Hurts, the English synth-pop duo of singer Theo Hutchcraft and synthesist Adam Anderson, have come a long way since they first performed at Istanbul’s Rock’n Coke Festival in the now distant summer of 2013. With a discography of four distinct, but stylistically connected full-length albums – Hurts have explored and conquered a musical terrain that is pleasantly their own unique sound while retaining strong mainstream sensibilities and appeal. This allure is certainly not lost on their Turkish audience, as they boast quite a dedicated local following, evidenced by the excitement built around their recent February performance at Zorlu Performing Arts Center.
Venturing to Zorlu PSM on a cold Saturday evening in the midst of Winter, the venue was a welcome and warm destination. February’s Valentine vibes were in the air, with plenty of the attendees being couples that were holding hands or leaned up against each other as they waited. Hurts themselves are no strangers to love, with much of their lyrical content being dedicated to themes centered on notions of romance and longing. Perhaps nowhere is that more apparent than on their latest aptly titled album “Desire” released late last year. Thus, the timing of the performance offered a little something extra in terms of emotional resonance.
As the band came on, it was clear that Zorlu PSM’s lighting and sound system was an ideal fit for an outfit like Hurts. The cascading lighting washing the band in warm, passionate colors added a fiery atmospheric feel right off the bat, and the audience was immediately able to step in and allow it to take over. Video work was also incorporated into a visual show that felt finely tuned and a perfect fit for the night’s ambiance.
As one might expect, “Desire” was the main source for the evening’s set-list, providing the band with a new catalog of energetic, provocative songs to draw from. The album is perhaps the most emphatic departure from the rest of their work, shifting away from the melancholic and dark tones of their earlier work and instead taking on a more pop-centric approach. Frontman Theo Hutchcraft especially seemed to enjoy having some newer songs to embrace, as he remained a vibrant centerpiece to the night’s performance. Regularly smiling, laughing, and waving to the audience, he is ever an enthralling figure, and one that certainly charmed Saturday’s crowd. With seemingly little effort, he was able to coerce us all into sharing in the energy, singing along and dancing together as one.
Synthesist Adam Anderson brought his own welcomed and unique elements to the show as well. His talent as the engine that powers the musical machine of Hurts was on full display, boosted by some genuinely fun dance moves. He was very clearly in the zone, which easily filtered out into the rest of the performers and crowd.
It’s of course also necessary to give credit to the rest of the band and performers on stage, as in addition to providing backing vocals and non-stop dance moves, they were notably fantastic at getting the crowd excited and keeping the mood just right throughout the proceedings.
In this way, the most notable development from Hurts since their 2013 Istanbul show is simply their showmanship. They’ve evolved as performers, with nearly every aspect of their live show having improved and becoming more tightly orchestrated. When Theo delved into his older classic Lights from their 2015 album “Surrender”, backed by an accompanying video clip, the crowd’s euphoria was nearly tangible as they screamed and melted into the music accordingly.
Much credit is due to the audience themselves, obviously full of serious fans dating back to their freshman album release of “Happiness”. Hanging on nearly every word, it was delightful being part of a crowd that knew the lyrics to every song, the changing melodies, and that kept the momentum going from literally the first song to the last. At times it was an epic dance affair, while other times people embraced and leaned from side to side alongside the ballads. We were a community of fans treating one another with love and respect, and the aura of the night was a direct response to that, with smiles beaming on everyone’s faces and plenty of new friends being made in the crowd.
When the night came to its unavoidable conclusion, the feeling was that of not wanting to let go of a memorable night. Closing with “Stay” off their debut release, as white flowers were released to the audience, it was a much appreciated way to draw the curtains on a memorable night. Theo’s “We’ll see you soon,” will certainly have everyone in attendance holding them accountable, with hopefully a significantly shorter break between visits this time around.
As the audience slowly emptied out, the energy was still abuzz and in many ways, it felt like Saturday night was just getting started. Laughter and joyous chatter filled the halls of Zorlu PSM and out into the chilly streets.
All images courtesy of Zorlu PSM.
