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Thursday, March 30, 2006
Last night's Royal Albert Hall gig
I was lucky enough to go to Bloc Party's charity gig at London's Royal Albert Hall last night...and it was absolutely STUNNING!
The reliably shambolic Mystery Jets were the first band on. They played a good set (but no 'On My Feet'!) and the crowd really seemed to warm to them. Henry Harrison, the elder Jet, was his usual cool self...in 'Alas Agnes' the drummer sped up, so Henry walked over to the drums and tapped out the tempo on a cymbal!
Biffy Clyro were the next band to play. Biffy have always been a bit of a cult band...a rock behemoth that has never quite made it out of the underground. Judging from the new material played tonight, however, Biffy should soon get the commercial success they deserve. The Biffy army were out in full force last night, with cries of 'Mon The Biffy!' echoing around the venue! Credit must go to the guys near me who not only sang all the lyrics, but also every guitar riff!
Before the headline set, a short video about the Teenage Cancer Trust was played on the big screen, providing a few minutes to reflect on the reason behind this series of gigs. The Teenage Cancer Trust focuses on the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer by providing dedicated teenage units in NHS hospitals. As well as providing excellent medical facilities, these units are funky and vibrant - equipped with computers, TVs, music equipment, game consoles and facilities for parents to stay close by overnight.
So far, TCT has built eight units - two in London and one in Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Manchester. Units cost over £1 million each to build and TCT wants to see at least 20 units in the UK so that every teenager with cancer in Britain has access to these unique facilities. To find out more, head over to the TCT website.
So...on to the main attraction! Bloc Party's set followed a similar format to the recent Marshals shows, with five new songs being premiered alongside the highlights of 'Silent Alarm'. The boys were in really good spirits - Kele was constantly smiling and joking with the crowd. It was actually the second time Kele had played at the Royal Albert Hall...he sang there in a school choir when he was 12!
I was worried that the seating would be slightly restrictive, but everyone in the arena stood up when Bloc Party came on, allowing more room for people to dance!
My favourite bits of Bloc Party's set:
I was lucky enough to go to Bloc Party's charity gig at London's Royal Albert Hall last night...and it was absolutely STUNNING!
The reliably shambolic Mystery Jets were the first band on. They played a good set (but no 'On My Feet'!) and the crowd really seemed to warm to them. Henry Harrison, the elder Jet, was his usual cool self...in 'Alas Agnes' the drummer sped up, so Henry walked over to the drums and tapped out the tempo on a cymbal!
Biffy Clyro were the next band to play. Biffy have always been a bit of a cult band...a rock behemoth that has never quite made it out of the underground. Judging from the new material played tonight, however, Biffy should soon get the commercial success they deserve. The Biffy army were out in full force last night, with cries of 'Mon The Biffy!' echoing around the venue! Credit must go to the guys near me who not only sang all the lyrics, but also every guitar riff!
Before the headline set, a short video about the Teenage Cancer Trust was played on the big screen, providing a few minutes to reflect on the reason behind this series of gigs. The Teenage Cancer Trust focuses on the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer by providing dedicated teenage units in NHS hospitals. As well as providing excellent medical facilities, these units are funky and vibrant - equipped with computers, TVs, music equipment, game consoles and facilities for parents to stay close by overnight.
So far, TCT has built eight units - two in London and one in Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Manchester. Units cost over £1 million each to build and TCT wants to see at least 20 units in the UK so that every teenager with cancer in Britain has access to these unique facilities. To find out more, head over to the TCT website.
So...on to the main attraction! Bloc Party's set followed a similar format to the recent Marshals shows, with five new songs being premiered alongside the highlights of 'Silent Alarm'. The boys were in really good spirits - Kele was constantly smiling and joking with the crowd. It was actually the second time Kele had played at the Royal Albert Hall...he sang there in a school choir when he was 12!
I was worried that the seating would be slightly restrictive, but everyone in the arena stood up when Bloc Party came on, allowing more room for people to dance!
