So, Sunday night saw the Arctic Monkeys' second night of their current UK tour promoting their fourth album, Suck It And See, and what a night it was! The 02 Arena can be an overwhelming place - but for these Northern boys, it seemed like a doddle. Their fast-paced set exploded with all their classic hits, filling every corner of the arena with ease and overhwelming energy.
The opener was of course, Don't Sit Down Cause' I've Moved Your Chair; taken from their new album, which really set the night off well - a fantastic builder with the endearing Yorkshire accent of frontman, Alex Turner, bellowing through the air. After that, things really got moving. With a set of 21 songs, they rattled through each track like lightning, with each subsequent song setting the audience into a frenzy. By the time the sixth song, Brainstorm was upon us, i'm sure some of the audience would have welcomed a short breather.
The classic crowd was there, you know, the indie lot with the floppy hair, but what really sets the Arctic Monkeys apart from other alternative rock bands, is the unique lyricy of Turner's songwriting. Hearing those lines that you've grown so familiar to, with thousands of other people chanting along, were truly beautiful moments. Lines you mundanely sing in your bedroom like: "She don't do major credit cards, I doub't she does receipts. It's all not quite legitamate", are just pure gold. The wit, the wordplay, and the gritty subject matter encapsulates everything the Arctic Monkeys are about.
Their new material was gobbled up by the audience, with big tracks like Hellcat Spangled Shalalala being proof that the band's move to America hasn't dulled their British shine or fiddled with Turner's ability to write a pop hook. What was really evident, was that all this talk of guitar-driven music being dead is total rubbish! The Arctic Monkeys manage to reinvent the classic rock template, and bring it up to date, and at in an arena setting, the band couldn't be more in their element. Turner pulled the classic poses and standard rock frontman routines, as he stood with his foot on the monitor, and fell to his knees to work his guitar Hendrix.-style. It's classic, and it worked. Turner was every inch the showman.
Of course, the best song of the night for me -When The Sun Goes Down, provoked a raucus, crazed affair. The crowds' anticipation soared to a high during the introduction, then, as the song dropped, a full mosh pit broke out and things got hectic! Something i definitely didn't expect from Arctic Monkeys fans - good on yer!
As their set came to a close, the band didn't forget about professionalism and their responsibilies as music idols. Turner took to the microphone and warmly said: "Jimmy Savile rest in peace", before breaking into the encore. A spectacular night.
Look at that mosh-pit!
Set List:
- Intro (You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate)
- Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair
- Teddy Picker
- Crying Lightning
- The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
- Black Treacle
- Brainstorm
- The View From The Afternoon
- I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
- Evil Twin
- Brick by Brick
- Dance Little Liar
- This House Is A Circus
- Still Take You Home
- Pretty Visitors
- She's Thunderstorms
- Fluorescent Adolescent
- Do Me A Favour
- When The Sun Goes Down
Encore:
- Suck It and See
- Mardy Bum
- 505