Anathema may have been down a band member for this concert. However the core of dedicated fans who attended Concorde 2 did not leave disappointed.

The rock band from Liverpool played an impassioned and intimate-feeling set which included all of the favourites from their large and diverse repertoire of songs.

Singers Daniel and Vincent Cavanagh were accompanied by Anna Livingstone’s beautiful vocals and a very talented keyboard player. The band’s metal-influenced guitar and drums were offset against smooth melodies and orchestral song-writing, cementing Anathema’s reputation as one of the the UK’s continually evolving rock bands.

One highlight was the band’s light show, which was extremely elaborate and cinematic. This added to the attraction of a concert which covered releases from their long career spanning 25 years, and which ended with a long rendition of the popular Distant Satellites.

As a result, the set-list was very immersive and varied, including their heavier, earlier hits, along with newer, more thoughtful songs.

A must-see for any fan of British progressive rock.

Four stars