THE POLYPHONIC SPREE (London Village Underground, 06/08/13)

 
The white robes have given way to tie-dyed garments, the confetti cannons have gone, and there's only(!) fourteen of them now. But almost nine years since I first saw them, The Polyphonic Spree remain one of the most all-out joyous gig experiences a man can experience. The new songs are solid enough, but let's face it- few things can top the likes of “Hold Me Now”, “Soldier Girl” and “Running Away” for sheer arm-waving, singing-from-the-top-of-your-lungs euphoria. And the encore, with Tim DeLaughter descending from the stage during “Lithium” to initiate a venue-wide mosh pit would have been, in years less brilliant than this, my gig moment of 2013.