After a very quiet and relaxing New Years, the hot topic of Lamb was uppermost on my mind. Although I have been listening to the group since their beginnings, the opportunity to see them had never came my way. Their gig at The Tivoli would be perfect.

With a plan to trek through the rainy weather, I turned up to the venue immediately taken aback by the amount of people already in line – especially taking into account the elements and post NYE/Sunday timeslot. Upon entering the venue I was faced with a scene never before witnessed at The Tivoli: the crowd was tranquil, with most seated on the main floor in huddles of small groups. This gave the venue an air of romance and intimacy setting the mood for the night from the very start. A recent quote from Andy Barlow on Lamb’s live show noted that they had “tweaked the songs, stripped out bits, toughened up bits, made it sound fresh, and remixed nearly all the tracks.” Such a statement would prove apt as a preparation for the night ahead.

From the darkness of the stage came the support act for the night. Gosling eased the crowd through their EP of piano- and cello- driven tunes. The duo performed well and it was evident that they were chosen for their melodious tracks to subtly lead into the sounds of Lamb. As time ticked over, the thought of seeing this UK based electronic duo became overwhelming. I had the good fortune to see the group arrive in a minivan and hustle up the back stairs to prepare for the evening. A thrill coursed through me, heralding that it was almost time and the wait was over.

In haunting font, Lamb’s logo lit up the stage in a bright red glow and then – the music dropped. Sub bass richness dispersed and atmospheric sounds started to fill the venue. Lou Rhodes delicate harmonies came to the forefront, followed by Andy Barlow’s well crafted beats and a smooth electric double bass played by John Thorne carried the floating ambient sounds well. It had been announced that John had been quite sick during the tour – but his performance never indicated anything at all, such was his professionalism and musicality.

Lamb immediately worked through their set and covered a mix of genres ranging from down tempo, hip hop and breakbeat through to drum and bass; clearly showing their versatility and displaying how well they craft a set to rise and fall gracefully. When Lamb played Gorecki I am sure I am not the only one who melted as this is one of those tracks that holds its own amongst any crowd. As the music floated along to Lou’s wonderful lyrical content, the middle of the track saw Andy switch to his single drum and proceed to take the mid break to a very tribal place. This gave a spectacular depth to the track and a strong sense of grounding, leaving the crowd in awe. TransfattyAcid was also another well placed track in the mix. The room was filled with an array of fantastic effects work from Andy and some sonic youth style guitar-playing by Lou, teamed once again with her effortless vocals and beautiful lyrics.

Amongst the transition of styles rested Lamb’s Gabriel and What Sound, and once again Lamb showed the audience how they have honed their craft over the years as artists working together. Esoteric visuals were the main theme throughout the night and they were mixed with some of Lamb’s most beautiful and popular film clips, providing a complete music experience for all. Andy particularly showed how much he loved to perform and take control of the crowd, constantly hyping the audience to chant and bounce, reaching a peak when he jumped into the crowd to be carried by loyal hands back and forth in front of the main stage area. A fitting climatic peak!

As the end of the evening was nigh, Lamb filled the venue with more delayed vocals, tight drum fills and deep bass, proceeding to walk off the stage as these sounds soared to the eaves. The crowd responded to what they thought was the end of the performance, with their exuberant cries enticing Lamb back to the stage for a final series of encores. It was a serene memory to be deeply embedded into the soul. I was completely amazed by the energy in the performance and the track programming, I imagine I am not the only one who experienced their wonder throughout their set, as this was one of those moments where you were glad you made the effort to enjoy something different.