Texas are back in arenas and their The Very Best Of tour includes a stop at an almost-sold out Utilita Arena. It has been 18 years since the Scottish soft rock legends played these enormous rooms, with their tours since then stopping off at the smaller Symphony Hall instead. There has been something of a critical reassessment of the band since their well-received Pyramid Stage set at 2023’s Glastonbury Festival. Frontwoman, Sharleen Spiteri, tells us tonight that it was Peter Kay’s suggestion that they book an arena tour following feedback from that performance.
Despite celebrating 35 years since their 1989 debut album, “Southside”, the magnitude of the moment is still not lost on the band. Clearly emotional at their recent revival, Spiteri asks for the house lights to be turned on so that she can see how far back the room goes and appears genuinely appreciative for the thousands who have turned up tonight.
The tour accompanies their recent compilation record, “The Very Best Of 1989 – 2023”, which became their tenth top ten album in the UK last year. The career-spanning setlist certainly lives up to the title with an abundance of hit singles on display. They open with their breakthrough, “I Don’t Want A Lover”, and there are none of the typical sound issues that can sometimes come with arenas. It’s perfectly mixed with Sharleen’s vocals loud, clear and as powerful as they were when that track was first released.
From there, the hits just keep coming. To be able to play radio staples like “Halo” and “In Our Lifetime” within the first five songs gives an indication of just how many hits this band has. Sharleen takes to the synthesizer and delivers an impeccable vocal for their cover of Al Green’s “Tired of Being Alone” before returning to the guitar for a spirited “Summer Son”.
Still the perfect frontperson, Sharleen Spiteri confidently prowls the stage ensuring that the seated audience are all on their feet for the Motown-influenced pairing of “Let’s Work It Out” and “When We Are Together”. Still funny, still sweary and still a fantastic vocalist.
Highlights come in the form of two of the lesser performed singles from the multi-platinum “White on Blonde” album. A brooding “Insane” dials up the Portishead undertones and a solo acoustic “Put Your Arms Around Me” puts Spiteri’s soulful singing centre stage.
A joyous run of “Black Eyed Boy”, “Say What You Want” and “Inner Smile” at the end demonstrate that Texas have the ideal catalogue for a Friday night arena show with the entire audience singing along to every word. The only mis-step is ending on a cover of Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds” which is something of a tradition for the band. For this writer, it is a little too cabaret and takes the band to the wrong side of cheesy for the only time tonight. It would be preferable to see them have the confidence in their own material that it deserves and end on one of their own mega hits.
Texas are a much better band than critics have often given them credit for over the years and this celebratory show packed with perfectly performed popular songs deserves to be back in arenas and remain there for years to come.
