KAISER CHIEFS LIVE AT SOUTHAMPTON’S SUMMER SESSIONS

★★★★★ (5/5)

KAISER CHIEFS PERFORMING AT SOUTHAMPTON’S SUMMER SESSIONS
PHOTOCREDIT: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI

It is the last day for this year’s first Southampton Summer Sessions series and they decided to go out with a bang – and with a band like Kaiser Chiefs we all knew we were in for a good final night. A special shoutout at this point is owed to the sign-language translators, especially for teaching everyone the universally used signage for ‘guitar playing’.

Despite England’s football game running simultaneously as the gig, people gathered up for Spielmann – even though I noticed a few of them watching the match on their phones during the set. It was bad timing because Speilmann – who despite the name hails from Leeds – delivered an equally funny and exciting show. With the slogan ‘Your mum’s favourite new singer’ and his name in every single item you can expect so that we remember to find him, Spielmann sang some of his own mellow pop songs and interacted with the audience, instantly sparking laughter amongst attendees. One of his jokes was how his music (and his whole brand) is based on mums dm-ing him on Instagram that ‘they loved him last night’, and this description is really the best marketing for his brand. His songs were definitely catchy and entertaining, especially song ‘A better man’ that sparked a more enthusiastic response from the football-invested audience. Funnily enough, as Speilmann exited the stage with quote ‘It’s probably not coming home’, England won the match – and it was heard city-wide shortly after.

Second act on stage and a very well-chosen support band to Kaiser Chiefs were Royel Otis. The Australian guitar-pop duo (whose names comprise the band name) have released a few EPs over the past few years, while one of their songs has been included in the EA Sports 24 soundtrack. Surprisingly, they delivered a stellar performance on stage. From the first notes, and with England’s win being celebrated, the energy was visible among the crowd who were dancing along to the pop melodies. Their most energetic song ‘Kool-aid’ was very well received, with a sea of spectators dancing and buzzing along, showcasing the band’s ability to engage their audience and share their music. Highlight of course was the lilac socks matching the lilac hued guitar strap, a testament that the band knows exactly what they’re doing in terms of stage presence.

With very high energy and anticipation, Kaiser Chiefs eventually emerged on the stage. The band has been very well loved and supported in Britain (and beyond), but their last tour running from the start of this year has been especially well received. Entering the stage like they already own it, the band and their multi-talented singer, Ricky, captivated the crowd instantly. Starting off their set with ‘Feeling alright’ and ‘Never miss a beat’, the band’s magic was instantly infectious. The energy, the vibe and the way the band command attention is unmatched, and something I had not witnessed in years. While most bands seem a bit distant from their fans, Kaiser Chiefs have a very dedicated and diverse fanbase, spanning all ages, and it felt like the show was a synergy between the two. The band’s indie rock sounds, blended in with raw punky vocals and tasteful guitars and keyboards performed with intensity.

Out of all the Southampton Summer Sessions, this one was definitely the one that had the warmest crowd reaction and the craziest dance moves. As ‘How 2 Dance’ came on, people around me swung and sang along, showcasing the band’s DNA of rock sing-along anthems and pop funk sounds that can cheer up everyone and anyone in the crowd. The band’s energy was so contagious, it was hard to stop smiling as the set went on. As Ricky promised to ‘rock us out of our minds’, the band continued on performing hit songs ‘People Know’ and ‘Don’t Just Stand There’.

The performance went on as the audience clapped along to beats the band set, sand along to ‘eo eo eo’ that was very reminiscent of Mercury’s crowd command, and of course there was a mutual promise that the band and the audience would give it their all. But was it enough? Of course not. As Kaiser Chiefs played ‘Every day I love you less and less’ and ‘Ruby’, the audience erupted into an intense singalong, followed by another one when ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ and ‘I Predict a Riot’ came on. When ‘Angry Mob’ came on, the audience screamed their lungs out, as the singer did too, occasionally losing his voice when he spoke to the audience. But did that influence the performance? No, it didn’t.

Encore came and with a bit of a bitter and sad feeling, Kaiser Chiefs performed ‘Coming Home’, a heartfelt ballad, followed by ‘Oh my God’. As the night drew to a close, I could see a lot of smiling faces around me proving that Kaiser Chiefs know how to cheer their audience and how to deliver an unforgettable performance.