Belle and Sebastian

EMMA LEE Wednesday, December 10, 2003
3:31 PM

EMMA LEE

UEA LCR, Norwich

As the many members of Belle and Sebastian shuffled shyly on to the stage at UEA's LCR last night, it was easy to wonder whether you were in the wrong place.

Looking like a group of teachers who had raided the instruments cupboard after work and had been found out, they looked like unlikely rock stars.

The gig got off to a low-key start but the Scottish indie popsters soon loosened up and got into their stride – with frontman Stuart Murdoch even whipping off his tartan scarf a few numbers in.

Their lush orchestral arrangements, sweet harmonies and skewed lyrics make Belle and Sebastian one of the most distinctive bands around – none of that was lost last night.

Their set included tracks from their latest album, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, and old favourites including Like Dylan in the Movies and The State That I Am In.

Murdoch bantered with the audience, at one point asking if DJ John Peel, who lives at Stowmarket, was in the audience. Unfortunately he wasn't.

And there were a few surprises along the way, too, including a shambolic, off-the-cuff cover of Maggie May after a Rod Stewart lookalike was spotted lurking in the crowd. They may not have looked like rock stars, but Belle and Sebastian rocked in their own quiet way.

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