Hotel Lux played 22 shows across Europe and the UK during February to support the release of their debut album Hands Across the Creek, ending with a sold out hometown show in a brewery, the Staggeringly Good, in Portsmouth, UK. Literally setting up in the loading bay of the bottling room, with no stage, this was as intimate as you get and a fitting end to the tour for this unassuming English pub-rock punk band.
1/6
Favourites of course included Hotel Lux‘ breakout 2017 song “The Last Hangman”, mesmeric and intense played live, as well as many from the new album including “National Team” and set-closer “Eastbound and Down”. Frontman Lewis Duffin, his usual charismatic yet humble, lad-down-the-pub persona, delivered earnest vocals much in a spoken-word style. The appearance is a thrown-together new band, but this is a mature impressive sound with many great tunes in the back catalogue and the new album. The performance is exciting and captivating, including an acoustic segment, a little tambourine, a violin held together with gaffa tape, keyboards, and vocals from three of the band.
1/3
Support was from Average Life Complaints from Brixton, UK, a perfect opener to the show. Highlights included the unreleased song “Bailiffs” (don’t let them in) and “Wealth Gap” from their 2021 EP “Fish & Chips”.
1/3
Photos and words by Tony Palmer (Website, Instagram, TikTok).
Keep up with Hotel Lux: Facebook /// Instagram /// TikTok
Keep up with Average Life Complaints: Facebook /// Instagram /// TikTok
