
It was a new venue for Lee, but its intimate basement setting and cabaret-style seating had a familiar feel, reminiscent of fan favourite The Pheasantry (where Lee has played many times since his first run of shows there in 2013) or Crazy Coqs (where he performed two live-streamed concerts in late 2020). Indeed that sense of familiarity kicked in as soon as I approached the venue, seeing a queue already forming well ahead of the scheduled time for the doors to open. Staff arriving for work seemed concerned we were so early, but we just smiled and said we were enjoying catching up with friends as we waited on this unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon.

So, a little later than scheduled, the band took their places - Lee's long-time musical director and collaborator Adam Dennis on piano and Adam Goldsmith on guitar (hereafter, in the interests of brevity, referred to as the Adams) - and James urged us to welcome Lee to the stage. We needed no urging... cheers and applause accompanied his long and winding progress through the very tightly-packed room, fading briefly as he turned to face front, then kicking in again as Lee set the rhythm with a couple of claps, gripped the mic and started to sing. An instantly recognisable song - Grease - but one only heard before, from Lee's lips at least, by those who had been in the audience when he played Danny Zuko aged 15 in the school production that gave him the performing bug.

New songs from favourite artists also featured - George Michael's A Different Corner and U2's Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of, written by Bono in the aftermath of Michael Hutchence's suicide, the 'fight between friends' he wished they'd had before it was too late. There were songs from the stage too - The Power Of Love from Back to the Future and Immortality from Saturday Night Fever. That last we had heard once before, way back in 2011 in Dublin, backed by a full orchestra... though I have to say I preferred Sunday's more stripped-back version with the Adams. Lee had also promised to share one of his own new songs... another collaboration with Steve Balsamo on lyrics, with music by Adam Dennis, Let the River Flow speaks of supporting your partner, letting them be who they are... a response to people, mostly men it must be said, who seek to control their partners. I need to hear it again, but my first impression was of words flowing from the heart, giving rise to a beautiful song.

Among the 'old' songs, another personal favourite and a moment of unintentional hilarity as Lee introduced it with "I think this was my parents' wedding song ... was it, Dad?" only for Steve to reply "I don't know what you're singing yet!" When the laughter died down, the room filled with Lee's soulful, slow version of Brian Wilson's God Only Knows... just beautiful. I was so glad, too, that there was room on the sparkly new setlist for a throwback to the summer with All I Care About is Love from Chicago – I adored Lee's Billy Flynn and from the reaction in the room, so did everyone who saw it. It was delicious listening to it again now with the full stage number playing out in my mind’s eye... that tux, that swagger, those feathers! And as he commented after, as one of the younger people to play the role, he has many years in which he can return to it… yes please! Other stage numbers, you will not be surprised to hear, included Close Every Door and, of course, Any Dream Will Do to close, with all the requisite swaying and singing along you could wish for.

Unusually, I think I've mentioned almost every song in the set, but in nothing like the order they were sung... there is however a set list to help you sort it all out! As always with Lee's shows, the afternoon was about more than just the music, sublime though that was. People had come from all over the country, from Belfast and Germany and Canada. We relished the opportunity to catch up with friends seen far too little in the past couple of years. We spoke of absent friends. My thanks to James and his staff for their welcome, to Patrick for a fantastic job on sound, to Adam and Adam for their exquisite playing and most of all to Lee for bringing us all together and giving us such joy. Until the next time...
Lee's full concert and events schedule (including past appearances) can be found at - CONCERTS & LIVE EVENTS
Published: 16/03/2022; last updated: 15/11/2022