Art School – 12/3
This was the second time Lights had ventured across the pond on her Little Machines tour for a run of UK shows. Starting off in Glasgow might well have been deliberate – she sings the praises of our “here we, here we, here we fuckin’ go” chant at every opportunity.
She is not shy about mixing setlists up, so while no tracks can be considered deep cuts, kicking off a headline set with a bonus track from your most recent album is a refreshing move. ‘From All Sides’ puts Lights’ vocals front and centre, especially its rousing opening lines, and it was a nod to how the night was going to be one giant singalong.
‘Toes’ is one of her purest pop songs, and an ode to how a good melody, a beat to dance to, and easily memorable lyrics can work together and feel so rewarding. It continues to be an arms-raising, crowd-pleasing staple, and its youthful, wide-eyed attitude is heart-warming in a genre hindered by pretentiousness.
Not long before making the trip over here, Lights announced Midnight Machines, the now traditional rerelease of her latest album reworked in acoustic form. A mid-set acoustic passage saw ‘Meteorites’ changed to a delicate and sparkly track, as beautiful and bright as its namesake. Afterwards, she let the audience pick the next acoustic number, with the crowd opting for ‘Second Go’ from The Listening. This, along with ‘The Last Thing on Your Mind’, were the only songs from her debut performed, but are two of the best from that record – the latter especially being particularly sobering.
A Lights show is a reliable one – she has the songs, she herself is such a likable performer, and it is all-round a cosy, warm night, even with tracks with names like ‘Siberia.’ Rounding the evening off with ‘Banner’, Lights’ latest trip to Glasgow was a winner.
[Scott Wilson – @HeartofFire]
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