Alison Moyet
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
FORTY years after she wrote her first songs, and 35 since she became one of the nation’s favourite unlikely pop stars, Alison Moyet has learned to embrace the Other, titling her current album and tour after the misfit feeling which has never quite left her.
In recent years the Essex native has found her perfect home in Brighton, whose fellow oddbods she celebrated here on musical love letter The Rarest Birds. Like many of her 80s synthpop peers, she remains a reassuring outsider presence while also radiating an accessible mainstream soul pop appeal.
Moyet is a most relatable diva, blessed with a big voice but a down-to-earth, less than slick stage presence, stumbling over her introductions, startingone song again because she got the words wrong.
Her audience may have been eager to hear the 80s hits but Moyet also used her platform to highlight the thoughtful, personal story behind The English U, an idiosyncratic song of remembrance for her mum, and the elusive feelings captured by the warm synth soul number Ski.
The capacity crowd were rewarded with all the pristine synth pop singles from her Yazoo days, while Moyet balanced her sultry jazz tones beautifully against the tasteful electro backing from her two keyboard players on the tender ballad The Man in the Wings, combined chiming keyboards and beefy beats on Love Resurrection and wrapped the whole presentation in a handsome, literally dazzling lightshow.
FIONA SHEPHERD