Kasabian @ Shed 14, Melbourne(05/10/11)

Tue 11th Oct, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Kasabian showcased just why the are billing so high on the 2012 Big Day Out during a special evening present by Debit MasterCard Priceless Music. Taking to the stage in a blinding array of lights, the Leicestershire lads meant business as they busted into their breakthrough track Club Foot, followed by the 2009 hit Where Did All The Love Go. Frontman Tom Meighan strutted his swagger across the stage with the full arrogance you’d expect him to have. Neatly flicked hair, and aviator sunglasses he couldn’t decide whether he wanted on or off, completed his bravado. He threw his presence and trademark snarl at the crowd, demanding their attention.

The band breaks into their first new song for the night, Days Are Forgotten, from their fourth and latest album, Velociraptor! Surprisingly it gets as big of reaction as the previous two, with the audience howling the Tarzan-eqsue calls. Confidence is high, as they’ve blasted through their opening four songs, probably a little too high, as Meighan loses focus and fumbles the beginning of Velociraptor , noticeably mis-timing the opening. Awkward to say the least. However, he regained his composure, delivering the rest of the song perfectly and completing the testosterone-stirring opening that’s become the bands niche.

Kasabian show a different side of themselves with another new track Goodbye Kiss, a love ballad of sorts. It’s not often you see this band perform songs that wouldn’t slot directly into a Fox Sports commercial, but they certainly have more variety than they are given credit for, and Meighan for all his in-your-face hooligan cries, has quite a voice. He isn’t the only one though. Take Aim reveals the bands enigma, Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist and chief lyricist. The gradually building track, driven by Serge’s higher voice, explodes during the hook “well take aim now!” as beer erupts in parts of the crowd like well-timed geysers.

A quick dedication to Melbourne led into Underdog, as Meighan and co well and truly had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. However some of the energy began to die from the crowd as the set moved toward the end, brilliant newcomer Re-Wired, and even Fast Fuse couldn’t really push the momentum, the bands all-energy opening clearly taking its toll. That was until the unmistakable electronic tinged bass of Vlad The Impaler shook the room and brought Shed 14 its second wind. Bouncing euphoria erupted amongst cheers of “get loose get loose”, as the beer geysers shot up again. LSF (Lost Souls Forever) drove the point home to end the main set, although it has to be said for anyone who hasn’t seen Kasabian before this gig, it certainly loses some magic when it doesn’t end the encore, but nevertheless the troops were on fire.

Its trademark backing “la la la’s” kept going as the band were off stage, until they returned for the encore, opened by Velociraptor’s first single, Switchblade Smiles. On another night this may have provoked a very different reaction, but up amongst some blatant sound troubles, it never really had a chance as it floundered against the fuzz. Meighan, obviously unimpressed by the cackling sounds invading their set, threw his microphone to the floor. Despite taking a hefty fall the mic was okay, and the band continued, adding the jewel to their crown of an evening with their finale.

Anthem of the English Premier League, fan-favourite, and probably the band’s best known song to date, Fire ended the encore in some style. Its cowboy western strum had the crowd clapping along as Meighan built the song up to its fiery chorus, everyone within the venue tried their best at its signature falsetto. It was an energetic ending to the evening, and no less than the gig deserved, even up again sound troubles and what must have been some serious jet lag, Kasabian are one of the best live acts going about today. They always say they write songs for stadiums, they pull them off with aplomb. Intimate venues in Australia? Surely not for much longer.