Hurts at Brixton Academy
Electronic pop duo Hurts are one of those bands that, to the casual listener, have been quietly plugging away since their 2010 debut Happiness, save for a feature on Calvin Harris’s 2014 single Under Control (still their most-streamed track on Spotify). So when Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson announced two exclusive shows to mark 15 years of Happiness, performing the album in full, fans were thrilled. Brixton Academy is sold out tonight for the UK date – this should be good.
Known for bringing the drama to their music, the show fittingly begins with a boom and a flash of lights. One by one, musicians take their places – strings, keys, drums, guitar, backing vocalists – all dressed glamorously in black. Then Hutchcraft strides on to thunderous applause, his sharp black suit and white scarf draped stylishly around his neck, looking equally at home at the opera or a formal dinner… then again, tonight is a very special night.
Silver Lining kicks things off, igniting the atmosphere as the band launch into Happiness track by track. The crowd’s reaction is unreal – belting along to Blood, Tears & Gold, pogoing in time to Sunday. Effortlessly shifting between epic ballads and pounding dance-pop, there isn’t a single dud in the setlist.
The trademark drama of Hurts hits hard and doesn’t let up, yet it’s delivered with taste and restraint. A live string quartet elevates the sound, while elegant routines from two dancers and a surprise appearance from an opera singer add theatrical flair.
One name is notably absent tonight. With a trace of sadness in his voice, Hutchcraft acknowledges the absence of producer Adam Anderson, who recently announced a temporary break from live performances to prioritise his mental health. It’s hard to imagine celebrating a debut album without the person who helped shape it 15 years ago. Still, fans dotted throughout the room hold up signs reading WE LOVE YOU ADAM during the bombastic Stay – a sentiment echoed during Affair, the set’s sole acoustic moment, usually performed as a pair.
The Happiness run ends on a high with the beautiful Verona, featuring a soaring vocal moment for the opera singer. What follows is essentially an extended encore, as Hutchcraft leads the band and audience through a barrage of post-Happiness crowd-pleasers. Miracle, Some Kind of Heaven and Rolling Stone come one after another, barely allowing the room to breathe – not that anyone minds, riding a wave of collective ecstasy.
All night, Hutchcraft has been vocal in his gratitude – bowing, pointing, blowing kisses – with love and joy radiating across the room. That emotion peaks with Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us, before the evening closes with the majestic Wings, as Hutchcraft tosses white roses into the crowd. No one seems ready for it to end, but all good things must.
Hats off to Theo Hutchcraft for steering the ship solo with such grace and warmest wishes to Adam Anderson for a restful recovery. His bandmate did Hurts proud.
Gem Hurley
Photos: Guifré de Peray
For further information and future events visit Hurts’s website here.
Watch the video for Stay here:
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