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Matthew Brown sees an ultimately rewarding greatest hits set from Britpop big hitters The Lightning Seeds
Image by Matthew Brown
Celebrating 35 years since their debut, The Lightning Seeds brought their Greatest Hits tour to Middlesbrough Town Hall with a performance that was equal parts nostalgia and celebration. Fronted by the ever-recognisable Ian Broudie, the band delivered a set that built slowly but finished on a high, exactly what many in the crowd had come to hear.
Opening the night were support act Casino, who warmed up the crowd with a confident set of guitar-driven tracks. Their sound nodded to Britpop influences without leaning too heavily on them, and while the audience was still trickling in, there was plenty to admire in their tight musicianship and the track Back in the Day a particular standout.
When The Lightning Seeds took to the stage, the energy remained fairly restrained for the first half. The set leaned into lesser-known material early on, and while the crowd were clearly enjoying themselves, it felt like everyone was waiting for that inevitable run of big hitters. Broudie, relaxed and affable, was very much the familiar figure fans would have remembered from the band’s heyday, with his voice and presence reassuringly unchanged.
The final stretch brought those expected hits, Pure, Lucky You, and The Life of Riley all landed with ease. Three Lions was the moment many of the younger faces in the crowd had been waiting for. Phones were in the air within seconds, voices rang out for every line, and the only real surprise was that no pints went flying, as we’ve come to expect during recent England games.
Even 35 years on, Ian Broudie’s voice and melodies remain instantly recognisable, and the band’s music continues to capture a very specific kind of British optimism and melancholy. It may have taken a while to fully lift off, but by the end, those inside got the celebration they were promised.
