Thrillseeking
Jennifer Hawker takes the Connex Express to Brixton in pursuit of happiness and The Divine Comedy, 16th January 1999.

"Take the National Express, when your life's in a mess, it'll make you smile..."

Well, in this case, taking the Connex Express up to London and the tube over to Brixton Academy ultimately made me smile, laugh, dance, and sing for a most enjoyable evening with The Divine Comedy.  Staying in Brighton on February 8th will surely result in the same for you, as they, along with the Supernaturals, open for Robbie Williams at the Centre that evening.  What can one possibly expect?  Read on...

Europop, their 1992 debut single, got things off to a rousing start back in Brixton, all twirling rainbow lights and shimmering disco mirrorballs.  Frontman Neil Hannon, the Comedy's mastermind, surprisingly even spiralled around a bit himself; an unlikely dancer.  Generally he simply presents his songs to us, staying dead centre behind the mike, ever the example for minimalism in performance - a contradiction to the near-blinding, whirling lights.  Sweden is a prime example - overdramatic lighting and music and Hannon belting it out with equal drama but no fuss of movement or playing to the audience.  The occasional twinkle one sees in his eye hints at the joy he takes in the humorous content of his lyrics.  However, one must catch this quickly, for mainly it's all concentration on giving spot-on performances of almost all of current album 'Fin De Siecle', along with classics from earlier releases.

Old favourites, including Something For The Weekend and If I Were You (I'd Be Through With Me) reap thunderous applause, and Neil is visibly happy.  "You're warming my cockles" the little comedian tells us.  After an increasingly intense Thrillseeker and the hit Generation Sex, Neil informs us that it's "time for the part where we go popcrazy".  Sure enough, the classic Becoming More Like Alfie goes down well, followed by new single National Express with an energetic audience singalong.

A complete surprise comes in bringing on support act Mark Eitzel to sing Johnny Mathis' Feet, an Eitzel tune that the Divine Comedy regularly cover.  Eitzel's amazing singing worked well off the band's backing, resulting in well-deserved and overdue appreciation for the virtually unknown American singer whose opening set garnered only polite applause.  Afterwards, Neil was obviously moved by the experience of playing with this "living god".  Renewed in spirit, the remainder of the set was energetically performed and downright magical.

Closing proceedings, Here Comes The Flood was a mind-numbing experience, with unexpected special guest Dexter Fletcher reprising his contribution as on the original 'Fin De Siecle' track.  Returning for two encores, Hannon and co. delivered Generation Sex b-side London Irish - performed acoustically, it was a highlight.  Unsure of how to introduce the next one, Songs Of Love, Neil ended up explaining that if London Irish was "about the shit you get [as an Irishman] when you live in London" then the next one was "about the shit you get when you live in Ireland."  Final number Sunrise was breathtaking, Neil's voice as impressively strong as ever.  Having come thrillseeking, we indeed left thrilled to the bone.

This article originally appeared in The Badger, Vol IV, no. 15 - 5th February 1999. 
The Badger is the weekly student newspaper of The University of Sussex, which Jennifer attended in 1998-99.

Complete Setlist:
Europop ~ Sweden ~ In Pursuit Of Happiness ~ Something For The Weekend ~ Commuter Love ~ If I Were You (I'd Be Through With Me) ~ Thrillseeker ~ Generation Sex ~ Death Of A Supernaturalist ~ The Certainty Of Chance ~ Becoming More Like Alfie ~ National Express ~ Johnny Mathis' Feet (with Mark Eitzel) ~ Life On Earth ~ Here Comes The Flood (with Dexter Fletcher)
Encore 1: London Irish (acoustic) ~ Songs Of Love (acoustic)
Encore 2: Lucy / Sunrise

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thrillseekers since 6th June 1999.