Beirut at Brixton Academy
It has been six years since Beirut last brought their expansive, magical sound to the UK, and a congregation of millennials and ageing hipsters is waiting at Brixton Academy to see them play the first of two sold-out nights in London. The band’s recent European tour brought an end to their extended hiatus, which followed the release of 2019 album Gallipoli, and saw the recording of 2022’s Hadsel and latest album A Study of Losses.
Not a man of many words, frontman Zach Condon lets the music do the talking as the band launches into Scenic World to start off the evening. Performing with an ensemble of new and returning musicians, Condon is every bit the patron saint of indie folk as he conducts while simultaneously playing his heart out.
To everyone’s delight, fan favourites Elephant Gun and Postcards from Italy come early on in the setlist, which spans the band’s many albums, and is interspersed with newer material like No No No, Spillhaugen and Guericke’s Unicorn. Hauntingly familiar and evocative, the brass cuts right through the thick smoke as the crowd gently sways like blades of grass. With the audience singing along to not just the lyrics but the music too, the band continues with The Rip Tide, The Shrew and Nantes before stepping off the stage.
Returning for an encore, Condon explains that the music on A Study of Losses was written for a circus, and announces that some of the acrobats are here to perform alongside the band. Members of the Swedish circus troupe Kompani Giraff come onstage for a triptych of evocative performances, giving pieces from the new album (which have not been as popular with the audience) a whole new dimension. The pure artistry of the acts, paired with Condon’s incredible gift for songwriting, conjure magic on the Brixton Academy stage.
After the acrobats depart, a second encore includes a rapturous cover of A Hawk and a Hacksaw’s Serbian Cocek, and more fan favourites like Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) and Santa Fe. Condon bids us a fond farewell as the show ends with an explosive rendition of The Gulag Orkestar.
Fans who have been around since Condon’s one-man-band days will know that he is not a one-trick pony, but an artist committed to transporting his audience to another time and place. After nearly 20 years in the game, Beirut still have that ability, and this really shines through in their live shows.
Antigoni Pitta
Photos: Guifre de Peray
For further information and future events visit Beirut’s website here.
Watch the video for the single Caspian Tiger here:
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