“It’s nice to be back in the gaff” asserted lead Ian Mculloch, as he surveyed a packed-out LCR in Norwich that had eagerly awaited to see the 80s post-punk superstars. “We remember our last show here well. Let’s try to have another one like that tonight, shall we?” he mused, before the band launched into 90 minutes of new wave bliss. Echo And The Bunnymen promised in their tour advertisements an occasion that ‘celebrates 40 years of magical songs’ and they delivered just that.
The band opened with ‘Going Up’ and ‘Show Of Strength’, two songs from their early discography that are characterised by thunderous drums and pounding guitar riffs, which set the tone for the rest of the night. Ian McCulloch, looking effortlessly, typically cool in a long jacket and shades, delivered a strong vocal performance as he sang lyrics that are still uniquely creative and poignant. The lyric “and your golden smile would shame a politician” from ‘Show Of Strength’ received more than a few cheers and claps, which is understandable due to the current political climate.
Echo And The Bunnymen then continued to explore their early discography, with a powerful playthrough of ‘Rescue,’ the second single ever released by the band in 1980. ‘Over The Wall,’ with its racing loud drums and excellent guitar melody accompanied by McCulloch’s rip roaring vocals, is a six-minute masterclass in performing.
As well as their greatest hits, Echo And The Bunnymen also played some new material which was highly impressive and well received by their audience. The new song ‘Brussels Is Haunted’ is a fantastic track that sounded brilliant in a live setting and McCulloch exclaimed beforehand that “you’ll be hailing it as a classic in a few years.”
Their slower, acoustic songs also made the setlist with ‘Seven Seas,’ a track taken from their iconic third album Ocean Rain that is a fan-favourite, with a chorus that initiated a captivating mass singalong from the crowd. There was also the track ‘Nothing Lasts Forever,’ and McCulloch, in particular, delivered an enthralling rendition of this track, as he sang about how “nothing comes to those who wait / time’s running out the door you’re running in.” ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ effortlessly blends into a cover of Lou Reed’s ‘Take A Walk On The Wild Side,’ with McCulloch occasionally substituting the word ‘Merseyside’ for ‘wild side’ during the chorus signalling their Liverpudlian heritage.
The two singles ‘Bring On The Dancing Horses’ and ‘The Cutter’ are masterfully performed, with Will Sergeant’s guitar playing particularly shining through during these tracks. In the middle of the crowd, a raucous pit was formed of both young and old fans as they jumped to the irresistible, high-energy beat. This is the beauty of The Bunnymen; they are adored by every generation.
When Echo And The Bunnymen returned to the stage for their first encore, they were met with thunderous applause. The noise from the crowd became deafening when the first few chords of ‘Lips Like Sugar’ were played, which transpired into an extended version performance of the track. The post-punk pioneers then went off stage again, intentionally building more anticipation and increasing the volume of the crowds’ chants for another encore.
They returned to the stage with their biggest hit, ‘The Killing Moon’, which McCulloch has previously described as “the greatest song ever written.” Throughout the entire concert, he oozed superstar status but it really came to light during this track as he sung the expressive lyrics about fate and will with emotional poignancy. The band closed with the track ‘Ocean Rain’, an epic tune accompanied by the delicate strumming of Sargeant’s guitar. Every individual in the LCR were united as they sang the lyric “screaming from beneath the waves” back to Ian McCulloch who belted it with all his might. It was a fantastic way to end a powerful show.
It has been 44 years since Echo And The Bunnymen first formed, yet every element of the group still sounded as fresh as ever in a live setting. A dose of post-punk 80s nostalgia is what so many of us needed after two years of misery, which was evident in the crowd’s exuberant response to the band throughout the show.
Words by Ester Scott
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