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8 out of 10
As I approached the arena entrance, alone and pretty miserable from having been rained on I was even more disheartened when I saw two teenage boys already intoxicated, arm in arm shouting "we are the angry mob!" I couldn't help but think that if the majority of the crowd were going to be similar to those drunken teenagers I probably wasn't going to have a good time.
I'm still unsure why, perhaps it's some in joke thing that the band and the fans are in on but before the band enter the stage, they are preceded by men in white coats seemingly assessing the equipment and the stage and even the crew. I never did figure out why and it didn't really get much response from the crowd except for a few camera phones raised to capture the marginally intriguing moment.
The band eventually come on to a very Sergeant Pepper like set and a sea of near blinding lights make the luminous yellow wristbands on the already raised air punching fists look like a synchronised firefly rave.
I was surprised to hear most of the songs which made them famous, from "Employment" played so early on and wondered what they had in store seeing as they were doing their 'hits' first. Even if you only have a passing interest in the band you find yourself able to recall lyrics you didn't know had stuck in your head and let's face it, Kaiser Chiefs have really mastered the art of producing rowdy sing-along records that everyone can join in on. It all becomes clearer when Ricky disappeared from the stage, and reappeared on a high platform in the centre of the crowd. I suppose having become an "arena band" so early on in their career they have come to learn what it takes to please the crowd.
Rather predictably, when they played "Ruby" the crowd and band were drenched not only in sweat but in red light throughout the whole song but then this is a band that rarely steers clear of cliché and as long as they continue to be so entertaining with it, then it proves that it's not always a negative thing. They dedicate "Good Days, Bad Days" to a taxi driver which they had given a free ticket to and somewhere near the end of the set Ricky checks that everyone's having a good time by enquiring; "there are no miserable bastards in are there?"
The rapturous cheer seems to suggest that if there are, then they are greatly outnumbered.
I cannot emphasise enough how much Ricky Wilson gives to the eager audience, jumping into the crowd at the front, climbing the rigging and just generally doing his trademark jumping about like a hyperactive teenager. To anyone who is not familiar with Kaisers it would just look like a slightly portly football hooligan who'd jumped on stage to arse about a bit whilst the real members of the band do their job but this is what the fans know and love about him and he does not disappoint.
Overall it's a very impressive and lengthy set which would please both the hardcore fan and the people who've never bought an album but 'quite liked that one that was always on that music channel.' Clearly the keep it simple and keep it fun attitude that Kaisers seem to employ is a winning formula for them which will always attract criticism from more discerning critics but those who simply wish to be entertained can easily get their fix here.
Listen: www.myspace.com/kaiserchiefs
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