Spiritualized @ Apollo Theater: Oh Happy Day

Backed by a quartet of string players and a harmonious 5-piece gospel chorus, Spiritualized floored a sold-out crowd at the legendary Apollo Theater - their first NYC gig in over four years. Balancing the evening with a handful of Spacemen 3 classics, a sprinkling of new tunes to be featured on their forthcoming LP (more info here), a Daniel Johnston cover and a dozen or so SPZ favorites, the 90-minute gig was, as predicted, a beautiful affair.

While Spiritualized's electric shows are undeniably magical, the tracks selected for 'Acoustic Mainlines' (the official name for the tour) worked remarkably well in a less abrasive/more fragile setting. Highlights included a mesmerizing set-closing 'I Think I'm In Love' as well as a soul-wrenching rendition of 'Broken Heart'. Spiritualized's final North American gig of the year takes place tonight in Toronoto at The Phoenix Theater. Head over to the band's official site here. Photos courtesy of Brilliancy & JLieb. Setlist + SPZ MP3 below.

Setlist: Sitting On Fire. Lord Let It Rain On Me. True Love Will Find You. Cool Waves. Amen. Going Down Slow. Feel So Sad. Soul On Fire. Walking With Jesus. Stop Your Crying. All Of My Tears. Baby I'm Just A Fool. Anything More. Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. Broken Heart. I Think I'm In Love... Lord Can You Hear Me. Oh Happy Day.

MP3: Spiritualized - Lord Can You Hear Me [alt link]