While it's understandable that musicians with a distinct look should make no concessions to style, regardless of the weather, think the Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga in their crazy costumes, I believe I was not alone in the audience at the Hurts concert at Irish Village on Thursday in thinking: Wow, those guys are hot.
The double entendre is intended, but what I'm really talking about are their buttoned-up, starched white shirts, waistcoats and suits in nearly 40-degree weather.
"We're from Manchester, where it rains alot," said lead singer Theo Hutchcraft after the band's opening track, With a smile. "Hence the inappropriate clothing."
While the duo (Hutchcraft lends his soul-stirring vocals to the keyboards of the more reclusive Adam Anderson) are very serious about their look and sound that's not to say they're serious souls entirely.
Hutchinson's banter charmed the crowd throughout the gig, and he gave a nod of deference to another Manchester singer by taking to the stage waving a bouquet of white roses above his head, which he proceeded to crumble in his hands and throw to the crowd - when he wasn't thowing his microphone stand around the stage, that is.
But what of the music? For fans of the band's emotional, 80's-flecked synthpop, the night was a triumph.
As they worked their way through the best part of their back catalogue - the young band emerged only last year - there were several highlights: the hit Wonderful Life, Hutchcraft's unique ‘it's raining'hand gestures during Silver Lining, and the crowd united in drowning out the band to scream out the lyrics to Stay.
One significant person from the making of Happiness was present in spirit only: Kylie Minogue, who guested on Devotion (which they performed), received a tribute in the form of cover of her 90s hit, Confide In Me,"the song that made it possible for us to have her on the album," said Hutchcraft.
For fans who thought Hutchcraft's vocals were beautiful on Hurts' debut LP, Happiness, then their live performance proved not an ounce of technical trickery was used in the studio.
His impossibly perfect voice alternates between hair-raising high points and rich warm depths, while his stage demnour varies from raging to chillingly calm, making catching a live performance entirely worthwhile.
He was aided by the presence of Richard Sidaway, a tenor opera singer, who spent the entire concert standing stock-still at the back of the stage in formal white tie, complete with tailcoat - the most unique backing singer we've ever seen and the subject of much discussion among the audience after the concert.
