Travelling Without Wheels or Wings: Sufjan Stevens at Brighton Dome

Sufjan Stevens, known for his (abandoned) project to produce an album for each of the states of the union, took Saturday’s audience at Brighton Dome on an extraordinary journey. From his original acoustic/folk/rock roots, Sufjan now seems to be travelling with Sun Ra, The Pet Shop Boys, Teardrop Explodes, Rufus Wainwright and the Flaming Lips, propelled by electronica, brass and beats. The show swerved from solo voice + piano, to full-on electronic pomp, delivered with dancers, day-glo outfits, a teach-in on African American intergalactic naïve artist Royal Robertson, and a constantly stunning light show. Unquestionably, a Great Escape.