Biffy Clyro, MEN Arena, Manchester
- Written by David Beech
Biffy Clyro are a band who's stage presence and charisma really needs to be seen to be believed. Tonight will be the third time we've seen the band, and, if the previous performances are anything to go by, it's going to be something special. From their performance at the 2010 Leeds Festival, which saw singer Simon Neil throw a monitor off the stage, to their astounding performance at Manchester Central that Winter, each time the band take the stage you know something memorable is about to happen.
Tonight the support comes in the form of City & Colour an acoustic/folk/rock amalgam fronted by Alexisonfire's Dallas Green. Unfortunately due to a delayed train and the venue's somewhat overzealous security we only catch two songs. 'Happiness By the Kilowatt', a hangover from the days of the aforementioned Alexisonfire, receives a riotous reaction from a half-capacity crowd whilst set closer 'Sorrowing Man' sees the arena aglow with the lights of phones; it's a far cry from the days of people holding up lighters, but given a lot of the crowd's obvious penchant for hairspray, that's probably a good thing.
At 20:30, an unusually early time for a headline band to take to the stage, the house lights dim and an unprecedented roar fills the venue. It's somewhat anti-climatic, if only briefly, as Neil takes to the stage alone with nothing but his acoustic guitar and proceeds straight in to 'Different People' taken from their most recent album Opposites. The crowd reaction is to be expected, as halfway through brothers James (bass) and Ben (drums) Johnston join Neil on stage, and the crowd surges forward.
The décor of the stage tonight is possibly some of the most impressive I've seen. A huge spine forms the center of the back drop while a plethora of capillaries branch out from either side, behind which are two huge video screens, presumably for the benefit of those up in the heavens.
The first five songs are predominantly taken from Opposites including single 'Black Chandelier' which gets the rousing singalong expected whilst following track 'Modern Magic Formula' sees both guitarist and bassist stand on staircases of bones flanking the drummer.
Fan favourite 'Justboy' sees a surprisingly early inclusion and a less than amorous crowd reaction, whether this is down to the crowd being made up of post-Puzzle fans remains to be seen, but it's a little disappointing to see such a classic fall somewhat flat, compared to previous performances of the song.
'Living is A Problem ...' receives a particularly drawn out introduction courtesy of Neil and Johnston, while the vocal harmony towards the end is disappointingly out of key. This is more than made up for by the following song 'Bubbles' which sees Neil beseeching the crowd to “get this whole fucking floor bouncing” which evokes a reaction that is easily the strongest thus far.
There's a distinct lack of the angular, abrasive Biffy that's exhibited on the band's earlier albums. Of course there's the obligatory inclusion of 'There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake' and the excellent 'Glitter & Trauma', but you can't help but feel that the lack of songs such as 'Kill the Old, Torture Their Young' is catering for those fans who are clinging to to the bandwagon, given the lacklustre reaction of a lot of the crowd to the aforementioned '... Jaggy Snake'.
'God & Satan' sees Neil stood to the far right alone and again with only his acoustic. The reaction of the crowd is as emphatic as the song itself. And undoubtedly leaves an unprecedented number of hairs standing on the necks of many in the hall while new song 'The Thaw' is a huge sounding affair despite how delicate it really is. Guitars shimmer while Neil's vocals soar in what proves to be one of the strongest songs and biggest surprises of the evening.
A surprise inclusion of Puzzle's 'Machines' sees Neil stage-left this time again with just his acoustic and is a further highlight of the evening. Drummer Ben Johnston's vocals are yet another surprise as they really do hold up next to Neil's. As the song reaches it's climax Neil declares the crowd's reaction “Wonderful”.
'Who's Got A Match' is decidedly sped up when compared to the album/single version, a necessary evil given the band's monolithic 26 song set-list. Despite this the reaction is as expected as every word is sung back to the band.
The inevitable conclusion and encore of the night comes in the form of 'Skylight', 'Stingin' Belle' and 'Mountains'. All three receive rampant applause and a chorus of whistles afterwards, with 'Mountains' receiving the strongest reaction of the entire evening.
It's a shame that gigs like this have to come to an end. Biffy's live reputation easily precedes them, meaning it's also easy to see why they play shows in venues such as the MEN, renowned for it's scandalous prices and awful acoustics. If your fan base grows, you obviously play bigger venues. That said, catering solely for those fans who only know the most recent album is a surefire way to alienate those who've been there from the very beginning. Credit where credit's due though - featuring mainly new songs doesn't detract from a band's overall performance, and in this respect, Biffy Clyro are one of the best bands doing the rounds at the moment. Period. However it does beg the question that over the course of a 26 song set-list only four songs were taken from the band's first three albums when compared to 13 from Opposites. A double album it may be. But when you're pandering mainly to the kind of fans who are fool enough to go to a gig in Toms or, much worse, stilettos, something needs addressing. Be that as it may, Simon Neil et al really know how to put on a show, and even though they're men of few words, they know how to get a crowd going. Roll on Leeds Festival 2013.