Photo: WENN
"Give me a hug" are the last words spoken by Eels frontman E (a.k.a Mark Oliver Everett) before embarking on a victory lap of the Royal Albert Hall tonight. He is enveloped by the adoring throng, who have just witnessed one of the finest shows many will see in their lifetime.
Eels arrive tonight very much aware of their grandiose surroundings. The matching tracksuits of recent times are left on the hangers, replaced by sharp suits and every intention of delivering a show worthy of one of the most famous venues in the world.
The tone is set for the evening by a luscious arrangement of 'When You Wish Upon a Star'. It showcases sensitivity in both the musicianship and vocals that would have been hard to imagine upon hearing breakthrough album Beautiful Freak almost 20 years ago. Everett warns the audience that there will be no raucous guitars or histrionics tonight, just "soft, sweet bummer rock". He's not wrong, but when the band play 'It's a Motherfucker' (introduced as "a next-level bummer") the band start to go through the emotional gears and there's a palpable sense among the crowd that this night is turning into something very special.
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill The Albert Hall. pic.twitter.com/LdezBbghdb
— EELS (@THE_EELS) July 1, 2014
The patter between songs adds to the sublime quality of the musicianship, but crucially never distracts from it. A story about Everett's dual requests to play the venue's pipe organ, once nine years ago and once tonight, are told with a deadpan wit worthy of one of the great crooners in their heyday.
Some older tracks are re-worked to fit the tone of the evening, including 'My Beloved Monster and Me'. They flourish in their more mature incarnations, not sounding out of place with tracks from most recent album The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett. Others are excluded, most notably 'Novocaine for the Soul', but certainly not to the detriment of the night.
After Everett's lap of honour, the band play the first of three encores. Each is bookended by thunderous applause that threatens to tear the roof off the most sedate of London's venues. 'I Like the Way This is Going" is an undoubted highlight of these encores, as is a seminal version of "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You'. After the latter even prodigiously talented slide guitarist 'The Chet' can't help but applaud Everett for his rendition of the classic ballad.
By the time the band leave the stage for the final time, there doesn’t seem to be one person still seated. No one is ready to go home just yet, but lucky for them Everett still has one trick up his sleeve. Maniacal laughter rings round the Albert Hall and the stage's backdrop drops to reveal Everett, dressed as a pantomime villain, at the helm of aforementioned pipe organ. A wonderfully menacing gothic version of 'Flyswatter' ensues, with no vocals but a whole lot of fun.
With this the band and their fans are finally ready to let this evening go. A fittingly grand end to what has been a truly bewitching occasion.
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