The long ago sold out and final Saint Etienne show on their final UK tour (although there should be festivals next year…) was opened by collaborator Augustin Bousfield, playing his own compositions accompanied by guitar, keytar and many beats. Iraina Mancini rocked out with her punchy band and established a strong stage presence with her striking vocals.

With an atmospheric build-up as the band name gradually projected across the stage, the central Saint Etienne trio of Sarah, Bob and Pete (tonight augmented by live drummer, violin/bass and second vocalist) arrived to a rapturous welcome. They are such a class act and seem to exist in a musical universe that is all their own. From the pulsing synths of ‘Like a Motorway’ to the poppy-cool of ‘You’re in a Bad Way’ and the hypnotic repetition in ‘Heart Failed (in the Back of a Taxi)’ the band delivered a brilliant hits-packed set with excellent sound quality and video/light projections.

The well-known covers of ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ and ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ were well received by the audience and of course the finale of ‘He’s on the Phone’ brought the house down. The band returned for the wistful ‘Nothing Can Stop Us’ and the sad retrospective of ‘The Last Time’, bringing the show to an emotional and poignant end.

Saint Etienne | Official Website

Music | Iraina Mancini (bandcamp.com)

Anymoor | Augustin Bousfield (bandcamp.com)