The intimacy of Kings Heath’s The Hare and Hounds was the perfect setting for the art pop spectacle that is The Irrepressibles on their latest tour for new album, Yo Homo. Immersed in a soundscape of strings and a heavy, rock guitar, frontman Jamie McDermott, the heart and soul of the band, commanded the room with his powerful and ethereal voice, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere from the first note.
Blending haunting orchestration with deeply personal lyrics, McDermott’s operatic range paired with the band’s chamber-pop instrumentation produced a soundscape that felt both cinematic and vulnerable. The setlist featured songs from their latest album, along with some older tracks although with some noticeable and disappointing omissions such as perhaps their most recognised tracks, In This Shirt and Two Men in Love, both of which would have resonated with the rich layers of strings, piano, and electronic textures of the chosen set list, telling a story of longing, identity, and self-discovery.
Stage craft was a little wanting, thanks to some frustrating but necessary guitar retuning which continually interrupted the flow, yet the simple lighting design enhanced the dramatic mood, shifting from stark whites to deep reds to further intensify the emotional peaks of the performance.
A baroque performance for Birmingham from a truly original band, The Irrepressibles delivered an unforgettable performance filled with beauty, vulnerability, and theatrical brilliance.
The album Yo Homo is out now. Follow the band at www.instagram.com/theirrepressibles
