AFTER postponing the opening three shows of their tour in Dublin last week due to singer Andy Bell’s cold, it was relief all round when Erasure took the stage in front of a sold out crowd at the City Hall on Sunday.

Bell and writing partner Vince Clarke’s songs have been gracing the airwaves for over thirty years, with last year’s sombre and reflective ‘World Be Gone’ album their highest charting album since 1994.

The simple yet striking stage design resembling three neon photo frames had Clarke and his keyboards situated high above Bell’s mic stand, which rendered him barely visible for most of the show. With Bell dressed as flamboyantly as expected and Clarke sombrely suited and booted the duo and their two backing singers Emma Whittle and Valerie Chambers opened their set strongly with ‘Oh L’Amour’, Bell astride a chair channelling Christine Keeler’s famous pose.

Crowd favourites including ‘Ship Of Fools’, ‘Victim Of Love’, ‘Always’, ‘Blue Savannah’ and ‘Stop!’ were strewn throughout the set and as hit followed hit, it drove home the fact that Erasure are responsible for some outright classic pop songs. Even their cover of Blondie’s ‘Atomic’ was terrific.

They completed a fine performance with a joyous version of ‘Sometimes’ and an encore of ‘A Little Respect’ during which Clarke finally descended to the stage with his guitar to join the others in a mass singalong.

Earlier, Bright Light Bright Light led by Rod Thomas provided a fine thirty minutes of synth based dance pop.