REVIEW: Heaton and Abbott hit all the right notes at Thetford Forest

The drizzle didn’t dampen the crowd who went to see Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott at High Lodge on Saturday.

They were supported by Billy Bragg, who gave a Donald Trump-inspired version of Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are Changin’ and New England to get the crowd ready for the pair, who did not disappoint.

A gospel-themed The Lord is a White Con from the 2017 album, Crooked Calyspo was one of the songs that started the show, but fans were also treated to reminisce on previous work.

The Housemartins’ track Sheep We’re Up Against, The Beautiful South’s One Last Love song and Old Red Eyes Is Back showed Heaton’s distinctive voice still has that vibrancy and bite it always possessed.

Equally, Abbott effortlessly belted out Rotterdam, Pertfect 10 and Don’t Marry Her so crisply and paired vocally they fitted together like that last piece of a puzzle – perfectly satisfying.

As darkness fell, Heaton’s vocals on I’ll Sail This Ship Alone carried out into the trees and steered us calmly to the gig’s approaching conclusion.

A tribute to a superfan with a toe-tapping version of Carry On Regardless and The Beautiful South track Song For Whoever brought proceedings to a close.

Encores of A Little Time with a dixie rock vibe and You Keep It All In were split with The Housemartin’s Happy Hour and Caravan of Love to present the perfect ending to a brilliant gig.