Editor’s Note: Some of the best live shows are the ones that playfully pit nostalgia against the present, and allow both to complement each other. Last night at Royale in Boston, reunited shoegazers-turned-Britpoppers Lush returned to our town for the first time in 20 years, packing the Theatre District club with a crowd that all seemed familiar with each other and a sound that showed no signs of rust or age. Pulling from the band’s entire catalog, including this year’s excellent Blind Spot EP, Lush delivered a loud, concise set of songs that still sound current after more than 20 years. Original members Miki Berenyi (guitarist/vocalist), Emma Anderson (guitarist/vocalist), and Phil King (bassist) were rounded out by Elastica drummer Justin Welch, and their cool, collected chemistry breathed new life into familiar hits like the hypnotic “Desire Lines”, the spiky brash punk of “Hypocrite”, and guitar ripper “Ladykillers”, which still stands as one of Britpop’s finest moments. Even new single “Out Of Control”, with its infinite tumble down an open sky of heavenly guitars, felt right at home. Openers and perfect-match tourmates Tamaryn provided a nice allegiance of sound and vision, cranking up the electronics and treating the crowd to the more modern side of dream-pop. In all, it was a night where much of the audience anticipated a time-machine bounce back to the ’90s, but in the end, the show, its sound, and all its colorful flair was very much 2016. Ben Stas was on hand for Vanyaland to capture the moments buried underneath blue and red lights, and you can view his gallery below.
