Biffy Clyro at the Forum

Biffy Clyro at the Forum

21 October, 2009
by: Simon827

Last time I visited The Forum it was almost as if it had been used for storing animals. Many years later and I return to a very different (and rather attractive) venue to see a band who have truly broken into the mainstream over the past year and really are set to take the music world by the throat. But before one of the best sets I’ve seen in a very long time, the traditional support bands…

The Boxer Rebellion are an interesting choice of support. As a band they’re enjoyable in parts: a strange hybrid of Muse and The Smiths which should be a wonderful combination, but actually produces something a little dull. The whole thing goes further down the drain when for their final song the band transform into Oasis, complete with the lead-singer wielding a tambourine. Still, I get through it with Russian Standard Vodka which softens my senses and loosens me up nicely.

Things take a drastic turn for the better when Frightened Rabbits appear. It’s quite clear why they’re supporting Biffy Clyro as they’re firmly lodged in whichever musical genre it is that Biffy populate. It’s a very strong set, sounding a lot like the softer side of a certain headline band, and I’m determined to hunt down some of their music as soon as I get home.

It’s half past nine and Biffy Clyro explode onto the stage with new track ‘That Golden Rule’. It’s clear from the out-set that this is going to be a very special gig. The band move straight onto ‘Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies’ and it really emphasises what a tight unit they are.

It’s clear that of late Biffy are trying to please everyone at once. They received a certain amount of stick from some of their fans about the commercial nature of the last album Puzzle and they seem to be making a conscious effort to drop in tracks from their first two albums to appease their old-school fans who, despite this effort, seem a little thin on the ground tonight. The bulk of the set comes from Puzzle yet dotted amongst these songs is the more interesting part of the evening.

Every band has to promote their new album before it’s released (mainly because their record company is poking them with a stick) and it can often be a low point of a show. But today that’s not the case. Just because the crowd isn’t singing along (except for the few hardcore fans who lie with their ear attached to Radio One), it doesn’t mean they’re not enthralled. It’s quite clear that Biffy’s next outing, Only Revolutions, is already going down very well indeed. It could even be set to blow Puzzle clean out of the water and promote Biffy Clyro to mega-stardom.

An hour and a half later and Biffy Clyro are finishing with ‘Mountains’. An obvious choice, but it’s a reminder that this is one of the best bands on the planet at the moment, both live and on record. This really is a performance I’ll remember for years to come.

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Simon827