When I was writing Dead Man Singing and looking for music to help set the story in 1990, I jumped at the chance to include Del Amitri in the book. As a result, their music plays a small but pivotal role in the story.

As I’ve said before, I’ve long regarded Del Amitri as one of the great underrated bands of their era, and yet somehow I had never managed to see them playing live. This week I finally put that right, attending their show at the Shepherds Bush Empire, and it was worth the wait.

It was one of those gigs that makes you realise just how many good songs the band have. Kiss This Thing Goodbye, one of the tracks featured in Dead Man Singing, was played early in the evening, although the other significant track from the book, Spit in the Rain, didn’t feature in the setlist. Given what happens after Dave hears that song, perhaps it’s just as well it didn’t get an airing in real life! There were plenty of other favourites to enjoy though, as well as a couple of new songs and older ones that I’d forgotten how much I liked.

Despite his recent health issues, Justin Currie remains a fine front man with a great soulful voice, and the other Dels provide plenty of quality to back him up. There were too many high points to list – as I said, so many great songs – but the encores, with Andy Alston stepping out from behind his keyboards to wield an accordion for Nothing Ever Happens and – even better – Be My Downfall topped off a wonderful evening. Great musicians playing great songs in a great venue. What’s not to like?

If you’re interested, you can find the full setlist here. 

Support act Madrake Handshake were let down by a poor sound balance (at least from my seat in the first tier of the circle) that meant I had to go home and listen to them on Spotify to find out whether I liked them or not. My main impression on the night was that they looked like members from three different bands who had somehow ended up on stage together – three looking like they belonged in a far-out trippy freak band, two from a student band rehearsing during a lunch break, and one from a far cooler grown-up rock outfit. That left a seventh member who looked like he’d dressed for the student combo but really wanted to hang out with the freaks. Those comments feel dismissive and rather unfair on what turns out to be a good band: my subsequent Spotify listens made me wish the sound had been better, as I think I would have enjoyed their set.

But the last word should go to the headliners. Del Amitri are a fantastic live act, professional yet playful and clearly still enjoying the experience of being on stage with one another. They’ve been part of my musical landscape for thirty years or more and if – to borrow the title of another highlight of the evening – the ones that you love lead you nowhere, I’m more than happy to have let them lead me nowhere for all this time. Go see them if you get the chance, you won't regret it.