ELBOW // O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW
Elbow got the crowd stomping and sent hearts soaring with an incredible performance at the O2.
★★★★★ (5/5)
ELBOW PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S O2 ACADEMY - 10.09.2021
PICTURE BY: | STUART WESTWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
Fans who snapped up the opportunity to see Elbow in April 2020 finally had their plans come to a head in September 2021 and the anticipation drew in a starving crowd. Elbow had released album Giants of All Sizes in October of 2019 and everything was set for them to hit the road touring it when you-know-what happened and dates were postponed. Although it’s been a year of trials, it seems that Elbow has not taken this as a break announcing the release of a new album, Flying Dream 1, out in November 2021. Their tour had a lot to live up to with all that was surrounding it but Elbow certainly are a lot to live up to and attendees should have known that the night was going to be special from the get go.
Jesca Hoop kicked off the evening’s music. Hoop is American singer whose style so diverse that it’s easy to see why she was a perfect choice for Elbow’s support. Her voice was quite reminiscent of that of Bjork, deep yet airy; comforting yet alarming. She is a very impressive musician and someone to delve into. She enriched Elbow’s set with her beautiful vocals.
Another standout part of the night was the poetic melodies of Peter Jobson who acted as an interlude before Elbow took to the stage. Jobson, who is the former bassist from I am Kloot, sat at keyboard and sung softly to the crowd. He channelled the likes on Nick Cave and Leonard Cohan for his brief set. His words were powerful mantras and he was endearing. He set the perfect tone for what was just round the corner.
Finally getting in front of the Scottish crowd, Elbow looked comfortable and relieved to be with their fans, like old friends reuniting, the boost of energy and love was a mutual exchange. Elbow had plenty in store for night. The came out filled with an obvious energy of elation and somehow it did not dip. They performed start to finish with bounce and drive that spread into the crowd like an infection. The band looked close and in sync.
Their set was full of their elevating classics as well as dropping in some newer tracks. The main of their set was started with new track ‘Dexter & Sinister.’ This track is like a revival of ‘Grounds for Divorce’ - which closed the main set – and is heavy and brilliant. After 20 years, their newer work has evolved into something with a bit more of an electronic twist, however, the ‘Lippy Kids’ style still remains and their soft vulnerabilities have not left them.
Although elbow kept their stage relatively simple, their excellent multi-instrumentalists put in a stellar performance and the set was enhanced by Hoop and Jobson joining it at points. They had a glorious light show that seemed fitting with Elbows transition into something more electronic. Singer, Guy Garvey, spoke to the crowd between songs with warmth and during songs he celebrated with the fans. After ‘Mirrorball’ he gesture to his sister who was sitting up in the balcony. Her words had inspired some of the lyrics in the song and Garvey sharing these personal moments made the fans in the crowd feel as if they were friends of the singer.
Elbow aren’t your typical indie rock band and nor do they try to be. With orchestral melodies alongside charging momentum; they are a hug that empowers you and pep talk that supercharges you. Listening to elbow is the lived equivalent of charging your emotional battery and seeing them live is a transcendent feast for the senses. Elbow reach in the soul of experiences and say ‘Hey, this is what it means to be alive.’
