Chuff Media have been behind a number of my pinch-me, Christmas-come-early moments this year. And while another of their PR roster exports assumed the stage down the road (Sam Fender at First Direct Arena), I had the distinct pleasure of beholding The Horrors’ majesty — therefore, gratefully ticking another bucket-list gig off*.

It was a drizzly Tuesday evening, and one fittingly gloomy and grungy in looks. The Horrors have shapeshifted over time, recruiting new band members to fill older shoes, and tweaking their style’s course. Although the newer tunes, with Amelia, formerly of The Ninth Wave (listen to ‘Trial By Fire’ if you haven’t already) are class, it was the iconic bops such as 2011’s mighty ‘Still Life’ that I couldn’t wait for. A song that has always stopped me whenever I’ve heard it randomly in a shop, thanks to that ascending, ethereal intro. But naturally, before the show, I was keeping my fingers crossed for the dark, punky ‘Lout’ by chance, too.

I didn’t get my latter wish, but I was privy to an influx of bangers. And they came in guises old and new; as the outfit are releasing their next album in March, they had some fresher material to play through. 

The whole set was heavy and dramatic, utilising pulsating colourful lights to create this moody yet electric atmosphere. Only frontman Faris and keys player Amelia wore elements of white; the dress code was very much all-black garments, and it suited their MO so well. The whole thing was a performance; The Horrors had curated a show that used transitions to its benefit. They had serious, devout fans in their clutches after all; no “Yorkshire” chants broke out. 

Almost 90 minutes passed very quickly. There was this colossal depth of rumbling bass that projected through the amps, and the female-vocal-studded sections added a dreaminess to not just the songs they featured on, but actual the experience of being there. The experience of hearing indie belters like ‘Scarlet Fields’ and ‘Sea Within a Sea’ played to my very ears. ‘Machine’ received rapturous applause and, after last night, ‘World Below’ is about to get one hell of a revival in my playlists. 

One particularly poignant moment was that beautiful transition into ‘Still Life’ around 55 minutes in; there’s something about that intro that’s utterly gripping, and even more so live. So it was sad to hear Faris thank the audience for coming, before uttering “goodbye forever”. Confused and alarmed, the entire room breathed a sigh of relief as they returned for an encore and Faris retracted his statement; “the latest in a series of elaborate lies”. Too bloody right. The band’s here to stay, and their renditions of ‘Endless Blue’ and the progressive and transcending finale, ‘Something To Remember Me By’, evidenced that. 

*With thanks to Chuff Media for the press access.