Review and photo by Chloe West
Lights cut to darkness. An echoing synth gains in strength as strobes dart across the stage, catching the band as they take their positions. Finally the distinctive drum fill of ‘Shoot The Runner’ kicks in, Tom Meighan bounding to the front, black shades gleaming as he embraces the crowd with open arms. ‘Sun Rise Light Flies’ floats by before we’re treated to a blast of classic Kasabian. ‘Cutt Off’ and ‘Processed Beats’ are fine examples of exactly why music lovers fell head first for this band, examples of raw passion merging rock and electronics for a beautiful result.
And it seems they aren’t planning on leaving the limelight any time soon. One of the most interesting parts of their set is a new track they showcase. With a bluesy intro, ‘Fire’ soon develops into an energetic piece with its grungy guitar; Serge’s vocals weaving perfectly with Tom’s, which take a much lower, rougher edge than on previous material.
Kasabian were obviously not the first band to mix indie elements with dancefloor signatures, but take this sound to another level. First album numbers ‘ID’ and ‘Butcher Blues’ would be, (if we were ever graced with one) perfect summer tunes, the soundtrack to long lazy days. However, this relaxed state of mind would never last with such charismatic characters involved, ‘Empire’ climatically raising the energy levels. Fortunately after ‘The Doberman’ there isn’t 13 minutes spent waiting for the hidden track; instead, most recent release ‘Fast Fuse’ bellows out, starting to round up an electric performance. But not quite yet.
Back for an encore, a Kasabian set would be incomplete without the colossal ‘Club Foot’. Gritty guitar and dirty electro continue into ‘Stuntman’ which is easily a dance anthem in its own right, and as the crowd still have room for one more ‘L.S.F.’ brings the Civic experience to a raucous end. As the last notes ring out, Meighan screams, ‘You have been absolutely EMPIRE!’.
Tom, Kasabian and the troops are certainly still on fire.
Kasabian: http://www.myspace.com/kasabian
No comments:
Post a Comment