Skip to main content

Gig Review - Kasabian with support from Slaves - Leeds First Direct Arena


British rock veterans Kasabian played a ram-packed show at Leeds First Direct Arena last night, proving that after twenty years and six albums, they're stronger (and ballsier) than ever.

Kicking off the night was neo-punk duo Slaves. Their brand of no-nonsense, aggressive punk rock resonated with a gritty, bold energy, enlivening the crowd through a series of  ebullient riffs and snarling vocals.

The highlight of their set was their track 'Cheer Up London'. After enticing the audience with an candid, brooding monologue, the band exploded into the ferocious track. Fuelled by the infectiously catchy lick of: "You're dead already, dead dead already ready", Slaves invigorated the crowd into a full blown riot.




At 9pm Kasabian swaggered onto the stage, all dressed in white like an edgy Clockwork Orange gang.

A low rumble echoed through the arena, heightened by lilac strobe lights, before a pulsing drum beat pierced the atmosphere, filling the room with the tune of 'Ill Ray'.



Their latest album (' "For Crying Out Loud" ') has slotted seamlessly into their set, adding an upbeat, mature air to their sound. The incorporation of brass instruments gave their tunes a full-bodied sound and works well with their well-loved distorted rock riffs.

This variety has played a vital part in keeping Kasabian's music fresh over the decades. Their poppier tracks ( such as: 'Shoot the Runner', 'eez-eh', 'Bless this Acid House') emit a radioactive energy that got the whole crowd dancing and singing. Countless of teenagers mounted their friend's shoulders and bopped along nine at feet in the air.

However, this didn't take away from their grittier tracks ( 'Underdog', 'Clubfoot', 'Re-Wired'). Their signature distorted and oh so heavy riffs hypnotised the crowd, cementing them as a fully-fledged rock group, without a hint of indie lurking in the background.

During the instrumental in 'L.S.F.' guitarist  Sergio Pizzorno started to chant "mosh", resulting in half the standing area (and some of the more inebriated seating) to collide into a manic mosh pit.

Their flawless set concluded with a three track encore of 'Comeback Kid', 'Vlad' and their biggest hit: 'Fire' - making the crowd erupt like sharks in a frenzy.


From wild mosh pits, to illuminating the room with lighters and mobile phones, Kasabian know how to work a crowd and never fail to produce stellar rock music. Their iconic anthems were made for arenas and always unite thousands of adoring fans of all ages through their first-class performances.


FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Track of the Week - Sarajevo - The K's

Merseyside natives The K's kicked off 2018 by announcing that they had been signed to Republic Music Management. With a handful of sold-out headline shows already under their belt, their tongue-and-cheek indie tunes are earning them a loyal fan base and plenty of buzz. Their debut single 'Sarajevo' is an infectiously catchy and utterly charming track. The vocals are akin to a more in-tune Jamie T, giving their witty lyrics a warm ambiance.  The upbeat melody gives a nod to early 2000s indie, but the ferocious riffs and hearty bass lines give it plenty of originality.  The track has already achieved half a million streams on Spotify and it's a sure bet that there's bigger and better things on the horizon for The K's. FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Middlesbrough Pub Bans Female Fronted Bands

Middlesbrough pub and rock music venue; Doctor Brown's ; has caused outrage after implementing a ban on female fronted bands, stating their customers believe that women can't sing rock music well. The story gained national attention after The Northern Echo published a damning article on the situation.  Consequently, residents and musicians have started to boycott the venue. I contacted Doctor Brown's to hear their side of the story. Had the situation been blown out of proportion on social media, or were outdated, sexist attitudes being called out? Paula Rees, the pub's manager cited that the Northern Echo had lied and "twisted her words" and she was eager to talk to me to "set the record straight". She said that was more than happy to talk, asking me to ring up later when the pub was a little quieter. Rees also confessed that she wasn't a "big rock fan" and was just going with what her customers wanted, stating that they had

'YOUR TRIP BEGINS NOW' - THE FROOT '67 E.P. REVIEW

'Your trip begins now' is the latest four track E.P. from Hull's finest pysche rock outfit: The Froot '67.  As the name would suggest, the group's roots are planted within dynamic 60's rock and the band have revitalised this era through their bold, gritty sound. The E.P. opens with 'Chaos Theory', a track that is fuelled by frantic and beefy lo-fi riffs, whilst Newby's vocals take a more subtle, nonchalant route. Despite being a psyche rock track, the overall sound of the song reminds me of a more reserved version of 'Gravedweller' by The Wytches. It's a very different sound to their debut album; '7 past 8'; but this grungier edge is definitely a good thing for the group. It's broadening their sound without destroying the unique vibe they've already established for themselves. Plus, it;s a really engaging opening to the E.P. and sets a raw, and somewhat brooding, ambiance for the E.P. The following track, 'I don&#