Massive Attack, OnBlackheath Festival, London SE3

5/5

Fresh from their triumph at the Fete de l’Humanite in France the night before, Massive Attack pull off another knock-out performance at this intimate new festival, ably supported by Grace Jones and nu-jazz newcomers Badbadnotgood.

Dreamers expecting a nicely toxic and ambient trip-hop affair are not disappointed as the sublime vocals of  Martina Topley-Bird (pictured) induce head spins on Paradise Circus, Psyche, the beautiful Teardrop and the sneakingly aggressive Jupiter.

Vocal brilliance is at the core of Massive Attack’s delivery and Horace Hind makes a glorious impact as he glides through Girl I Love You and Angel.

Lethally performed and with a running order fashioned  for maximum impact, the set has its quieter introspections zipped up in brilliantly poetic lyrics. 

But the tripping flips in the hardest during Grantley Marshall and Robert Del Naja’s vocals on Risingson and enter yet another dimension with Del Naja at the mic and Angelo Bruschini’s guitar work shaping fantastically schizoid changes in Future Proof and the brain-draining Inertia Creeps.

Unfinished Symphony fittingly closes the night as an extra special and much anticipated treat, with Deborah Miller decorating this crowd-entrancing classic with rich, deep and sumptuous high tones.

Incredible, like the rest of this brilliant live gig.

Peter Lindley