Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff The band’s poise is undiminished, and past favourites are savoured, but a slew of engaging new tunes show the pop-rockers are still plugged in
Wandering from his mic stand as the
music fades to a murmur, Ricky Ross marvels at Chocolate Girl’s 34-year history as a mixtape constant and soundtrack to marriages, births and divorces. It’s a neat bit of accounting, but its backward glance doesn’t take into account Deacon Blue’s intriguing place in the present.
It has been some time since the band sat this close to the indie zeitgeist, yet thanks to the rise of outfits such as the War on Drugs and Wild Pink, who prize the exact blend of pristine pop-rock and conversational songwriting that Deacon Blue excel at, their music is ripe for reappraisal.