MANCHESTER, ACADEMY 1: 16.04.05
Ricky Wilson is a charismatic and eccentric frontman. One with far too much energy: on Saturday evening, he was seen at one point to be scaling the scaffolds. Not to mention the crowdsurfing. One with a pain threshold of approximately zero; as shown by the band’s legendary Night & Day performance of last December, where he fell over a ridiculous amount of times yet came back (*bad pun alert*) ‘faster than a powered up Pac Man’; before bizarrely cutting his finger on a tambourine only to carry on regardless, bleeding all over the place.
One with the ability to incite riots.
But bands are not all about the singer. Sometimes even drummers get a piece of the action. Sadly, at thirty-odd rows back in the Academy, some of the comedic banter witnessed in smaller venues between Wilson and drummer Nick Hodgson is lost. Luckily, this did not prove to be a problem, as “t’Chiefs” have the tunes to back up their onstage antics.
Live favourite ‘Na Na Na Na Naa’, the song that bypasses your brain but heads straight for your feet and vocal chords, was the popular and traditional opener, leading on to hits like schizophrenic current single ‘Everyday I Love You Less And Less’, debut ‘Oh My God’ and the well-loved ‘I Predict A Riot’. Album track ‘Saturday Night’ caused a frenzy of dancing, while ‘You Can Have It All’ had more of a swaying, sing-a-long effect.
The set “ended” somewhat appropriately on ‘Time Honoured Tradition’, before an outrageously cocky encore involving the barely known ‘Caroline, Yes’ and a finale of true-fans-only, ‘IPAR’ B-side ‘Take My Temperature’. Never mind – as ever, the crowd loved it.
Review by Anne-Marie
Pattenden
www.kaiserchiefs.co.uk
Were you at this gig? Talk
on the Messageboard