Scissor Sisters at O2 Arena, London Review

It’s been twenty-one years since Jake Shears and co burst onto the scene with the eponymous album that skyrocketed them to fame. But watching the frontman bound across the stage at London’s O2 Arena on Friday (May 23), you’d be forgiven for thinking they had released their debut yesterday. Scissor Sisters have been on hiatus since 2012, save for a brief reunion in 2017 when the group put out their charity single, Swerlk.

But now they’re back, in all their rhinestoned glory – or, at least, four of them are. Shears is joined by veteran members Babydaddy and Del Marquis as well as newer drummer, Randy Real, plus some seriously special celebrity guests. But more on that later.

The tour was announced in celebration of their 2004’s 20th anniversary. Shears said: “It really feels like the right time to revisit all the intense excitement of that moment. I think the impetus for this reunion was really a YouTube screening of Scissor Sisters: Live at The O2 that happened during lockdown. I don’t think I’d seen that show since it was filmed in 2007, but we were all kind of surprised by how great it was. And chatting with fans during the screening really brought back what a special moment it was for all of us.”

It seems special moments come easy to this lot, as there was no shortage on Friday night. The band was supported by Alison Goldfrapp, whose Debbie Harry-esque performance coupled with her English charm was enough to make anyone say “Ooh La La.” And she wasn’t the only guest to grace the stage – Rebecca Lucy Taylor, known better by her stage name Self Esteem, joined for a powerful rendition of Take Your Mama, while Sir Ian McKellen suddenly appeared on arena screens to read the monologue he voiced for Invisible Light.

The show opened with the ever-sultry Laura, taking viewers on a journey with a series of fun, more overtly camp numbers (think Tits on the Radio and Lovers in the Backseat) before changing pace with Fire With Fire and a slower, emotional rendition of Mary – a song Shears explained was written in honour of a friend who, in his youth, would drive him to clubs and wait in her car to make sure he got home safe.

But the tempo quickly picked up again, ending with Let’s Have A Kiki, followed by arguably the group’s biggest hit, I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ and their debut album’s final track, Return to Oz. But while the setlist’s ever-changing mood kept attendees on their toes, each song consistently showcased Shears’ impressive vocals. From the high falsetto notes that arguably made the group famous to the lower, more brooding tones of Mary and Return to Oz, not a syllable was out of key. Close your eyes and you could have been listening to a recording.

Another consistent was how grateful the band seemed to be here. Towards the end of the night, multi-instrumentalist and composer Baby Daddy – who admitted to being a “man of few words” – delivered an impassioned speech about how the UK had welcomed Scissor Sisters with open arms while their native US apparently struggled to grapple with their sound and message.

Heartfelt thanks and all, Scissor Sisters were nothing short of a joy to watch live. Judging by their seemingly boundless energy, we can only hope there’s plenty more to come.