Julian Cope

Julian Cope @ UEA, Norwich

By SEAN ATKINS

The UEA venue was transformed for this Audience With The Cope tour which involves a very different kind of show.

Fans sat around tables cabaret style as weird pop genius Julian Cope tottered on stage in five inch platform boots. Cope was backed by drummer Donald Ross Skinner and an Apple iMac computer, but they made a complete sound.

The former Teardrop Explodes singer has a varied solo career – at times commercially successful and often extremely alternative.

Between songs Cope spoke entertainingly, often preaching about environmental issues and his spiritual beliefs, but mostly his belief in rock 'n' roll.

A veteran of environmental protests, one of Cope's more recent projects has been a book, The Modern Antiquarian, about Britain's ancient sites such as Stonehenge. He also takes a keen interest in Norfolk's Seahenge.

Musically Cope was on great form and even a power cut in the middle of one song failed to put him off. He just wandered into the audience to continue to chat.

The set included Julian H Cope, Leper Skin, Autogeddon Blues and Sun Spots – but it wasn't really about hits. Although capable of making records that sell, such as 1980s' hit World Shut Your Mouth, Cope remains determined to be true to go his own way creatively.