Mercury Rev – La Belle Angelle

The first time I saw Mercury Rev was at the Barrowland in 2001.

It wasn’t just a good gig.

It was one of those concerts that stays with you for years afterwards.

The band were at the height of their powers, the Barrowland atmosphere was electric and the whole evening felt almost otherworldly. Ever since then, Mercury Rev have occupied a special place in my gig-going memory.

So when I saw they were touring again, I wasn’t taking any chances.

Tickets were purchased early, long before there was any danger of the show selling out. Some bands you can leave until the last minute. Mercury Rev aren’t one of them.

Another attraction was the support act.

Sean O’Hagan was opening the show, best known as the driving force behind The High Llamas. I own their first album and have always admired his ability to blend beautiful melodies with adventurous arrangements, so I was genuinely looking forward to seeing him perform.

Unfortunately, a significant portion of the audience appeared to have different plans.

One of my biggest pet hates at concerts is people talking through support acts. It happens at almost every gig. Musicians travel hundreds of miles, spend hours preparing for a performance and then find themselves competing with endless conversations about work, holidays, football and what somebody had for lunch.

I genuinely don’t understand it.

If people want to have a chat, there are pubs everywhere.

Why pay money to attend a concert only to ignore the music?

As Sean’s set progressed, the chatter became increasingly noticeable. I found myself feeling sorry for him because, despite delivering a quality performance, large sections of the audience seemed more interested in hearing the sound of their own voices.

Thankfully, Sean felt much the same way.

At one point he made it clear that he was less than impressed by the lack of respect being shown from parts of the crowd.

I must admit, hearing him call it out made me ridiculously happy.

At least somebody was saying what many of us were thinking.

Why don’t people just shut the fuck up and let everyone enjoy the show they’ve paid to see?

Thankfully, once Mercury Rev arrived on stage, the focus shifted firmly back to the music.

And what music it was.

I had gone into the evening with fairly high expectations based on memories of that incredible Barrowland show back in 2001. The danger with nostalgia is that it can set impossible standards.

Mercury Rev had no difficulty meeting them.

In fact, they exceeded them.

From the moment they began playing, it was obvious that this wasn’t simply a band trading on past glories. The songs still possessed all the beauty, grandeur and emotional depth that made them so special in the first place. Jonathan Donahue remains a captivating frontman and the band’s ability to create vast, cinematic soundscapes remains largely unmatched.

Some groups sound good live.

Mercury Rev sound magical.

The performance seemed to float between dream and reality, carrying the audience along with it. Songs I had loved for decades sounded fresh and vibrant, while newer material sat comfortably alongside the classics.

By the end of the evening, I found myself reflecting on that 2001 concert.

Back then I walked away thinking I’d witnessed something special.

This time I felt exactly the same.

Looking back, the frustration of the support set chatter was ultimately forgotten once Mercury Rev took the stage. Sean O’Hagan deserved far more respect than he received, but thankfully the headliners delivered one of the finest performances I’ve seen in years.

The full concert is below for you to enjoy.

And if you decide to watch it, perhaps do Sean O’Hagan a favour and keep the conversation for afterwards.

Here is the full set of Mercury Rev. They were even better than I was expecting.

Here’s a wee round up of the evening.