Review: Field Music @ Sheffield’s The Harley

All images credited to Jenny Wren

Three years off stage has done nothing to dim the unvarnished brilliance that is Field Music live. Thursday’s warm up at The Harley, Sheffield (as usual – great sound, terrible view – let’s have a whip-round to buy them a higher stage) was the start of an extensive UK and US tour. Opening with the current 6Music playlisted Noisy Days Are Over, they then drew from most of their extensive back catalogue, proving on the way that they can both play super-hard and crunchy (Effortlessly) and also charm the birds from the trees with acapella. The audience revelled in shouting back at the between song banter but then all fell silent in order not to miss a single moment of the gorgeous and all-too-short How Many More Times.

Whilst not quite proto-Genesis, theirs is a peculiar, English and often spartan brand of pop-funk but one that will still sound modern in years to come. There was plenty from the new as-yet unheard album and overall their performance was little short of in-the-pocket, whilst their connection to the audience heart-warming. It is sincerely hoped that, now even Prince is tweeting about them, their albums will start to sell in greater volumes. Good guys needn’t finish last.