The Joy Formidable - Leicester O2 Academy
Posted by Guest Writer on Mon, 28 Feb 2011.
Ah Sunday, dismal Sunday. After spending far too much of my weekend kicking my heels indoors, I decided it was time to brave the outside world and maybe socialise a little. So I donned my chequered shirt, skinniest jeans and grubbiest converse and headed for the o2, camera in hand.
For those of you who haven’t yet checked out the new o2 academy, I urge you to give it a go. Since the sad departure of The Charlotte, Leicester has been crying out for a new music venue and this might be the answer. From their launch in September last year, we have seen the likes of Frank Turner, Professor Green, the View and The Courteeners in our small town, usually ignored on the gig circuit. Being a part of the Academy Music Group has no doubt helped them to secure such artists. With 3 venues in one, it is certainly a dramatic change from the old SU building.
Airship kicked off the night, as more people started to filter through the doors of this 500 capacity venue. The second support came from The Chapman Family, who appear to possess the secret to great stage performance. Each and every time I’ve seen them, they have put the headliners to shame! Their new album ‘Burn Your Town’ is set for release on 7th March. If you fancy checking them out, they’re back in Leicester next month to play at Lock 42.
As smoke flooded the stage, just a couple of cardboard trees, laden with purple fairy lights were visible. A roar from the crowd and three silhouettes appear, throwing themselves into ‘The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie’. Having just released their first full length album last month, the set list mainly comprised of new material, which went down a storm. Each and every track had me on edge, camera glued to my face, not wanting to miss the shot of the night. Guitars flew, and so did some members of the crowd. Old favourites ‘Austere’ and fierce, catchy single ‘Cradle’ saw Ritzy jumping down in to the photo pit and rubbing sweat-covered shoulders with those lucky enough to be at the front of the barriers.
After not very much persuasion, The Joy Formidable joined by Airship’s Marcus Wheeldon, returned to the stage to blast out an encore. Culminating in a guitar smashing, drum thrashing, lip biting ‘The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade’, I’m pretty satisfied that this was the best gig I’ve seen so far in 2011.
My bed beckons…
- Review & photos by Hannah Lockwood. Cheers to Roz at Atlantic Records