Kasabian @ The Palace,Melbourne (25/01/10)

Fri 29th Jan, 2010 in Gig Reviews

It would seem that the addition of a new drummer to The Fearless Vampire Killers lineup has enhanced their performance with a new level of energy. Or perhaps it’s the thrill of playing on a larger a scale than usual with the packed out Palace playing host. Either way though something has supercharged their performance with Sean Ainsworth jumping around stage and letting loose with beatles screams while lead guitarist Al Marx rips forth with a burst of progression. All the while recent addition Justin Olsson ploughs through the sixties inspired surf beats like he was born into the band. Alright Now Honey infects the audience’s vocal chords whilst The Monkey Man does the same for the feet.

Opening with the unfamiliar b-side Julie And The Mothman, Kasabian never the less are received like rock royalty. Blasting into a set dominated by hits from recent opus West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, led by the infectiously cool Underdog, the band cruise through song after song with a sense of ease that doesn’t begin to give credence to the skilled song craft.

Like the full combined forces of Primal Scream, The Stone Roses and The Chemical Brothers, Kasabian manage to successfully bring together elements of Big Beat, Madchester and Britpop. Tom Meighan is all swagger at the front of the stage urging the audience on and shouting, “Come on Melbourne!” during Where Did All The Love Go?.

However Serge Pizzorno seems abnormally restrained not speaking up or showing his excitement; his vocals seem to lack the same level of enthusiasm and he leaves all the big guitar breaks to lead guitarist Jay Mehler, who couldn’t look any cooler hidden behind his dark glasses.

The mosh in front is filled with muscle bound meat heads, who insist on removing their shirts and sweating all over the rest of us. Though even this can’t dampen the spirit of enthralled revelation and the sweat is washed away by bottles of water thrown with abandon by security. I’d always been sceptical of the seeming simplicity of Fire but live it’s a completely different matter, where simplicity becomes a roaring mess of excitement thrown out into the crowd. Following on with the brilliant Fast Fuse – and its enchanting refrain of, “Heaven may come, and heaven may call, but I won’t be there” – the band barely leave a gap between songs going from one high to another, tying everything together in a gusto of motion.

From the euphoric techno sounds led by Ian Mathews drum patterns on Processed Beats to the more organic use of trumpet and audience led vocals on L.S.F. Two of the biggest highlights come from the much overlooked second album in the form of Shoot the Runner and the transcendental Doberman. The band close the set with a version of Club Foot that raises bassist Chris Edwards up into the stratosphere with his pitch perfect interpretation of one of the best bass lines ever written.

The band return shortly for an encore that includes one track from each album. Running through the catchy call of, “Get Loose, get loose,” in Vlad The Impaler then the equally so Stunt Man before closing with I.D. Led by Ben Kealey’s irresistible Keyboards.

I leave the moshpit so thoroughly saturated that my hands are all pruney however my appetite for for fast and electrifying Rock/Pop has also been more than wetted.

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