Gigs: Arctic Monkeys at Southampton Guildhall :: Wessex Scene Online

Gigs: Arctic Monkeys at Southampton Guildhall

5th May 2007
Matt Bass

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Nov 05 - Arctic Monkeys
May 06 - Arctic Monkeys live at the BIC
May 07 - Album Review: Artic Monkeys
Apr 06 - The NME Awards Tour
Jul 03 - Aqualung plays first home gig for charity.

More by Matt Bass

May 07 - Ghosts at Tunbridge Wells Forum
Mar 07 - Album Review: Dartz
Feb 07 - Album Review: The Hours
Feb 07 - Gigs: Delays at Southampton Guildhall
Jan 07 - Album Review: Capdown

So how exactly do you follow up one of the best selling albums of all time? Well if you are going to take the route of the Arctic Monkeys, you get straight back into the recording process and start touring again straight away.

This show saw their triumphant return to the south coast, packing a set full of new material and tracks which now feel like classics in every sense of the word.

For me, the only disappointment in the night came from the supporting cast. Negligible at best. So the evening did not get off to the best of starts, but from tiny acorns, mighty oak trees grow. They may do their best to shy away from the limelight that is forever cast upon them, but everybody’s favourite Sheffield four piece are now certainly proving to be an impressive musical force.

Kicking things off with the new single ‘Brianstorm’, it was evident from early doors that this was to be a high energy set, Alex Turner’s witty observational lyrics being returned to him throughout by a sell-out crowd. All of the ‘old favourites’ were thrown in to the rapturous delight of an audience, captivated by a band who it certainly seems have matured, or perhaps have just become more comfortable with the attention which surrounds them, Turner in particular appeared totally at ease with his audience.

‘When the Sun Goes Down’, ‘Mardy Bum’, ‘I’ll Bet You Look Good’. This is a band with a phenomenal arsenal of songs and it shows no sign of ceasing. ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ will undoubtedly be a stand out track of the new record. In truth, this was everything I had been expecting and then some. The Arctic Monkeys, although still not perhaps happy about it, are a band who appear to finally be finding some degree of comfort in the world in which they find themselves. As far as their live shows are concerned, long may it continue!