Gig review: Section 25

When young singer Bethany Cassidy dedicated a song entitled New Horizon to “me mum and dad”, it captured an understated poignancy which threw the rest of this set into stark relief. The current incarnation of dimly-remembered but excellent Factory Records alumni Section 25 exists in its current form almost entirely because of the sudden death of Cassidy’s father Larry, who she has replaced as the band’s vocalist, a little over 18 months ago.

It seems inappropriate, then, to insist that the present set-up might have worked better had it been on the road a few years ago. In the combination of three male and middle-aged founding members (including Cassidy’s uncle Vin on drums) playing the dark and industrial funk with which Factory was synonymous, alongside Cassidy – young, sharply bobbed brown hair, clubby pink blouse and black shorts, dancing so hard she’s “got a stitch” – there were echoes of the defunct LCD Soundsystem.

“This song was written 30 years ago, but it’s been dressed up a bit,” was Cassidy’s introduction to the club grind of Girls Don’t Count, and it applied equally to the house-styled update of Dirty Disco, a duet between Cassidy and gruff-voiced bassist Stuart Hill. New track Colour, Movement, Sex and Violence (the band are signed, not unexpectedly, to Haçienda Records) measured up to the rest of the set, including their most familiar track as closer, Looking From a Hilltop.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” joked Cassidy at the end. “It wouldn’t have been the same without you.” Their show was far, far better than the meagre but enthusiastic turn-out implied, and hopefully the comeback only flourishes from here.

DAVID POLLOCK