Weekly > Reviews
Razorlight - Alexandra Palace, London
To be honest, I’m not really a big fan of Razorlight, I don’t own the album and I’m only really familiar with the singles on the radio, plus a few others thanks to my next door neighbour. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike them or their music, I just don’t think they’re worth spending any money on. You may then be wondering why I was at the gig at all, and I confess, the main reason I went was to see their support, Bloc Party.
Razorlight were supposed to be an added bonus. So when I learned that the rescheduling from February meant the absence of this support, I was a bit pissed off to say the least. I’d spent twenty-five quid on one great band and another half-decent one, only to be left with what I thought was the worse half of the deal. How wrong I was. By this I don’t mean that this one gig has changed my complete stance on Mr. Borrell and his mates at all, but they do put on a f**king good rock ‘n’ roll show that’s for sure.
The Ally Pally holds about eight thousand and even though it wasn’t full, the guys made enough noise to fill a stadium, and with the band on huge plasma screens either side of the stage, it felt like it too. Right from opening track ‘Rip It Up’, it didn’t matter whether you were an indie kid, a bloke in a red Lacoste sweatshirt who kept jumping on my foot or Dan Ashcroft from Nathan Barley, (yes we all saw you there Dan) everybody was dancing like mad. That’s the way it stayed through rousing versions of ‘Don’t Go Back (to Dalston)’, ‘V.I.C.E’, ‘Stumble and Fall’ and ‘Golden Touch’, amongst others.
- Razorlight
- Alexandra Palace, London ()
- Category: Live
- Label: Vertigo
- Support: Blues Explosion
- Reviewed by: Nick
- Published on: 03 Apr 2005
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
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They also showcased the new single ‘Somewhere Else’ and B-side ‘Keep the Right Profile’ – again, good solid songs, but I wouldn’t buy them.
Here’s the thing about Razorlight. There’s a bit too much of Johnny ‘Troubadour’ Borrell, and not enough of Johnny ‘I’m in Razorlight’ Borrell. Despite an excellent version of the Kings Of Leon’s ‘Milk’ during ‘Fall, Fall, Fall’, I really wish someone had simply told him to ‘get the f**k on with it’ and go back to playing the good old fashioned rock’n’roll that we love.
For the most part they did, but the highlight of the evening came from Razorlight’s support act, Blues Explosion. Formerly the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, these guys from New York City were a band I had heard of, but not heard anything by. All I can say is that shortly, I shall be purchasing a couple of their albums – so I can refresh my memory and remember what their astonishing brand of scuzzy, punky blues is all about. They’re on tour with The Hives at the back end of April, I suggest that you buy a ticket.
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