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Regina Spektor review: Indie-pop siren is older, wiser and still sensational

Bittersweet: Regina Spektor at the Apollo: Angela Lubrano/Livepix
Bittersweet: Regina Spektor at the Apollo: Angela Lubrano/Livepix

“London, you have my heart,” gushed Regina Spektor on her return to the capital.

While audience adoration of her has been consistent for a decade, the New Yorker has evolved from quirky indie-pop siren to mature songwriter. At 37 and now with a three-year-old son, Spektor’s lyrics have taken a bittersweet turn.

Yet this was a largely joyous performance that showed off her prodigious talent as a pianist as well as her sensational voice, which ranged from warm trilling, melodramatic wailing and even yodelling. Seated at her grand piano, she summoned an infectious energy as she stomped and clapped alongside the drummer, cellist and keyboard player.

Going solo for the anguished Après Moi, Spektor slipped into native Russian for a glimpse of how her career might have been if she hadn’t left the Soviet Union as a child. It was a long way from kooky Regina, a label she probably hates but lived up to when she swapped piano for guitar and yelped about juicy tangerines on That Time. Bobbing For Apples was a spiky tune apparently inspired by next-door neighbours having sex to one of her songs.

For those immune to her more whimsical diversions, there was plenty to admire. She assembled some rudimentary disco for Dance Anthem Of The 80s, embraced new wave on her Orange Is The New Black theme You’ve Got Time and indulged in Trump-baiting with Ballad Of A Politician as she gently reminded us of the “nuclear threat”.

Stirring chamber pop songs Obsolete, Older And Taller and Grand Hotel were a welcome distraction from the real world. During the encore, Spektor even entertained us with a burst of Cockney singing. Her love affair with London seems certain to continue.