“Home gigs I like very much” drawls a very relaxed Neil Hannon and so the enchantment begins. Comfortably ensconced in the decadent surroundings of the Olympia, the rain soaked spirits of the crowd begin to lift as this pared-down-version Divine Comedy take to the stage. Tonight, the band merely consists of double bassist Simon Little, accordionist Ian Watson and Neil with his guitar and occasional dalliances on an electric piano.
A far cry from the theatrical performance in the Gaiety earlier this year, it matters little. Regardless of the presence or absence of colossal orchestras, there is no denying that Hannon is the Divine Comedy. Utterly at ease with the audience, his witty asides and occasionally bizarre quotes (my particular favourite being- “Wouldn’t it be cool if I was Jesus? My Dad would be so proud!”), have the audience eating out of his hands.
The small-but-perfectly-formed band launch into pleasing golden oldies such as ‘The Summerhouse’, ‘A Drinking Song’ and ‘Three Sisters’, with passion and exuberance. There’s plenty for the curious casuals and equally for the hardcore fans, one of whom sits beside me mouthing every lyric that emerges from Hannon’s pouting lips. A stunning cover of Queens Of The Stone Age’s ‘No-One Knows’ joins ‘The Happy Goth’, ‘Everybody Knows (Except You)’, and ‘Becoming More Like Alfie’, to showcase the poetic lyrics and magnificent vocal range that make a Divine Comedy concert a mesmerising experience.
During pure Divine Comedy brainy chamber-pop tune, ‘National Express’, the smitten fan beside me turns and expresses her undying love for the diminutive national treasure. And I agree that it’s very difficult not to fall for Hannon tonight – unassuming, droll, effortlessly chic, there’s something magical in the way he draws you in to his world.