What is it about Lemon Jelly that still manages to charm and captivate? Five years after the release of Lemonjelly.ky, which collected the band’s first three EPs, The Bath EP, The Yellow EP and The Midnight EP, all released on very small quantities between 1998 and 2000 on their own label, Impotent Fury, Lemon Jelly have retained the same credibility that allowed them to develop a cult following right from the start, despite finding the vast majority of their tracks used on countless TV programs or ad.

Formed by Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen in the second half of the nineties, Lemon Jelly rapidly gained respect in the underground circles in London. More than a British answer to the then omni-present Air, the band offered a more contrasted and colourful blend of chill out electronica that somehow didn’t quite fit the lounge denomination. Mixing samples taken from nature programs with pseudo-Latin beats and warm analogue sound waves, Lemon Jelly eventually got signed by XL Recordings and saw their rare first three EPs collected on Lemonjelly.ky.

Five years and two albums later, Deakin and Franglen have become near-household names. To celebrate the release of their latest opus, ’64-’95, the pair embarked on an extensive tour of the UK and Ireland, culminating with two London dates, the first at the Brixton Academy and the second at the Forum, North London, the next day.

One of London’s best-known venues, the Brixton Academy welcomed Deakin and Franglen for the penultimate date of their 2005 tour. Providing a well balanced show, with a good selection of old and new school Lemon Jelly, the pair took place bellow the massive screen dominating the stage. With a desk-like structure occupying the full width of the stage and providing support for an impressive light show, Deakin and Franglen got down to business, rapidly following an energetic ‘Good evening Brixton’. After a rather low key start of set, with pretty much just the music to focus on, the pair progressively turned up the heat, first by supporting their tracks with projections, mostly taken of the DVD version of ‘64’-’95, before finding themselves enveloped in constant lights. With Deakin on guitar and Franglen running frenetically between keyboards and other devices, the Lemon Jelly machine was by then in full swing, spitting out fiery version of His Majesty King Ram, Come Down On Me, Rumblin’ Man, Return To Patagonia and many more.

The first real highlight of the evening came when the pair introduced London’s soul diva Terri Walker for a superb sophisticated rendition of Make Things Right. If Walker’s voice was already bringing rays of sunshine to this track on ’64-’95, her live intervention, coupled with Deakin’s guitar playing, proved at once terribly organic and emotional.

Walker gone, Lemon Jelly threw themselves into The Shouty Track only to drop everything and suggest that, instead of bothering themselves with the sample of a song by Scottish post-rockers The Scars, it would be a better idea to invite the band on stage. Followed a funked up version of this upfront number, finally bringing the Academy to its knees. With a further handful of tracks, including Nice Weather For Ducks, a true live favourite, and the recent Stay With You, under their belt, and just an hour and twenty minutes in, the pair announced the last track of the evening: The Staunton Lick.

Lemon Jelly might be, on record at least, a gentle and peaceful affair, but Deakin, Franglen and their guests provided here a strong, upbeat, and perfectly oiled performance. Although visuals provided an additional dimension all throughout the show, it was well and truly the music that was at the heart of this evening. If they were at times slightly predictable, Lemon Jelly managed to inject enough elements of surprise to keep the audience grooving all evening.

Thank you to Steve