and addressed multi-instrumentalist Sean Read as though recounting a story to an old friend. This conversational approach became a recurring feature, with the songs often unfolding as miniature theatrical performances.
There was a particularly engaging interaction with vocalist Janelle Martin during ‘You’ve Got The Love’, while ‘It’s Over Now’ featured more entertaining back-and-forth exchanges. The chemistry between Rowland and his fellow musicians was a considerable part of the show’s appeal.
The arrival of 1986’s ‘Because Of You’, familiar to many as the theme tune to the television comedy ‘Brush Strokes’, brought the brass section firmly into the spotlight, with saxophone and trombone combining to glorious effect.
Following 1981’s ‘Liars A To E’, one of the first half’s musical highlights came with ‘The Teams That Meet In Caffs’, the instrumental from their 1980 debut album ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’. Accompanied by evocative images projected across the backdrop, the interplay between two saxophones and trombone was superb, demonstrating just how accomplished this band really is.
The first set concluded with ‘My Life in England Pt. 2’, another track from ‘LOVE’. Against a backdrop of social scenes and protest imagery, Rowland’s impassioned call to “rise up, people of England” gave the song a powerful, contemporary edge.
Following a 15 minute interval, the second half opened with the traditional Irish song ‘Curragh Of Kildare’, recorded by Dexys for their 2016 album ‘Let The Record Show’, before returning briefly to the new material with ‘Old Love’, a reflective examination of relationships and growing older.
Then came a reminder of the anger and conviction that helped establish Dexys in the first place.
Introducing ‘Burn It Down’, from 1980, Rowland explained that he had written the song out of frustration at the persistent portrayal of Irish people as stupid. With images celebrating notable Irish-born figures such as Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw appearing behind him, its furious refrain, “Shut your f*cking mouth ’til you know the truth”, carried much the same defiance as it did more than four decades ago.
The musical momentum continued with ‘There, There, My Dear’, another 1980 favourite, and a spirited rendition of ‘Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache’, originally recorded by The Bandwagon in 1968 and covered by Dexys in 1980.
By this point, the evening had become a celebration of a remarkable musical catalogue stretching across 46 of their 48 years.
‘Geno’, the band’s first UK number-one single in 1980 was up next and was greeted with rapturous applause, a joyous tribute to American soul singer Geno Washington, whose electrifying live performances had inspired a young Kevin Rowland. It was accompanied by evocative archive images from the period, its infectious brass arrangements sounded magnificent, offering a reminder of the sheer originality that made Dexys Midnight Runners stand out from their contemporaries.
There was also a wonderful moment of humour during ‘Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile)’, their 1982 interpretation of the Van Morrison song. A photograph of Scottish darts champion Jocky Wilson appeared on the backdrop, recreating the band’s famous ‘Top Of The Pops’ appearance from that year. Often remembered as a BBC blunder, the original stunt was actually a deliberate joke by Rowland and the band.
Inevitably, ‘Come On Eileen’ followed. Released in 1982, it topped the UK charts before reaching number one in America in 1983, famously interrupting Michael Jackson’s domination of the Billboard chart.
For me, this particular performance carried an additional personal significance. It happened to be my late mum Eileen’s birthday, and she would always let out an enthusiastic whoop whenever the song came on. Hearing it performed live on this particular evening felt rather special.
It would have been easy to finish with that universally recognised hit, but Rowland has never been an artist particularly interested in doing the obvious.
Instead, the band returned for an extraordinary encore of ‘This Is What She’s Like’, from 1985’s ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’. Running for almost 15 minutes, the sprawling composition featured extended musical passages interspersed with amusing dialogue between band members. It was ambitious, unconventional and quintessentially Dexys, providing a fittingly theatrical conclusion.
What made the evening so impressive was the newer compositions were given equal importance, the arrangements were imaginative, and the musicianship throughout was outstanding.
Above all, there was Kevin Rowland, still possessing that instantly recognisable voice, still delivering his songs with extraordinary conviction and still very much the charismatic frontman.
Forty-six years after ‘Geno’ first topped the charts, Dexys Midnight Runners remain a genuinely distinctive musical proposition.
The name may have been absent for more than two decades, but the spirit, passion and unmistakable sound never went away.
Dexys Midnight Runners:
Kevin Rowland – lead vocals
Sean Read – keyboards, saxophone, backing vocals
Mike Timothy – keyboards, backing vocals
Lucy Morgan – violin, vocals
Timothy Weller – drums
Janelle Martin – vocals
Olli Martin – trombone
Setlist:
Dexys Midnight Runners:
Set 1:
‘I’ll Always Love You’ (from 2026 ‘LOVE’ album)
‘Once A Man, Twice A Child’ (from 2026 ‘LOVE’ album)
‘She Got A Wiggle’ (from 2012 ‘One Day I’m Going To Soar’ album)
‘You’ve Got The Love’ (from 2026 ‘LOVE’ album)
‘Because Of You’ (a 1986 single)
‘Liars A To E’ (from 1982 ‘Too-Rye-Ay’ album)
‘It’s Over Now’ (from 2026 ‘LOVE’ album)
‘The Teams That Meet In Caffs’ (from 1980 ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ album)
‘My Life In England Pt. 2’ (from 2026 ‘LOVE’ album)
Set 2:
‘Curragh Of Kildare’ (from 2016 ‘Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish And Country Soul’ album)
‘Old Love’ (from 2026 ‘LOVE’ album)
‘Burn It Down’ (from 1980 ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ album)
‘There, There, My Dear’ (from 1980 ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ album)
‘Breakin’ Down The Walls Of Heartache’ (from 1980 ‘Geno’ single)
‘Geno’ (from 1980 ‘Searching For The Young Soul Rebels’ album)
‘Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile)’ (from 1982 ‘Too-Rye-Ay’ album )
‘Come On Eileen’ (from 1982 ‘Too-Rye-Ay’ album )
(encore)
‘This Is What She’s Like’ (from 1985 ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’ album)
