The De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill is not a typical location for a Kaiser Chiefs gig. It was great to spend the day by the sea in the sun away from city life in Birmingham.
The venue itself was brilliant. In the day it’s open to the public putting on exhibitions with a lovely cafe upstairs where customers can eat their tasty food whilst looking out at the stunning sea view. The auditorium is rarely used for these kind of events but it was a brilliant size. There was an awesome atmosphere.
Support act Novacub were up for the challenge to get this crowd warmed up and they did it in style. The indie pop four-piece from London certainly have both the talent and passion to go far in this industry which many find so difficult to break. They are made up of singer/guitarist Louise Bartle, lead guitarist Russell Lissack, bassist Iona Thomas and drummer Tony Alda all of who have very musical backgrounds which show in their music.
Tracks ranged in different styles from a good bop to getting pretty heavy but one thing which was continuous throughout is their sheer brilliance.
They’ve been a band for about a year and a few weeks ago released their debut single, “I Still Need It” which I have been listening to on repeat ever since release. Their stage presence is faultless, sound refreshing and I was simply impressed. The vocal tricks by singer, Louise was the icing on the cake. I recommend them to everyone, they are a must see.
There was a definite buzz in the room which was increased when footage was projected on a sheet of the Kaiser Chiefs throughout the years. This indie rock band from Leeds have been on the scene since 2004 under this alias, having their big break the year after with their debut album “Employment”.
The band made up of frontman Ricky Wilson, guitarist Andrew “Whitey” White, bassist Simon Rix, keyboard player Nick “Peanut” Baines and drummer Vijay Mistry played songs from throughout the years. From that debut album to new, not-yet-released material.
You could tell the crowd were obviously enjoying themselves by the roar that came between songs. They sang along to the big hits such as “Ruby” and “I Predict A Riot” but then listened intently to the new ones. My favourite being “Golden Oldie”.
They are a very experienced band, making the performing itself look effortless and they have a good balance of the actual music with onstage gimmicks. The mass of confetti has definitely been the gimmick of this particular tour…perhaps too much. During the finale of “Oh My God” the chances of you seeing the stage through the streams of white confetti was slim and that same confetti left a trail out of the venue; following the satisfied crowd of the evening.
It was great to hear them revisit some old songs that are not usually part of their regular set such as “Saturday Night”, “Retirement” and “Time Honoured Tradition” – all of which are from their first two records.
There was definitely a feeling of going back in time but they aren’t stuck in time. Sprinkling a few tracks from their more recent albums in the set made the balance just right. This was a set that was enjoyable for Kaiser Chiefs‘ fans old and new.
My general impression from hearing their new material is that it’s fair to say that their next, currently untitled, record is going to be a good one. They’ve been hard at work and I am definitely looking forward to it. Bring on the summer.
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