By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Thursday 26 May 2022, tour runs until 12 November 2022

SETLIST: Night Call; Sweet Talker; Consequences; Sooner Or Later; Shine; Muscle; Play; Sunlight; Sanctify; Worship/Rendezvous; Desire; Hallucination; Up In Flames; Here; 20 Minutes; Eyes Shut; It’s A Sin; Crave; Starstruck; If You’re Over Me; King

Years and Years’ frontman Olly Alexander appears onstage in a see-through telephone box singing Night Call, the title track of his new 3rd album, and it immediately makes us think of Doctor Who.

• Read on for reasons including everything we’re hoping for from Years and Years’ Glastonbury show

Alexander was thought to be a frontrunner for the role in that TV show not least because it is now in the hands of showrunner Russell T Davies who led Alexander to much acting success in the monsta-winning It’s A Sin although this was not to be.

Years and Years have recently been in the news because Alexander is rumoured to be keen to represent the UK in Eurovision and we could just imagine 2nd song tonight, the hit Sweet Talker, fitting that bill nicely.

This is the band’s biggest hometown gig and in a contemplative moment Alexander recalls how he arrived in London from the Forest of Dean 14 years ago, set up home in a windowless room with a blow-up bed in east London, moved to Battersea south of the Thames and now lives in north London.

There’s a real festival vibe on this tour with fine support Cat Burns outing herself ahead of her 2nd song and Queer House Party being as far removed from Noel’s House Party as you could get.

We’re hugely excited for the band’s Glastonbury Festival show next month and wonder whether Years and Years will open for Other Stage headliners Pet Shop Boys on the final Sunday night?

This set would be perfectly complementary to the Boys’ current Dreamland show not least because Alexander and his troupe do a lot of dancing where the PSBs choose not to use dancers this time around and instead utilise a lighting spectacular that brings out the best in their music.

With all the full-throated singing and impressive formation dancing, it’s easy to forget what a fine instrumentalist Alexander is.

When he sits alone at a piano playing the PSB’s It’s A Sin as a slowie it’s brilliantly moving. Obviously it explodes into a full-on dancefloor frenzy with Alexander standing atop said piano.

There’s a moving crowd singalong to big hit and penultimate song If You’re Over Me before an always rousing King closer.

We 1st saw the band put the King into Kingston in February, loved this gigantic arena show and hope to catch them at Glastonbury next month. It would be a sin not to.

• Pictures via Facebook courtesy Years and Years Tickets
• Have you heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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