There is an underlying, near-Buddhist circularity about the Polyphonic Spree.

Born following the tragic death of a fellow band member in founder Tim DeLaughter’s pervious band, the Texas-born choral rock army sailed through the early 21st century on a wave of sunshine-infused pop melodies, now returning to be born again with a 15th anniversary tour performing their debut album in it’s entirety.

What a rebirth it was. DeLaughter arrived bedecked in gleaming white robes for all the world like a blissed-out spiritual leader, filling the stage with identically berobed bandmates and launching into a sublime, otherworldly set.

Whipping the room into a near-religious state of reverie, the audience was transported

The extraordinary DeLaughter warmly commanded the room, giving all of the Spree their individual chance to shine and landing a series of unforgettable moments, including appearing to manipulate sound waves with his own body and at one point even stopping time itself, before wrapping up with some endearing crowdwork and an impromptu cover of Four Seasons’ classic “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”.

Whipping the room into a near-religious state of reverie, the audience was transported from a gloomy Newcastle evening to a warm, love-filled world of blissful orchestral psychedelia, poppy hooks and rainbow-infused lyrics, that assuredly made all in the crowd’s hearts grow three sizes.

Leigh Venus at O2 Academy, 12 September 2015

Originally published in Narc Magazine