My favourite bits of Bloc Party's set:
- The new songs! Five new songs were played last night (see the setlist below) and they all sounded huge in this magnificent venue. 'Hunting For Witches' is already one of the set highlights, 'Blue Moon' is a heartbreaking anthem set to a groovy, lilting rhythm. 'Uniform', which seems to be about Kele's frustration at the lack of individuality in today's youth culture, is a twisting epic which features Russell on the EBow! 'Wet', a gorgeous slowburner with a multilayered guitar intro, contains the lyrics 'you make my tongue loose' and 'Waiting For The 7.18' soars like an eagle!
- 'So Here We Are'. In the instrumental bridge, the house lights came on and Kele came right to the front of the stage without his microphone, mouthing the words to the rest of the song as we all sang our hearts out.
- The intro of 'Hunting For Witches'. The. Best. Intro. Ever.
- Matt's drumming. How does he keep it up? He must have a robotic arm or something.
Anyway, I apologise for the length of this post. It was just a very special gig! Here's a few photos I took last night:
Setlist:
Waiting For The 7.18
She's Hearing Voices
Banquet
This Modern Love
Hunting For Witches
Two More Years
Uniform
Like Eating Glass
So Here We Are
Helicopter
Wet
Price of Gasoline
Blue Moon
The Pioneers
Labels: Gig_reviews, Setlists
¶ 12:41 PM
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Helicopter was one of the best they did, it really got everyone going. Also, the theatre was half full for the other bands and then completely filled up for Bloc Party.
The atmosphere was so amazing- you could see Kele was really enjoying it, Matt's drumming was pretty flawless too. Wish they'd done 'The Marshalls are Dead' though, maybe Skeleton and Little Thoughts too...or maybe they should just play ALL their songs!!
The atmosphere was so amazing- you could see Kele was really enjoying it, Matt's drumming was pretty flawless too. Wish they'd done 'The Marshalls are Dead' though, maybe Skeleton and Little Thoughts too...or maybe they should just play ALL their songs!!
# posted by 
: 5:33 PM
: 5:33 PM
That was the most amazing concert i've ever been too. I've loved Bloc Party since I first heard them and tried in vain to get tickets for them everywhere, until the TCT gigs came up. We were in the 11th row so pretty close to the stage - couldn't get over Kele's smileyness and it was truly infectious!
I wish they'd played Skeleton too but the new stuff sounds great. So can't wait for another album.
Meg
I wish they'd played Skeleton too but the new stuff sounds great. So can't wait for another album.
Meg
# posted by : 9:31 PM
: 9:31 PM
What can i say other than bloc party proved once again why they are so highly regarded. A completly polished performance of old and new material the later promising to make their new album just as good as silent alarm. Bloc party seem to have that little bit of extra class which seperates them from alot of other bands.
Biffy Clyro deserve a mention too, they also put togeather a strong well performed set
Biffy Clyro deserve a mention too, they also put togeather a strong well performed set
# posted by : 8:52 PM
: 8:52 PM
Twas a totally excellent set. I've taken some pix which I will be posting here.
http://www.mycoldplay.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=344
And also some video. I'm glad it will be shown on TV. I can't wait!
http://www.mycoldplay.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=344
And also some video. I'm glad it will be shown on TV. I can't wait!
Did you see those guys on the left at the front, they were really going for it, lol. They were rockin out so much that they got hugs by both the lead singer of biffy clyro and Kele! It was a brilliant night and I've only heard positive feedback from it. Most of the new stuff seemed slower but I'm sure I will easily learn to love it! Shame they didn't play Positive Tension, I was waiting for: "SO F***ING USELESS!" that would have been fun.
Yeah, they were amazing, Helicopter, the pioneers, so here we are...
all their songs were amazing, actually.
Its a shame they didnt play luno tho.
Also, on Matt's robotic arms, halfway through he looked in some pain, like he'd pulled a muscle in one of them, but he still carried on amazingly...
ali
all their songs were amazing, actually.
Its a shame they didnt play luno tho.
Also, on Matt's robotic arms, halfway through he looked in some pain, like he'd pulled a muscle in one of them, but he still carried on amazingly...
ali
# posted by : 10:41 AM
: 10:41 AM
Blue Moon. favourite song ever
Oh my god how amazing that song is live.
and and and kele dedicated it to us in the circle.
<3
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Oh my god how amazing that song is live.
and and and kele dedicated it to us in the circle.
<3
# posted by : 9:47 PM
: 9:47 PMLinks to this post:
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