Friendly Fires

The ultimate Indie 2010s revival- Friendly Fires at The Waterfront
 
2008-2012 is such a distinctive and often overlooked point in British music history. The indie-twee era was in full flow, the likes of Florence and the Machine, Foals and The Maccabees dominating festival stages and sticky floored dancehalls. One group were pioneers of the synth-tinged summer bangers. 15 years ago, Friendly Fires gifted the world with their debut self-titled album. For one night only, the indie fanboys and girls were gifted a return trip to tangibly nostalgic euphoria.
 
Antony Szimierk opened with his Loyle Carner esq lo-fi tunes. The smooth harmonies and slick backing singers were a contrast to Friendly Fires high octane bangers easing early birds into the evening. He concluded with an off the wall cover of The Sugababes that dialled up the excitement.
 
The stars of the show Friendly Fires burst onto the stage kicking off with hit single Jump In The Pool, met with unanimous chanting of the infectious chorus. Ed Mcfarlane’s emitted the energy of bombastic Labrador, flexing his infamous dad-dancing skills to the clanging tropical percussion.
 
There was no time to catch your breath as they dive straight into In The Hospital and Paris met with equal enthusiasm from the crowd. Fans embraced as they lived out their teenage daydreams, cradling alcopops as they sprung into the air.
 
Particular highlights of the rip-roaring set included the samba-soaked Kiss Of Life, and the punchy math-rock vibes of Photobooth. They returned for the closing act of their set speeding through fan favourites from their other records finishing with the soaring euphoria of Hawaiian Air.
 
Friendly Fires’ self-titled album has held up strong even after all this time. They unleashed a youthful spirit that emanated through the crowd giving a little taste a fizzling nostalgia. The gig solidified them as underrated British musical icons that deserve to be upheld for years to come.