Camp Electricity at Brighton Centre

YEARS AND YEARS

Words and image by Dylan Hazell

LEGEND has it that there is a unique, visceral buzz of excitement that the human brain can only ever experience when a large group of very queer people are packed in one room and Kylie Minogue is used as the stage entrance music. Olly Alexander of Years and Years knows exactly how to utilise this historic euphoria, and before he ven utters a word, the room is alive with electricity. Camp electricity. The best kind.

Night Call, the third album released by electro pop band Years and Years and the first to be written and produced exclusively by lead singer Olly Alexander, is a project entirely based on visuals. It’s one of those records whereby listening to the tracks alone, you can already picture the music videos and live performances. So, when Olly Alexander appeared on stage in a broken, grimy phone box in a full leather suit, despite having no idea what to expect... The sight didn’t feel like a surprise. Rather, a direct glimpse into my mental diary.

That’s not to say the performance was predictable - quite the opposite. I was completely taken aback at his ability to physically recreate images projected into my mind months prior through his gritty, brazen lyrics. The size of this performance was beyond my expectations - every single track was performed with the vigour and energy of a final song on a final tour. With the sheer amount of costume changes, countless props, hypnotic visuals and bewitching backup dancers, this concert would not feel out of place being performed in the biggest venues in the world. Yet somehow, it also felt completely designed for the more intimate setting of Brighton Centre, as though the intention was to blow our minds with the scale of production. If so, they succeeded.

Most of the tracks performed were from the recent record, with notable hits Starstruck and Sweet Talker getting a rise out of the Brighton crowd. The physical set itself constantly changed, depicting various locations of gay nightlife. From the chaotic portrayal of a London street at night, to a decidedly raunchy row of grimy men’s toilet cubicles, followed by Alexander being rolled on stage strapped in a king size bed, each song felt as though it came with a snapshot of the singer’s experiences. But amongst all those strange and wonderful visuals, and all the fantastic vocal performances and choreography, by far the most enjoyable part of the evening was seeing, quite clearly, how much fun Olly Alexander was having. For the sake of character, he often wore a stony expression to match his provocative lyrics, but even despite his award-winning acting talents, you could always sense a genuine smile behind the pretence. He was ecstatic to be back on stage.

The gig took the opportunity to slow down for just a couple songs, when a grand piano was wheeled on stage and Alexander expressed his thanks to the elated audience. After inviting fans on stage, where a beautiful queer proposal took place (much to the singer’s delight), Alexander made reference to his acting career with a passionate performance of the Pet Shop Boys’ It’s a Sin. This rendition received perhaps the biggest applause of the evening, as old and young fans alike joined the singer in belting out the classic LGBTQ+ anthem. Still riding on that high, the singer closed the gig with an energetic performance of two of his biggest hits to date; If You’re Over Me and King.

Perhaps it was because it was the first concert I had been to since pre-lockdown. More likely it was because it was a genuinely great pop gig, with a positive, queer friendly atmosphere and electrifying music. But the Night Call Tour by Years and Years was, without doubt, one of the most exhilarating and unique musical experiences of my life. Maybe I’m a little biassed given my love for the singer, but I can’t help it... I get Starstruck around him.