Kaiser Chiefs // UEA - 06.02.12

So, I’m excited when I get a message from the office asking who wants to review the Kaiser Chiefs tonight at the UEA. Always first to leap over the head of one of my colleagues, my fingers were a blur as I texted back saying I wanted it. A few seconds later I received the confirming text telling me tickets were waiting for me – score! I was pleased – I’m normally only allowed near cinemas to review films, where there is no guest list to walk to the front of and loudly pronounce yourself a journalist(ish), and the band is actually there – in the building. You’re never gonna meet any film stars hanging out backstage at the cinema, and even though you know the chances of getting backstage are slim to none, you always hold out hope that one day you’ll fall onto the access all areas interview that will launch you to a career of journalistic mediocrity for the local newspaper or even (fingers crossed) a few regular free-lance slots for the NME or someone (hey, at least it’s paid).

After the initial joy subsided, I started to feel sorry for the person whose place I had taken. This is a big name band in a small size venue – normally gold dust. What could have happened to them, a car accident, a victim of a gruesome crime? My guilt started to expand before logic took hold. They were probably just double booked, or had a family birthday or… hold on. What if this was a trap? A cold hand clasped my pride at getting in first, as this idea took hold in my mind. This sounded like a win, but when had I last heard the Kaiser Chiefs? Shit – I couldn’t even really remember whether I’d even really liked them at all – what if no-one else simply wanted to see them?

I googled what the band had been up to lately. They had been on tour since June promoting new album The Future is Medieval. I hadn’t heard it. Shit. Oh well, at least they had a back catalogue I knew and even knew the words to some of (well, the chorus’ anyway). Support came from All the Young, who despite seeming like they couldn’t decide whether they were a Smiths tribute or not, did a good warm up job.

The Kaiser Chiefs hit the stage, starting with the classic Everyday I Love You Less and Less, which got the 1500 strong crowd going; you can tell these boys know what they are doing. Ricky Wilson grabs the mic and leaps around at the front looking cool, whilst the rest of the band look slightly more restrained as they concentrate on making it sound good, which it does! Despite leaning into the crowd, throwing the mic stand around and generally being the main visual focus, Wilson’s mike is always in front of his mouth when it needs to be, and so none of the massive energy he expels is detrimental to the sound.

The three new songs that they play throughout the night sound good, with a Bowie-esque electronic edge to them, but I needn’t have been bothered about not having heard the new album – the band haven’t really expected anyone to as yet, as is made plain by Wilson who bemoans playing new songs as no-one sings along as they don’t know the words, and jokingly tells the crowd to mouth along to anything. The joke blasts into irony, however, when they go straight from the new song into Ruby, which instantly has everybody (even me) singing like it’s the national anthem. In fact, they only play three new songs, and stick with what the crowd know. They play with an air of professionalism that showed that whilst they wanted to preview some new material, they were more than happy to give the crowd the classics that they wanted – I Predict a Riot, Modern Way and Angry Mob stood out before they finished with the excellent Oh My God during which the crowd at the front did their best to go so mental, they made a mockery of mosh pits I’ve seen for much – much heavier bands than the Chiefs! All in all, I don’t know how the new album is going to work out for them, but if they come to a venue near you, you know you’re in for a shout-a-long that won’t disappoint.

Smiley