Reviews

These boys are under-rated. Since the release of brilliant major label debut With Love And Squalor, they haven’t had the exposure they deserve, something that can’t be said of their hosts tonight, who are anywhere and everywhere almost constantly.

We Are Scientists (c) Shirlaine Forrest

Still, with or without exposure, they proceeded to show why they are one of the most exciting new bands to come out of America recently, with Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt even managing to form a small mosh pit of younger girls and groupies.

That said, they were a little lost in front of a big audience and it will be a while before they look at home on such a big stage, but standing their with their tops off, enjoying themselves, they were a genuine bonus to the main event.

The Kaisers came on armed with a string of hits and a bucketload of energy. Everything Is Average Nowadays exploded the set into action and even a technical hitch could not hold them back, as frontman Ricky Wilson launched into a charm offensive and his big, big voice.

Yet something just wasn’t working. The audience just weren’t getting involved. It may have been packed out, but an abundance of the waistcoats and skinny jeans brigade meant that by the second song, Ricky’s insistence that the band were "trying our hardest here" got only a dulled response. 

Kaiser Chiefs (c) Shirlaine Forrest

And despite those best efforts, it was a situation that the Kaisers never overcame. Shockingly, even the ever-reliable jumping around of I Predict A Riot was not as unruly as it should have been. 

It was The Angry Mob that got the biggest cheer of the night, reminding us that yes, this was the Kaisers in front of us, and Ruby sounded ace live, but nothing ever really took off.

It wasn’t through lack of trying. These arena shows are the biggest they’ve headlined and they did come prepared, with Ricky making a particular effort, running around the stage, climbing up the lighting rig and surfing across the crowd to serenade the audience from the back.

There’s no denying that the Kaisers are still in the ascendance but on tonight’s showing, maybe they should stick to smaller venues and leave the big shows for festivals, if only for the sake of their own sanity!