Foals - Manchester Academy 2
Related Artist:
Foals
Date: 11/03/08
Venue Manchester Academy 2
Rating: 8/10
Youthmovies are hard to define with songs like 'If You’d Seen a Battlefield' combining electronic beats and subtle guitars with hauntingly good vocals compared to the hand-clap ridden and shouting voices of 'Ores'. Giving a solid and rather loud performance they had quiet confidence and stage presence in abundance. As Esser stepped on stage a slightly shambolic edge was conveyed yet it was more endearing than anything else. Leaning on the microphone and almost falling over the contagious pop music had appreciative heads nodding. Although smatterings of conversation continued at first but songs like 'Lets Work It Out' soon shut them up. Merging electronic beats with simplistic pop and catchy hooks (“We can work it out/ We can work it out/ Lets work it out!”) he has defiantly mastered a way to make songs which penetrate the brain. Wryly commenting “Manchester this song is about you... It’s called 'I Love You'” and launching into infectious song after infectious song; Esser has the fine line between weird and addictive mastered.
It was Foals though who from the moment they stepped out confirmed what was long believed - it isn’t just hype. Talent in abundance coupled with songs which just demand to be danced too mean that their songs are simply meant to be played live. Energetic to almost a fault the crowd were soon whipped into a dancing frenzy clamouring to the stage every time Yannis stepped forward. A formidable machine of vigour and noise their math-rock, afro-beat (or whatever genre they’ve been lumped into now) is certainly unique but also accessible. 'Hummer', 'Mathletics' and 'Balloons' were reacted to with sheer elation and quite scary amounts of bodies heaving on top of each other to get near the front (not pretty to see yet probably satisfying for the band). They also played more subtle songs like 'Olympic Airwaves' which meant a much needed breather before launching into the raucous 'Cassius'. One thing which sets Foals apart from the swaggering, beer-frothing bands of ‘indie’ (apart from singing about vampires and characters from Ancient History that is) is their connection with their audience. Without coming across as patronising they tell people to get on stage, to chat to them after the gig; a refreshing endeavour to stop barriers between bands and fans. They have managed to prove that hype doesn’t alienate old fans or set up new fans for a fall - if you can live up to it. And Foals defiantly can.
Jade French
Foals Myspace
Buy Foals CDs | Buy Foals mp3s | Buy Foals Tickets | Buy Foals Merch
Date: 11/03/08
Venue Manchester Academy 2
Rating: 8/10
Youthmovies are hard to define with songs like 'If You’d Seen a Battlefield' combining electronic beats and subtle guitars with hauntingly good vocals compared to the hand-clap ridden and shouting voices of 'Ores'. Giving a solid and rather loud performance they had quiet confidence and stage presence in abundance. As Esser stepped on stage a slightly shambolic edge was conveyed yet it was more endearing than anything else. Leaning on the microphone and almost falling over the contagious pop music had appreciative heads nodding. Although smatterings of conversation continued at first but songs like 'Lets Work It Out' soon shut them up. Merging electronic beats with simplistic pop and catchy hooks (“We can work it out/ We can work it out/ Lets work it out!”) he has defiantly mastered a way to make songs which penetrate the brain. Wryly commenting “Manchester this song is about you... It’s called 'I Love You'” and launching into infectious song after infectious song; Esser has the fine line between weird and addictive mastered.
It was Foals though who from the moment they stepped out confirmed what was long believed - it isn’t just hype. Talent in abundance coupled with songs which just demand to be danced too mean that their songs are simply meant to be played live. Energetic to almost a fault the crowd were soon whipped into a dancing frenzy clamouring to the stage every time Yannis stepped forward. A formidable machine of vigour and noise their math-rock, afro-beat (or whatever genre they’ve been lumped into now) is certainly unique but also accessible. 'Hummer', 'Mathletics' and 'Balloons' were reacted to with sheer elation and quite scary amounts of bodies heaving on top of each other to get near the front (not pretty to see yet probably satisfying for the band). They also played more subtle songs like 'Olympic Airwaves' which meant a much needed breather before launching into the raucous 'Cassius'. One thing which sets Foals apart from the swaggering, beer-frothing bands of ‘indie’ (apart from singing about vampires and characters from Ancient History that is) is their connection with their audience. Without coming across as patronising they tell people to get on stage, to chat to them after the gig; a refreshing endeavour to stop barriers between bands and fans. They have managed to prove that hype doesn’t alienate old fans or set up new fans for a fall - if you can live up to it. And Foals defiantly can.
Jade French
Foals Myspace
Buy Foals CDs | Buy Foals mp3s | Buy Foals Tickets | Buy Foals Merch
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