Ezra Collective Bring a Night of Pure Joy to Manchester’s O2 Apollo [Show Review]

Ezra Collective always know how to bring a party, and tonight’s show at Manchester’s Apollo is no exception. Touring their new album, Dance No One’s Watching, the band have adopted a slightly more commercial tone following their 2022 Mercury-winning Where I’m Meant To Be.

Support tonight comes from Children of Zeus, who I found underwhelming at 2023’s We Out Here Festival but appear to have matured tonight into an act with a much tighter sound.

Tyler Daley’s voice takes on a Stevie Wonder style that creates some interesting moments when played off against Konny Kon’s rapping. It’s the juxtaposition of the two styles that make this Mancunian act different from your average rap duo. The music that they create is soulful, too, and rarely lets the sound veer into an expected hard edge. On record, the mood is even more laid back.

Tracks like “Vibrations” really play on Daley’s Wonder similarity, the line “These love songs harmonise in the key of life” cement this further. There’s a definite one foot in the past with the duo, sampling Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” elsewhere.

The pair plays strongly on the fact they are performing to their home crowd and successfully rev them up in preparation for the main act.

This is the fourth time I have seen Ezra Collective now, and I know before they even start that the night is going to be special. Standing at the front of the balcony, looking at the crowd below, is a spectacle. The surging bodies move in such a way that it’s clear what level of energy is running throughout them: pure joy.

It’s this joy that Ezra Collective trades in: the pursuit of living for the moment and making the most of life. Starting with trumpet and sax solos from the balcony, the mood is set immediately, and the band begin to play out the usual big dance numbers alongside new killer album cuts.

“The Herald” kicks the night off, and without any build-up, the entire audience is engaged. Drummer and MC Femi Koleoso insists that the entire Apollo gets to its feet and dances. He asks that everyone says hello to someone they don’t know and requests that we don’t look at the band but look at each other in dance circles. This is a familiar script that he works on, but it’s effective, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone distracted from the band at any time.

Since his forays into solo and side projects, more focus appears to be on Joe Armon-Jones tonight, with more prominent keyboard sections on the album, notably slower tunes like “N29.” His solos tonight are breathtaking, as are Koleoso’s frenetic drum explorations.

Gaining heightened airplay with the Yazmin Lacey fronted single, “God gave me feet for dancing” has clearly widened the band’s demographic, but the absence of Lacey means that the crowd need to fill in on vocals tonight. Tracks like “Palm Wine” add a more lounge-jazz feel to the new album, but live, the horns are upfront and, like most selections tonight, become anthemic.

Lacey may not appear, but a mid-set appearance from Children of Zeus almost makes up for that.

Usual features are all present, such as the band centring themselves in the middle of the audience and Koleoso retelling the band’s origins and how important Manchester is to the story. Whilst this is a much-told story, locals love it, and cheers fill the house. Another regular feature, getting the audience to crouch down en masse and then leap into the air when the beat drops, is made all the more powerful from my place on the balcony. It actually feels like it’s going to give way, but what a way to go.

The show ends with the obligatory journey to the top of the mountain, where momentum builds to an irresistible force. Joy is achieved, and once more, everyone leaves completely uplifted.

It’s a difficult formula to change as it works so well, but on a fourth Ezra Experience, I’m left wanting a little variation. The selection of tracks does become a little similar and repetitive, mainly headed by a recurring upfront sax or trumpet solo. They are difficult to criticize as they are just so damn good, but the show may need to change to survive repeated visits.