The last time I saw Spiritualized, back in November at The Apollo Theater, the collective showcased their ‘Acoustic Mainlines’ show as an exquisite stripped down affair. Saturday night’s ‘Electric Mainlines’ gig was a near opposite: thunderous, audacious & robust. The career spanning set focused on their latest masterpiece, Songs In A&E, but managed to touch upon early favorites as well, most notably a passionate take on ‘Lay Back In The Sun’ (from 1995’s Pure Phase). Accompanied by two gospel singers and four instrumentalists, J Spaceman was positively transfixing. Each & every track was downright triumphant. However, as predicted, the band’s final selection of the evening (’Lord Can You Hear Me’) was the tune that brought the seated crowd to their feet in rapturous approval. Enjoy a playback of Friday night’s DC performance here. Visit Spiritualized on MySpace.
(Setlist) You Lie You Cheat. Shine A Light. Cheapster. Electricity. Soul On Fire. Sweet Talk. Sitting On Fire. Walking With Jesus. Oh Baby. Rated X. Lay Back In The Sun. Death Take Your Fiddle. She Kissed Me. Come Together. Take Me To The Other Side.
(Encore) Lord Can You Hear Me.
