Biffy Clyro are back. The unexpected success of fourth album 'Puzzle' means the Ayrshire trio have not only been able to continue with their career but also record their fifth record in LA (it's alright for some) with producer GGGarth Richardson (RATM, RHCP) at the helm again. The success of single 'Mountains' in the gap between albums also increased the band's profile to the point where selling out venues as big as Edinburgh Corn Exchange has become the norm. It's clear from the amount of Biffy t-shirts being worn around the, extremely sterile, venue that the band are preaching to the converted. However the band's recent exposure (they appeared on the cover of NME ffs!) appears to have attracted a new group of fans, indie scene kids are littered about the place as their parents have decided it's safe for them to be out on their own on a Friday...at a gig by "that Mountains band". Annoying, but bearable...for the most part.
Mancunians Oceansize are lost on the newest Biffy converts in the crowd. The fact that they are probably the most talented band to come out of Britain in many a year does not appear to register (nor does the fact that they are great mates with the Biff themselves). They play a blinder of a set (when don't they?) but it is sadly spoilt by a crowd who goes so far to throw thing at them and boo throughout the set. Luckily Mike Vennart is a good enough frontman to rise above this sort of thing and he merely gets on with things, debuting two new songs ('Legal Teens' and 'Build Us A Rocket - You Rocket-Building Cunt') along the way. Mike ends the set screaming his lungs out as per usual and the majority of the crowd looks shocked as if the man has just decapitated a chicken or something...idiots.
Biffy Clyro only jetted in from the USA a day or so before the gig and they do seem a little rusty at times throughout their set. New single 'That Golden Rule' is the best song they've written since pre-'Puzzle' times however and is even better live than in the studio. Meanwhile the other new songs played, 'Born On A Horse' and 'Bubbles' are awkward enough to bemuse those in the crowd who have not heard the band's greatest albums 'The Vertigo Of Bliss' and 'Infinity Land'. For some reason unbeknownst to everyone the band does not include a single song from 'Vertigo' in their set (ridiculous) but then judging by the lack of reception some afford classics like '57', 'Joy. Discovery. Invention' and 'Glitter And Trauma' perhaps this is a good thing...don't want to scare the little kiddes after all. The die-hards in the crowd sing along to every word and are joined by the rest for 'Mountains' and closer 'Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies'. The set seems a little short but then the band do have to be in Chelmsford the following day so their departure at around twenty to eleven is fair enough. They are probably aware that this will not go down as one of their greatest shows, Oceansize are probably slightly better on the night but this is Biffy Clyro we are talking about...so that does not make it bad in any sense of the word.
Oceansize (8/10)
Biffy Clyro (8/10)
Biffy Clyro played:
That Golden Rule
57
Who's Got A Match?
Joy. Discovery. Invention
Born On A Horse
A Whole Child Ago
The Kids From Kibble And The Fist Of Light
Love Has A Diameter
Glitter And Trauma
9/15ths
Bubbles
Now I'm Everyone
Machines
Justboy
Get Fucked Stud
Mountains
--Encore--
As Dust Dances
Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies
No comments:
Post a Comment