Biffy Clyro, Olympia
Posted on 30th Oct 09 by Jonathan Keane | 
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First up is Leeds’ unhinged Pulled Apart By Horses. While musically they’re calamitous their jumping about antics on stage are enough to mildly entertain. Things shift considerably for Manchester Orchestra then, who make up for their rather bland name with an enthralling set of melodic and slight experimental rock. A particular highlight is the twin [...]
First up is Leeds’ unhinged Pulled Apart By Horses. While musically they’re calamitous their jumping about antics on stage are enough to mildly entertain. Things shift considerably for Manchester Orchestra then, who make up for their rather bland name with an enthralling set of melodic and slight experimental rock. A particular highlight is the twin drumming, the second perpetrated by their keyboardist who perkily switches between the two throughout.
After the wait for the roadies to set up, which always feels like a lifetime no matter what, the lights dim and a deafening roar from the crowd is given off. That roar only increases further when our three favourite Scots come within view.
Biffy Clyro
Then that riff for That Golden Rule (first single from the forthcoming album) hits and a flurry of energy commences with the floor becoming an inexorable meleé. It shakes the foundations while Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies is trance inducing.
From start to finish, new and slightly older, Biffy Clyro are firing on all cylinders and unleash an unforgettable performance. Who’s Got A Match?, if you know the song you know what happens. Clouting its way through its quirky verses the unabashed mayhem lets loose towards its conclusion and is simply excellent.
A lot of tracks from Puzzle are included tonight with the immensity of Love Has A Diameter, the fierce Get Fucked Stud and of course the vast gathering of fans’ voices for the ever emotive Machines.
57 does what it has always done, result in a mass sing along and fists being pumped. Not alone from their first album Justboy does something very similar. Then there’s the demented rave like wanderings of Infinity Land’s Glitter And Trauma which brings its beautifully avalanching riffs upon us.
Plenty of new material is squeezed into the set too. While they were mostly unknown their impact was never lessened. Going by the singles and what was heard tonight Only Revolutions may very well be the monumental release that its hype has promised.
A mention must be given to Saturday Superhouse as its colossal chorus is augmented 100 fold live, thoroughly testing the throats of fans.
Initial closer is second single The Captain which can only be descried as huge, with its mammoth chorus and a stunning vocal delivery from Simon Neil. But after vivacious chants of “One more tune” and “mon the Biff” they return for an equally dazzling encore. A heady mix of old and new is the order with Joy.Discovery.Invention getting aired through to the massively climactic curtain call of Mountains.
Top to bottom Biffy Clyro delivered the show of a lifetime tonight. Their rise in recent years has been astronomical. While on this night it was the Olympia, given time and more jaw dropping albums it’ll be inevitable that headlining arenas awaits them because tonight all present bared witness to an awe-inspiring event.
Tags: biffy clyro, Manchester Orchestra, Olympia, Only Revolutions, Pulled Apart By Horses, puzzle