Tonight's show is part of the Manchester International Festival, a biannual celebration of arts, and is held at Aviva Studios (formerly Granada Studios), a swanky new arts space and concert hall. A backdrop of stars welcomes the band as they open with bleeps and sax squeals, and is the perfect prelude to their cosmic jazz. This gives way to an electronic jazz banger complete with psychedelic backdrop provided by visual artist Daisy Dickinson, and it receives a rapturous reception. The mindbending next number sounds like the Warp Records catalogue played backwards. The drums and keys provide the beats and the sonic power whilst King Shabaka's sax provides the creativity and experimentalism. This all combines to create an exhilarating whole and a feeling akin to being at a rave. It gets quite dubby at times whilst other bits sound like 90s Nintendo or Sega soundtracks. It often feels more like acts such as Leftfield or Underworld rather than jazz. It is the squealing sax that adds the jazz element. Every track is either a floor filling banger or a cosmic trip and sometimes is both at the same time. Even the drum solo courtesy of Betamax is jaw dropping. There have been hints that this could be The Comet Is Coming's final tour. I hope it isn't but this is a fine way to bow out if it is.
The Comet Is Coming ****
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