Fuelled by hot toddies, Alison Goldfrapp shrugged off the sore throat that had caused the cancellation of the previous night’s show and put on a classy display of electro-tinged magic at Brighton Dome. Tonight perfectly reflected the darker, claustrophobic mood of this year’s Silver Eye, an album that at times floated in dreamy psychedelia. With the pace perfectly controlled, alongside exceptional production and performances, this was one of the finest electronic shows that Brighton has seen this year.

Opener ‘Zodiac Black’ set the mood from the outset. Illuminated by a spotlight behind her, the silhouette of Alison Goldfrapp slowly emerged from the darkness as her ethereal vocals enveloped the room in an air of mystery. As the heavy beats of ‘Anymore’ and the glam rock stomp of ‘Train’ raised the tempo, there was no sign of any lingering illness as she thrashed and flailed violently in her inimitable style. With long sleeves wafting in the wind as she waved her arms like a high priestess commanding the audience to dance, she cut an imposing figure. As usual, there was no sign of Will Gregory and, with the other band members in perpetual darkness, Goldfrapp herself became the main visual focus. With sound and lighting accentuating her every move and the band’s every note, there was a real sense of mystery and power throughout.

Continually bucking expectations throughout their long career, Goldfrapp have always been far more than a simple electropop outfit and they seemed to take on a new life live. The show had a real ebb and flow to it, delivering a breathless fluidity that had the audience in its grip from first moment to last. ‘Moon In Your Mouth’ had an otherworldly sensation, with a clever use of shadows and loop pedals making it impossible to tell where Goldfrapp’s vocals ended and effects began. With the show’s focus kept firmly on Silver Eye and 2005’s Supernature (only two songs came from any other album), the temperature continued to slowly simmer before suddenly boiling over as the Dome was turned into a mini-rave for ‘Slide In’. After a slower and brooding first half of the show, the sleazy and filthy riff prompted a wild reaction and was the launchpad for a non-stop party in the second.

The pace changed gear like a long-distance runner giving a sprint finish. ’Everything Is Never Enough’, with its motorik beat pulsing throughout, was an electrifying blast of krautrock before the trance-like ‘Become The One’ bathed the famous old Dome in a beautifully atmospheric burnt orange stupor. Arms were aloft around the venue, with ‘Number 1’ heralding the beginning of the end. A massive finale culminated in a frenzied ‘Ride A White Horse’ and ‘Ooh La La’. As Goldfrapp’s voice finally began to give out during the latter, the crowd rose to the occasion and took over for the final moments. As the entire venue turned into one giant dancefloor, it was a gloriously celebratory showstopper. Returning for a swift encore which climaxed with the mighty electro-glam of ‘Strict Machine’, a stunning night with one of the UK’s most enduring (and entrancing) acts drew to a close.

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