Some albums just stay with you. Love Is Here is one of those records for me.
Twenty-five years after its release, Starsailor brought their brilliant debut album to the London Palladium, playing it in full with a string ensemble. And what a fucking beautiful night it was.
I’ve loved this band for years. James Walsh has one of the most distinctive voices in British rock, and there’s something about these songs that still gets me every time. “Alcoholic,” “Good Souls,” “Tie Up My Hands,” “Way to Fall.” Not a weak track on the album.
The addition of strings, arranged and conducted by Joe Duddell, was a perfect fit. These songs have always been packed with emotion, but hearing them with those arrangements in a venue like the Palladium gave them another dimension. And Walsh’s voice is still absolutely stunning.
One of my personal highlights was “Telling Them,” a song I’ve always loved from Silence Is Easy. Hearing that one live was a real treat. And closing the night with “Silence Is Easy” was pretty much perfect.
It’s hard to believe Love Is Here is 25 years old. I remember when it came out, and somehow these songs mean just as much to me today.
I’ve photographed a lot of bands over the years, but there are certain shows where I find myself putting the camera down for a moment just to take it all in.
Starsailor at the London Palladium was one of those nights.
Absolutely beautiful.
