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January 19, 2007
UAE, Norwich
Updated with Fan review
Semi-Mental
Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys
Joy.Discovery.Invention
Saturday Superhouse
My Recovery Injection
Get Fucked, Stud
Hero Management
57
Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave
Now I'm Everyone
Kids From Kibble and The Fist Of Light
Justboy
Bodies In Flight
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Glitter and Trauma
There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake
Huge thanks to Jez for this review of the night;
Not since 2005 had Biffy Clyro visited 'this fair city'. Since that night, live gigs have lacked the excitement, the palpable tension and the sheer adrenaline which you only find at a biffy gig.
Having arrived early, and being at the front of the queue, watching people arrive was interesting at best. All manner of 'emo/scene' types join the line of people, which does eventually stretch round the corner of the venue.
First band on are I Am Ghost. To give them their credit, they hammer out some decent enough metal-core-with-hardcore-'breakdowns-and-'emo'-tendancies (with a violinist) which the kids who obviously came to see them lap up with relish. Unfortunately for them, they feel a lot like a future flavour of the week and hopefully will be gone in no time.
The Audition are greeted with many a cheer and a raised slashed wrist from their fans. These wannabe post-hardcore type peddle dreary pop-rock for the masses, and it leaves me unimpressed. Although the monumentous cries of "MON THE BIFFY" eventually reduces the lead singer to chanting along with us in between songs. When he fails to be held up by the crowd during their last song, it feels like he should give up. They finish...Eventually.
After a wait, The Bronx proceed to tear me, and many others, a new arsehole. Simple as. Loud as fuck, happy as Larry and dirty as sin.
Once they finish, the floor empties somewhat, only to be filled back up with as many chanting, buzzing Biffy fans as possible. You could cut the excitement with a knife. the rapturous cries which greet the band as the migrate to the stage is thunderous, only drowned out by the opening feedback twang of semi-mental, which the crowd do,infact, go mental for.
Biffy own stages like this, with the crowd in their hands. With many of the kerrang-ites exodus-ing to the back, it leaves the floor open for a few pits during moments like the closing minute of Hero Management or stunning newie-Get Fucked Stud, masses of people jumping up and down, for Kids from Kibble... and the next single - Saturday Super house (during which, I fell over, onto someone), and jovial sing alongs, 57, Justboy and Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave. The boys plough through an hours worth of songs with ease, finishing an amazing set with live fan favourite, Bodies in Flight, only to re-emerge with a rapturous Glitter and Trauma, only topping that with Jaggy Snake which exhausts every ounce of energy from every single person in the room, including Mr.Simon Neil, who promptly stage dives into open arms.
They even played my personal live favourite, Toys, which made me have a more than a few eargasms all at once.
Admittedly, the abundance of kerrang kids and/or people there to see the first 2 bands does somewhat dampen the atmosphere, as does the slightly muddy sound. But once biffy take to the stage, you forget all that and just get lost in the music, excitement and sheer brilliance of the band. Biffy can only go on from strength to strength. A flawless set of songs, a magnificent light show and an amazing crowd revelling in every moment this band plays a note. Fantastic.
Thanks to GandT off of the Biffy boards for these quite excellent photos!
Posted by Chris at January 19, 2007 05:11 PM