Bloc Party - Manchester G-Mex
Related Artist:
Bloc Party
Date: 13/12/07
Venue Manchester Central
Rating: 8/10
Manchester Central (or G-MEX) is cavernous and although a superb sound system means everyone in the place can hear views are obstructed through default and bands have to work doubly hard to conncet with the audience.
Foals do this wonderfully well with their all-encompassing sound by-passing a lack of banter with the audience. Songs like 'Balloons', 'Mathletics' and 'Cassius' have multi-faceted sounds and a transcendent stage presence which means a hardcore group start bobbing at the front and everyone watching has to move at least one body part. Unfortunately this is lost on the Cribs. Once an indie-anthem-pumping band with their Wakefield charm and tantalising songs they now have songs which sometimes lie flat at the audiences feet whilst older stuff like 'Hey Scenesters!' and 'Another Number' whip up frenzies. 'Men’s Needs' has a sufficient glimmer of recognition but next to 'Mirror Kisses' it seems lack-lustre.
Bloc Party though are a prime example of handling success gracefully. Each of their flawless songs have the audience nearly falling at their feet in adoration; a fact which lead singer Kele Okereke knows only too well. Cheekily grinning he announced many songs as “our hit” or informing the crowd “you’ll know this one”; but then they do have a reason to be smug. 'She’s Hearing Voices' is a master-piece of glistening guitar matched against Okereke's heartfelt vocals. Newer material is just as sublime as the old (a trick The Cribs should heed) with 'Hunting for Witches' and 'Uniforms' manipulating the crowd with their crescendos of sound and tricky guitar bits. Unfortunately their recent venture into the more ‘dancey’ side of indie 'Flux' falls flat unable to translate live as well as it does on Radio One. Relying on strobe lighting more so than the substance of the song it was a disappointing endeavour; luckily they’ve already disclaimed it being what their whole new album will sound like!
Whipping through 'Banquet', 'Luno' and 'I Still Remember' it can been seen that Bloc Party's distinctive musical style has matured yet still remained essentially the same. Although saving 'Helicopter' for the end and leavingthe audience on a high they’re more subtle songs like 'Two More Years' and 'So Here We Are' also showed of their musical talent.
All in all Bloc Party remain a great live band able to carry the audience on their own high and still remain a level of dignity in their music.
Jade French
Bloc Party Official Site
Bloc Party Myspace
Buy Bloc Party CDs | Buy Bloc Party mp3s | Buy Bloc Party Tickets | Buy Bloc Party Merch
Date: 13/12/07
Venue Manchester Central
Rating: 8/10
Manchester Central (or G-MEX) is cavernous and although a superb sound system means everyone in the place can hear views are obstructed through default and bands have to work doubly hard to conncet with the audience.
Foals do this wonderfully well with their all-encompassing sound by-passing a lack of banter with the audience. Songs like 'Balloons', 'Mathletics' and 'Cassius' have multi-faceted sounds and a transcendent stage presence which means a hardcore group start bobbing at the front and everyone watching has to move at least one body part. Unfortunately this is lost on the Cribs. Once an indie-anthem-pumping band with their Wakefield charm and tantalising songs they now have songs which sometimes lie flat at the audiences feet whilst older stuff like 'Hey Scenesters!' and 'Another Number' whip up frenzies. 'Men’s Needs' has a sufficient glimmer of recognition but next to 'Mirror Kisses' it seems lack-lustre.
Bloc Party though are a prime example of handling success gracefully. Each of their flawless songs have the audience nearly falling at their feet in adoration; a fact which lead singer Kele Okereke knows only too well. Cheekily grinning he announced many songs as “our hit” or informing the crowd “you’ll know this one”; but then they do have a reason to be smug. 'She’s Hearing Voices' is a master-piece of glistening guitar matched against Okereke's heartfelt vocals. Newer material is just as sublime as the old (a trick The Cribs should heed) with 'Hunting for Witches' and 'Uniforms' manipulating the crowd with their crescendos of sound and tricky guitar bits. Unfortunately their recent venture into the more ‘dancey’ side of indie 'Flux' falls flat unable to translate live as well as it does on Radio One. Relying on strobe lighting more so than the substance of the song it was a disappointing endeavour; luckily they’ve already disclaimed it being what their whole new album will sound like!
Whipping through 'Banquet', 'Luno' and 'I Still Remember' it can been seen that Bloc Party's distinctive musical style has matured yet still remained essentially the same. Although saving 'Helicopter' for the end and leavingthe audience on a high they’re more subtle songs like 'Two More Years' and 'So Here We Are' also showed of their musical talent.
All in all Bloc Party remain a great live band able to carry the audience on their own high and still remain a level of dignity in their music.
Jade French
Bloc Party Official Site
Bloc Party Myspace
Buy Bloc Party CDs | Buy Bloc Party mp3s | Buy Bloc Party Tickets | Buy Bloc Party Merch
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