Key Points
- Canadian indie rock band The Dears, formed in 1995, performed a high-energy live show at Oslo in Hackney, London, on Wednesday, 18 February 2026, marking their ninth studio album promotion for Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!.
- Frontman Murray Lightburn entered the stage to Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose,” with the backdrop reading ‘The Dears Est. 1995’, setting an intimate yet bold tone despite challenging weather.
- The set opened with “Gotta Get My Head Right,” the lead track from their ninth album, featuring a funk groove that shifted into Piaf’s chord progression, delighting fans.
- Lightburn declared three songs in: “when the sleeves are rolled up, and the jacket’s off, you know it’s time for rock and roll,” signalling an intense performance before a healthy, appreciative crowd on a “filthy Hackney night.”
- Now four decades into their career and nine albums deep, The Dears demonstrated no signs of slowing, with Murray Lightburn appearing content even in an empty room.
- The band, Montreal natives, delivered orchestral dark pop and dramatic live shows, foundational to Canadian indie-rock, described historically as “the sonic equivalent of seeing the face of god.”
- Supported by Meg Lui, the 16+ event (under 18s with adult) was presented by DHP at Oslo Hackney, a venue known for excellent sound and curated programmes in East London.
- Album Life Is Beautiful! praised for its strong tracks, emotional depth, influences from Serge Gainsbourg and The Smiths, and transcendence of pain into beauty.
- Past reviews highlight Lightburn’s vocals akin to Damon Albarn and Morrissey, band’s resilience against industry biases, and evolution without selling out.
Hackney, London (East London Times) February 21, 2026 – The Dears, the veteran Canadian indie rock outfit formed in 1995, delivered an electrifying performance at Oslo Hackney last night, showcasing tracks from their ninth studio album Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! to a devoted crowd undeterred by the inclement weather.
Frontman Murray Lightburn led the Montreal natives with characteristic intensity, entering to the iconic strains of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose” against a backdrop proclaiming ‘The Dears Est. 1995’. As reported by Steve Morgan of Louder Than War,
“Brave is the band that dares to use the golden tonsils of Edith Piaf as walk-on music.”
The bold choice paid off when the slow funk groove of opener “Gotta Get My Head Right” seamlessly nodded to Piaf’s classic chord progression, encapsulating the band’s unyielding commitment to artistic risk.
Three songs into the set, Lightburn proclaimed, “when the sleeves are rolled up, and the jacket’s off, you know it’s time for rock and roll,” igniting the room despite the “utterly filthy Hackney night.” Steve Morgan noted the healthy and appreciative audience, underscoring Lightburn’s passion:
“You get the sense he could be doing this in an empty room happily enough.”
Who Are The Dears and Why This Gig Matters?
Formed in 1995, The Dears released their debut ultra lo-fi album End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story in 2000, cementing their place in the Canadian indie-rock renaissance with orchestral dark pop and dramatic live shows. As per the official Oslo Hackney event page, their performances have been hailed as “the sonic equivalent of seeing the face of god.”
Now nine albums deep and approaching their fourth decade, the band shows no fatigue. As Steve Morgan of Louder Than War observed,
“Nine albums deep and into a fourth decade of intense and intimate live shows, Canadian veterans The Dears show no signs of slowing down. Steve Morgan gets his elbows up in appreciation.”
This Hackney show promoted Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!, a record Jeff VanderMeer praised on the band’s site:
“The Dears have made some of the most beautiful music of the past quarter century, but also some of the most defiant… a transcendent experience.”
The gig at Oslo, capacity 395 at 1A Amhurst Rd, E8 1LL, aligns with the venue’s reputation for excellent sound and welcoming atmosphere, hosting emerging and established acts.
What Songs Were Performed and How Did They Sound Live?
The setlist, as fan-reported on setlist.fm, opened strongly with “Gotta Get My Head Right,” a masterpiece of rising tension per VanderMeer. This track from the new album built layers precisely yet wildly, questing into wider spaces.
Past Oslo performances inform expectations; in a review by an unnamed xsnoize.com journalist, The Dears rocked up studio sounds like “Gang of Losers,” delivering depth in sensitive arrangements without loss. Songs such as “I’m Sorry That I Wished You Dead” conveyed Natalia Yanchak’s emotions:
“You can feel these horrible thoughts, but that doesn’t mean you have to do anything about them… brings peace,”
as quoted in the xsnoize review.
“Taking it to the Grave” shifted from chilled ambience to God-fearing riffs, while “1998” echoed The Strokes’ “Last Nite” drums and George Harrison’s “Something” guitars. “I Used to Pray for the Heavens to Fall” brought funky mainstream appeal after a dark start. The new album’s “Dead Contacts,” influenced by Serge Gainsbourg and The Smiths, poignantly addressed loss, per Louder Than War’s album review.
How Did Murray Lightburn Captivate the Crowd?
Murray Lightburn, compared to Damon Albarn and Morrissey by the xsnoize journalist, expressed himself unapologetically:
“the music press won’t ever allow a black frontman to truly thrive unscathed in the rock’n’roll arena.”
He led cues precisely, as noted: “From the beginning of the ninety-minute set, Murray showed himself to be a true leader. The rest of the band didn’t dare to begin playing without Lightburn’s cues.”
Lightburn’s vocal cadences stayed earnest and soulful on Life Is Beautiful!, free of artifice, making it warm and approachable. In “Our Life,” his forceful refrain asserted emotion. At Oslo previously, he barely paused, delighting UK fans for 90 minutes, per The Revue photo essay.
Natalia Yanchak shone in duets like the title track, slow-burning and tender, with brass outros devastatingly emotional.
What Makes The Dears’ Live Shows Legendary?
The Dears’ ethos:
“listen and act on your instincts and ignore almost everything and everyone else,”
per xsnoize. They never sold out over 25 years, evolving while faithful, achieving “maximum effect on the audience.”
Steve Morgan captured the Piaf integration’s genius: “A few minutes later… it all makes sense.” The band exceeded stamina expectations, playing late despite claiming “all lights are out by 9:30 pm… Zzzzzzz.”
Life Is Beautiful! reframes struggle into beauty, per xsnoize album review: “It’s an uplifting, radiant work… turn pain into transcendence.” Tracks like
“This Is How We Make Our Dreams Come True”
evoke vintage charm.
Venue and Atmosphere: What Was Oslo Hackney Like?
Oslo Hackney, in Hackney’s heart, offered an intimate, energetic setting with professional accessibility. On a filthy night, the crowd remained healthy and appreciative.
Supported by Meg Lui from 19:00-22:00, tickets were on sale via DHP Presents. Past gigs confirm the venue’s curated vibe.
From 2002 tours with Keane and Spiritualized to 2022 UK dates, The Dears’ history spans continents. No Cities Left deserves hall of fame status, per xsnoize, though under-represented live.
This ninth album’s success eludes some contemporaries, yet Lightburn persists. As VanderMeer said, few achieve such complexity timelessly.
