KASABIAN // O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON
KASABIAN PLAY THREE SOLD OUT RESIDENCY SHOWS AT KENTISH TOWN'S O2 FORUM
KASABIAN PERFORMING AT LONDON'S O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN - 19/04/2017
PICTURE BY: NICI EBERL PHOTOGRAPHY (O2 FORUM HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER)
On the 19th April we saw the second of three residency intimate Kasabian gigs hosted at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, London in support of their new album 'For Crying Out Loud', which is due for release on May 5th.
Safe to say, the gig was something special. Lead guitarist, songwriter and lead singer 'Serge Pizzorno' and 'Tom Meighan' took their Brit rock paladins sceptre and held it with pride. At the performance at the Forum, the 2,000-strong crowd jumped in excitement so vigorously throughout the set that the entire auditorium wouldn’t stop shaking.
Their latest single, Comeback Kid, is pretty much the best possible opener they could have come up with. As the lights went down and the crowd started to cheer, the epic trumpet intro welcomed the band on stage as they launched into their 90-minute show. “Here we stand, side by side” resonated like a testament to a great rock act. (Meighan referred to his bandmate as “my beautiful wife” later in the set).
The setlist was ridiculously rich hits: Bumblebeee sent the Kentish Town venue into an uncontrollable state of frenzy, heightened by heavy use of strobe lights. "Thanks London, you are better than last night," said Meighan and it's not a surprise. While the first concert in a series of gigs is clearly the favourite for press, the best show usually comes on the next evening when the performers are settled.
Underdog and Eezh-Eh followed, with the latter being a true crowd inciter – and it got way more fun as the rockers mashed it up with Daft Punk’s 97 hit Around the World. With pride they presented the first single of their new album, I’m in Love with a Psycho. It’s clear the band went for a back-to-basics approach, with less aggressive sounds, more focus on the melodies and also clear punk elements that became apparent when they played Bless This Acid House – clearly a summer single style song.
SERGE PIZZORNO OF 'KASABIAN' PERFORMING AT LONDON'S O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
PICTURE BY: NICI EBERL PHOTOGRAPHY (O2 FORUM HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER)
However, the highlight of the night was Serge Pizzorno's solo performance with backing band performing 'La Fée Verte', one of the most Lennon-esque tracks of the Leicester four-piece, with the live string-quartet emerging from the background. Song hasn't been performed in many years since their 2011 release 'Velociraptor!'.
Setlist also included 'Club Foot', the ultimate Kasabian song. With its dry, repetitive, obsessive melody and beat, it’s the emblem of a new (yes, still feels new 13 years since its release) but timeless English rock.
TOM MEIGHAN OF 'KASABIAN' PERFORMING AT LONDON'S O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
PICTURE BY: NICI EBERL PHOTOGRAPHY (O2 FORUM HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER)
Meighan wore a pinstripe suit (and funny white sunglasses), stylish but not as punk-rock as Pizzorno’s white tee, jeans – and Rickenbacker 481 SF. “Sergio, Sergio,” chanted the Forum throughout the night.
It’s hard not to mention everything they played from the killer riff of Re-Wired to the super 90s/Tim Wheeler-inspired chorus of Bless This Acid House. Unsurprisingly, Lost Souls Forever, Vlad the Impaler and Fire were the peaks of the final part of the show. Fire, in particular, brought madness to the stalls.
Alongside Coldplay and Muse, Kasabian are the best live band Britain has to offer today. Catch them while you can.
SETLIST - O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN - 19/04/2017
COMEBACK KID
BUMBLEBEEE
UNDERDOG
EEZ-EH (WITH 'AROUND THE WORLD' - DAFT PUNK COVER)
SHOOT THE RUNNER
YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A PSYCHO
CLUBFOOT
LA FEE VERTE
RE-WIRED
BLESS THIS ACID HOUSE
TREAT
EMPIRE
III RAY (THE KING)
L.S.F (LOST SOULS FOREVER)
-------STEVIE
VLAD THE IMPALER
FIRE