St. Etienne

Named after the French football team AS Saint Etienne - rather than the city in which they’re based - you could certainly be forgiven for thinking that it was the latter that was actually the case, given what a European flavour there’s always been to Saint Etienne’s sound. Over the course of a career that has lasted close to twenty five years, at this point, the Croydon outfit have rewritten the rules of alternative dance, blending pop sounds with house affectations in order to make their own sonic lane. They’ve released eight studio albums to date and maintained a steady level of commercial success - two of their early nineties albums, 1993’s So Tough and 1994’s follow-up Tiger Bay cracked the top ten in the UK, at numbers seven and eight respectively on the albums chart - and their cult fanbase continues to pack out their gigs, both in the UK and on the continent.
They remain a flamboyant live proposition, too, with their standard rock band setup used in unorthodox ways - listen to their washed-out bass sounds, for instance - and Sarah Cracknell a genuinely enthralling frontwoman, with her energetic presence often balanced against her sultry, laid-back vocals; there’s nobody quite like Saint Etienne on the live circuit today.

Just back from Edinburgh where St Etienne performed on 9 June at Queens Hall. Fabulous concert comprising a set of old numbers rather than the promised run through the new album. Initially it was hard to hear Sarah let alone understand what she was singing due to over amplification of the 'backing' musicians. Fortunately the balance between voice and instruments (and pre-recorded stuff) improved as the set progressed. The choice of back numbers was brilliant with interesting variations from a variety of instruments and electronica in the enlarged band of 9 (I think). The songs were accompanied by big screen animation and visuals with St Etienne 60's tropes (Butlins, shopping precincts, new towns). The Queen's Hall (once a church) is a terrific venue combining upstairs seating in a semi-circle of pews with a large downstairs standing area. The music and venue combined to create a brilliant atmosphere. 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' for me was a highlight - St Etienne are indeed balm for tender places.

I saw Saint Etienne perform live at Webster Hall in NYC on Oct. 26, 2012. What an excellent show! Lead singer Sarah Cracknell did an amazing job singing the hits and best-known songs from the group's catalogue. Both Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs from the band were present on stage and provided the electronic pop sound for Sarah to sing smoothly over. Debsey, a frequent backing vocalist for Saint Etienne, was also on stage singing. It was a very memorable show. The sound was great and everything was executed quite nicely. Overall, I'm very glad I saw them in concert, and I would jump at the chance to see them again.

Loved it! Took me right back to the 1990s. The collaboration with a contemporary orchestra really brought the artistry of St Etienne's songs to life. Even Sarah Cracknell got emotional listening at one point. I love this format of reproducing with a collection of musicians. Saw ABC play the Lexicon of Love a couple of years ago in the same way...

You will never get a bad performance when you go to see a Saint Etienne show.
And this performance proofs it.
The Shepherd Bush Empire is a ideal venue for the band hope they play here again soon.

One of the best performances from Saint Etienne I have seen,A great full band performance with a fabulous set list of old and new songs.
Hope they play London again soon.