Yeasayer - Millennium Music Hall, Cardiff - October 19th 2010 (Live Review)
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Written by Rhys Morgan
Now, I’ve never been totally sold on Yeasayer being a ‘great’ band. Yes, ‘Ambling Alp’ was a sure fire amazing track, but ‘ONE’ and for that matter the rest of ‘Odd Blood’ never really grew on me. But after being tipped off by a friend that these guys were pretty mental live I was more than willing to give them a chance. But before Yeasayer had a chance to win me around, there was support in the form of Brooklyn quartet Suckers.
Despite a few minor technical difficulties to start with and some ear splitting feedback, Suckers got real comfortable, real quick. With a sound much like Yeasayer’s they were hotly received by the crowd. With two vocalists, both very reminiscent of Wild Beasts front man duo, it, at moments, gets squeaky. I’ve also noticed that there is always one person who gets far too uncomfortably ‘into’ the support act for my liking, but tonight there were several, me being one of them. Plus, if you want to see a mental drummer who uses maracas instead of drum sticks, then try and catch these guys.
As with all gigs there’s a few generic indie tracks played through the speakers between bands, but having Boney M boom out rather than some generic drivel was pretty fucking sweet.
Still on a high from Boney M the crowd loudly and frantically welcomed Yeasayer out into the eerie green glow that was the stage. Kicking it straight into top gear with ‘Madder Red’ as their opener, the quintet seemed to set a mood and tempo that wasn’t lost throughout the entire set (although it was momentarily assaulted when Chris Keating stopped to tell the crowed about his papier-mâché mutant doll and how it was ‘real’ and sang through him. No sorry Chris, we ain’t buying that shit!) They saved their biggest tracks till the end and closed with ‘Ambling Amp’ which got everyone dancing and finally ‘ONE’ which turned dancing into full blown flailing.
With some great hooks and some well placed, mesmerising loops, Yeasayer really delivered. As a friend of mine might say, ‘these guys make music for your feet’. Well yes, but they manage to take it one step further and make music for your whole, sweaty body.
I just need to put in a word for Suckers who were the best support act I’d ever seen, so good in fact I felt compelled to shell out £15 for a t-shirt.
Walking back to the train station I realised I had learnt two things at this gig. One. Yeasayer are awesome, and subsequently believe my earlier thoughts on them to have been highly ignorant, and two. I always manage to get stuck to the fattest, sweatiest person in the whole of the crowd!
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Still on a high from Boney M the crowd loudly and frantically welcomed Yeasayer out into the eerie green glow that was the stage. Kicking it straight into top gear with ‘Madder Red’ as their opener, the quintet seemed to set a mood and tempo that wasn’t lost throughout the entire set (although it was momentarily assaulted when Chris Keating stopped to tell the crowed about his papier-mâché mutant doll and how it was ‘real’ and sang through him. No sorry Chris, we ain’t buying that shit!) They saved their biggest tracks till the end and closed with ‘Ambling Amp’ which got everyone dancing and finally ‘ONE’ which turned dancing into full blown flailing. 
