Dexys @ Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wednesday 12th September 2012

Mindful of one of Dexys’ best songs, Let’s Make This Precious, I wasn’t going to write a review of this show. There’s something about analysing a gig for a review that somehow nibbles away at the...let’s just say...specialness of it all and, as a long time Dexys fan, I’d deliberately left the old notebook and pen at home. The old hack in me just can’t resist scribbling a few words though. Oh well...

For anyone who saw the band’s 2003 tour some of this new show will be a little familiar. There’s that mix of almost vaudevillian stuff (Pete Wiliams dressing up as a copper springs to mind) that blurs the edges between straightforward gig and something more theatrical. Perhaps given Kevin Rowland’s singular way of doing things the majority of the show’s given over to playing the new album in its entirety too and anyone expecting a trip down Memory Lane will have to wait a while.  Quite a while in fact. Remarkably given Rowland’s well documented lost decade or two (during which he snorted his way through all his money and, according to one interview with The Guardian back in 2003, ended up begging on the streets) this show lasts nearly two and a half hours, during which he’s seldom off the stage. Impressive. That distinctive voice of his is still intact too, a little older and wiser perhaps but still one of the most recognisable vocals in pop. This time round though he seems more willing to enjoy himself, making light of a bit of a technical cock up during She’s Got A Wiggle On for instance, an event that might once have produced a bit of a 'scene' and frequently smiling. Yes. SMILING. Blimey...

Much of the new material's an exercise in therapy with Kevin mulling over his inability to love or find happiness, something that’s played out in dramatic fashion with Madeline Hyland on stage. It’s a world away from the Dexys of old, more reflective and low key as opposed to punchy and beat driven. It takes a little getting used to at first but as the night progresses this new soul vision starts to make more sense. Happily there’s still time to revisit some old favourites too and an improvised Bearwood-centric intro to arguably their finest moment This Is What She’s Like drew some appreciative whoops from the more local members of the audience (RIP The Little Nibble). Perhaps the highlight of the whole night for me though was actually just seeing Kevin up there performing. After decades in the wilderness that would send most of us six foot under it was a particularly heartwarming sight to see him repeatedly clasp his hands to his heart in response to the first of several standing ovations. More than anything this was what was most precious of all this evening. Perhaps that elusive 'love' was there all along eh?