Hurts Manchester Academy 2 April 1st 2013

         Hurts Manchester Academy 2-  April 1st 2013

The last time I seen 'Hurts' live was in 2010 when they promoted 'Happiness' their debut album at The Ritz since then they have become Huge in Eastern Europe with their own stalkers and have recorded new album 'Exiles' in a local studio in Rochdale.
The last tour I seen them on they had a more smooth slick 80's look,having just scored a hit with 'Better than Love' and 'Wonderful Life'.

Fresh from the studio and a few select TV appearances , tonight we see a new serious side to 'Hurts'.

The stage is quite tiny, and the bands kit is on there along with the support bands 'Say Lou Lou' a mainly all girl band from Sweden ,it's a bit to europop for me ,although compliments to guitar player who was male when he turned drummer with the rhythm of the drums he banged out on the last song of their set if only all the songs sounded as rhythmic as this one.

As the lights dim down and dry ice spills out over the stage (and in my face) ,there is a sense of a different kind of 'Hurts' which is more  exciting to me, as 'Theo' and 'Adam' take to the stage with their new session musicians ,and crowd are loving the new image,they begin with a new album track and then with new single 'Miracle' which is fantastic live and full of drama with dark and moody poses at the mic, is it just possible that 'Theo Hutchcraft' is the new 'Dave Gahan' ??

He stands 7ft tall,hair slicked,black leather gloves and is clutching a mic stand a la 'Depeche Mode' 'Black Celebration' Era.

An equal amount of songs from 'Happiness' are played including my favs 'Silver Lining','Sunday Morning', and 'Blood Tears and Gold',missing from the stage set on this tour are the female ballet dancers and the opera singer as they are no longer part of the set up.

Instead 'Adam' sits at his keyboard right of the middle  and claps gesturing to the crowd to join in, throughout the set 'Theo' throws long stemmed white roses at the crowd I missed one sadly as it went over to left side was to close to catch it.

Towards the encore the crowd are going wild for the dark image, at times 'Theo' looks like an 80's  sex symbol dropping to his knees at the amp with expression of ecstasy on his face and sweat all over him ,they close with my favourite song 'Stay' which has the power to move me to tears the story of someone leaving in the rain at the end of the night and not being able to tell them how you feel although you really want to, been there so many times its almost like it's written for me.

As 'Theo' laps up the applause and bows looking pleased I'm liking the show much more than their first 'Hurts' will be massive in the U.K. by the end this year is another clutch of tour dates in October so be sure you check them out while you can folks !!!

Pics to follow hopefully soon til the next show keep rocking & shocking people !!

 

LMi     xx