The Beat Surrender

Better to get some of the moans out of the way up front, strangely none will be directed at the bands/acts playing and the score will reflect only the music. I purchased the tickets on the first day of pre-sale via The Kaiser Chiefs website back on 7th December 2007. I didn’t however receive them until Wednesday 21st May 2008 and only then after several frantic e-mails and telephone calls, usually I wouldn’t be too bothered but this time the tickets weren’t just for me, my sister was treating her two girls for Christmas and my son for his birthday and I was taking my daughter for her birthday. As you can see big family day out.

Next moan the organisation at Elland Road or lack of it. You couldn’t take in a small bottle of tango but you could take water, however you had to remove the lid! My sister did just that (its no mean feat trying to remove one of those sports lids, we held up the queue for a while) only then to be told she couldn’t take the water as the bottle was too big!!!!!

Once inside the chaos continued, why all the general admission had been directed to two gates god only knows but it meant the West Stand soon filled up but no one at the East stand. You then had to walk down to pitch via the nearest steps if you wanted a drink or the loo’s, but had to walk to the end of the pitch to go back to the entrance to walk back to your seat. All good and well until just before The Kaisers came on when the security stopped people going back on the pitch, could understand why as it was pretty crowded but lead to couples/families and groups being separated etc.

Just in front of me the security was spending so much time arguing with people who having nipped to the loo or to get drinks now couldn’t join friends etc he missed people jumping the fence hilarious. But the reason for today was the music, first up were St Albans based Friendly Fires, this lively and energetic foursome soon had the crowd loving them.

The lead singer had the most amazing dance moves rubber legs and arms just about describes it, fascinating to watch. Opening with Photobooth the highlights for me were second track Your Love, third track Skeleton Boy and the closing number Ex-Love, a really energetic and young band, loved the use of percussion makes a change from the massive guitar sound favoured by so many young bands.

Next up were a band I have meant to catch so many times but for one reason or another seem to have missed, Young Knives look anything but young, man dressed at Greenwoods would just about sum it up. My 16 year old son, who incidentally liked the sound but thought they all look like the boring teachers at his all boys school, but perhaps this is what the Oxford based three piece are hoping to achieve, at least you remember them.

Opening number Weekends And Bleak Days went down well, moving to one of my favourites from them Light Switch. Next track was Terra Firma which seemed to be known by a large section of the crowd so helped to set the mood for another strong contender for favourite track, Counters moving to a change in lead vocals which were handed to The House of Lords !! for The Decision not sure about this track, loved the harmonising on the chorus and the music was fantastic but the vocals a little off for me.

Up All Night, then definitely my favourite, She’s Attracted To, best till last, lively great lyrics full of humour and a certain gritty ness. Loved the close ups on the side screens of the lead singers facial expressions, he seemed to get so carried away with his own singing thought he was having some sort of fit. A really together band, loved the sound really stands out in the world of guitar bands.

Next the act my daughter and younger niece were looking forward to, however must be noted they are 8 and 12 respectively and since I have had to listen to a regular dose of Kate Nash solid since Gabi’s birthday 3 weeks ago I wasn’t sure if this would be for me. However ever fair tried to keep an open mind. Opening with I Want Your Kiss I was a little disappointed with the vocals Kate Nash seemed to be shouting them rather than singing (if you can call her style singing more like talk/sing to me).

Unfortunately this was how the set continued rather then sticking to the formula that seems to be a success for her she seemed to have decided to shout at everyone. For me stand out of the set was Mouthwash but that was because the shouting seemed to have been forgotten for this number and Foundations but then again the audience did take over vocals for her on this one. Kate Nash is a nice sweet girl who is so much smaller than she seems on TV, a one hit wonder who is having a little more than one hit.

I wasn’t entertained by her although my son and older niece (16 years each) thought it was hilarious that the only football chant she knew was “Your shit and you know you are” which as soon as she said was chanted back to her rather than the constant “Yorkshire” she came on to that and the fact that someone throw something onto stage which hit the bulls eye and went into her drink.

Mr Chris Moyles then hit the stage to chants of “You fat bastard” (I personally think he would be very disappointed if this didn’t happen as it would mean he doesn’t get to say his funniest line, ” That’s you rich fat bastard”) funny the first or even second time but since he says it every time he’s anywhere a little boring now. He had the pleasure of introducing a brilliant young band (his words) and on came The Enemy, love this band have been listening to them for a while now and even had one of there tracks as ringtone (how sad am I).

They really lifted the crowd opening with Its Not okay and 40 Days And 40 Nights and on to one of my favourites Pressure before Toms favourite Technodanceaphobic (not sure if this is a real phobia but it should be). Lots of dancing in the stands to Had Enough, reference was made to the boys in blue before moving to Aggro.

Then another favourite for me We’ll Live And Die In These Towns, this number takes me back to real youth as it is as near to The Jam as you can get (without actually being The Jam!!) This Song, then Happy Birthday Jane and the set ending with Your Not Alone. I love The Enemy and the fact that they can change pace and tone but still remain true to what they set out to do, that and they really do look the youngest band I have seen for a while, the lead vocals sound as if they come from a mature mid to late twenties guy but when you see him he looks like he should be doing a paperound (god bless him).

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