I first saw Band Of Horses three years ago at the Liverpool Academy. Back then, they were relative unknowns, fresh from releasing their second album Cease To Begin, and they were starting to get some heat. It was a top gig (aside from a support act who were possibly the worst live act i've ever seen. And I've seen Blue), and the few hundred of us there knew we'd seen a band destined for greater things. Fast forward to 2011 and greater things have arrived. I'm stood in the cavernous Brixton Academy with 5000 fans at my back, having witnessed the vast improvements in the support acts (the excellent Goldheart Assembly and Mojave 3, who sound like a slimmer Magic Numbers), listening to the band come onstage to deafening applause.
Frontman Ben Bridwell and guitarist Tyler Ramsey kick things off duetting on 'Evening Kitchen', before being joined by the rest of the band. An early one, two, three of 'The Great Salt Lake', 'Is There A Ghost' and 'Islands on the Coast' really warms the audience up. The band are unusually quiet in between tracks to begin with but soon warm to the task. Bridwell is engaging, with a raw, powerful voice. Old favourites 'Cigarettes, Wedding Bands' and 'No One's Going To Love You' accompany more recent hits 'Dilly'and 'Laredo', and the band premiere a new, rocky track which goes down well, although no one seems to know what it's called! My personal favourite 'Ode to the LRC' is a highlight, and fresh from its appearance on the trailer of '127 Hours', the opening chords of 'The Funeral' has the crowd in raptures. The band finish the set with a rousing rendition of 'The General Specific', and Bridwell seems genuinely moved, proclaiming the night one of his 'favourite nights in music, ever'
It is a mightily impressive performance, and just three albums in they've accumulated a top drawer setlist. I think the days of seeing them in small intimate venues, as me and Kev Melling did last year in Hammersmith, are all but over, which is a shame, but the natural progression for them now is into stadia. Next up is a single with Cee-Lo, then a slot supporting Kings Of Leon before hitting the festivals. The sky is the limit for these guys, and they truly deserve it
I saw the setlist online, Abandoner Dave. Going back and listening to the older stuff, I think Monsters is my new favourite. Hopefully I'll get to see them again soon. By the way, your spell check has put a big red squiggle under 'favourite'. Didn't know this blog was North American.
ReplyDeleteCheers mate, it was a really good tune. I checked the settings and the blog isn't down as US English (not that such a thing exists), its as UK English
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