To mark the 10th-anniversary reissue of ‘Autumn in the Neighbourhood’, China Crisis returned to the stage tonight for a special one-off performance, playing the album in full and in sequence, a rare treat for fans. To understand the significance of this show, you have to go back to 2015, when the band released ‘Autumn in the Neighbourhood’, their first studio album in over two decades. Self and fan-funded, it captured the refined, melodic charm that made China Crisis one of the most distinctive voices of the 1980s, blending synth-friendly textures with reflective, mature songwriting. Originally sold only through the band’s website and at live shows, the record has now been given a long-overdue label-backed worldwide reissue.
Tonight, Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon were joined by a full band featuring drums, bass, keyboards, horns, pedal steel guitar, and backing vocals, a lush, carefully balanced line-up worthy of the album’s subtle arrangements. Dispensing with his usual pre-song banter, Daly led the group straight into ‘Smile (What Kind of Love Is This)’ and ‘Down Here on Earth’. It was a strong opening: recognisably China Crisis, yet still fresh and quietly confident. A brief interruption followed as Daly wrestled with the lighting; “I can see everyone!” he quipped before settling back into the set.
The title track, ‘Autumn in the Neighbourhood’, brought the first real hush of the evening: a gentle, atmospheric ballad that seemed to hang in the air. Long-time collaborator Stuart Nisbet, effectively the band’s unofficial third member since the mid-’80s, shone on pedal steel guitar during ‘Because My Heart’. Daly jokingly introduced it as “our country and western song”, not quite accurate, though its Americana-tinged warmth certainly nodded in that direction.
The emotional centrepiece came with ‘Bernard’, inspired by the death of Daly’s father, an intimate, beautifully measured performance that drew the audience in completely. From there, the mood lifted with ‘Joy and the Spark’, layered and melodic, followed by ‘Being in Love’, a breezy slice of radiant pop that perfectly captured the “head- over-heels” feeling its title suggests.
Eddie Lundon took the mic for his own composition, ‘Fool’, one of the album’s purest pop moments before the gentler, folk-tinged ‘My Sweet Delight’ eased the tempo again. ‘Tell Tale Signs’, sparse and cinematic, once more showcased Nisbet’s expressive pedal steel playing.
The album’s closer, ‘Wonderful New World’, featured bassist David switching to guitar, ending the set on a note of calm acceptance and wistful reflection, a perfect finale to an album that has aged with quiet grace.
Hearing ‘Autumn in the Neighbourhood’ performed live with a full band felt truly special — and, as Daly hinted, likely a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Band credits:
Keyboards – Jack Hymers
Bass – David (apologies, I didn’t catch your surname)
Horns – Eric Animan and Alex Smith
Backing Vocals – Laura Campbell
Drums – Apologies, I didn’t catch your name
After the interval, the band returned for a crowd-pleasing encore of classics: ‘Arizona Sky’, ‘Black Man Ray’, ‘Wishful Thinking’, ‘King in a Catholic Style’, and ‘Christian’. Between songs, Daly was back to his mischievous best, telling colourful stories and taking playful digs at old Merseyside contemporaries Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
Special mention must go to Daly’s choice of footwear, a pair of sparkling ruby slippers that looked like they’d stepped straight out of The Wizard of Oz. This was an exceptional night for band and fans alike, celebratory, nostalgic, and quietly moving. If this truly is the only live outing for ‘Autumn in the Neighbourhood’, it will be remembered as a shining moment in China Crisis history.
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 03.10.2025
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