It’s a big step up from the last time I watched Elbow play a set to around 1,000 people back when ‘One Day Like This’ was still a hidden secret for Elbow fans. The latest stop on their first ever arena tour was Cardiff’s cavernous Motorpoint Arena (formerly CIA) and I entered with one main question. Would the charm and intimacy of their live performances be able to translate to an arena? Turns out I had nothing to worry about.
First things first however, The Villagers were tonights warm up act. Playing through a brief half hour set of tracks from their debut album, 2010’s Mercury nominated ‘Becoming A Jackal’ they are treated to a larger than expected audience of early arrivals, the arena fairly full when I arrive just as they step on stage. The Irish quintet show no signs of being intimidated by the large crowd and play a confident, if unremarkable set of acoustic folk. Conor O’Brien’s voice is reminiscent of another Conor, Mr Oberst of Bright Eyes, particularly on the title track from their album.
Shortly after the lights dim and the orchestral strains of ‘The Birds’ drift out across a hushed crowd, Elbow shuffle on stage. Any doubts about whether Guy Garvey’s voice would sound as impressive in a hall this size are immediately dispelled, even with the often questionable sound quality in the arena his vocal rises over the melodies. It’s an impressive opening and also sets the tone for the type of set we are to expect.
Early on Garvey announces that ‘we’ll be playing quite a few new songs tonight’ and he means it. The set is built entirely on the three most recent albums with 6 of those from the recently released ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’ which may well earn them a third Mercury nomination after debut ‘Asleep In The Back’ was a runner up in 2001 and ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ which won in 2008.
‘Lippy Kids’ is an early highlight, not only showing off the power of Garvey’s wonderful voice but also the skills of the band. The melodies are simple on the surface but meld together to form a sound of real beauty which washes across the massed audience in warm waves.
The first noticeable crowd interaction is for ‘Mirrorball’, complete with a huge disco ball which is unveiled above the centre of the crowd while ‘Neat Little Rows’, the lead single from ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’, shows that when they want to Elbow can make an almighty noise as well as do delicate.
Delicate is what they do best though, whether it’s the subtlety of ‘The Night Will Always Win’ which Garvey dedicates to ‘everyone who feels sad’ or the wonderful ‘The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver’ which sees Garvey’s vocals soaring like the birds he loves to watch during his time off as a keen twitcher. The four travelling musicians who provide the strings are brilliant as they have been on previous tours and provide a wonderful depth to the bands sound, the arrangements complimenting Garvey’s voice perfectly.
The rhythm section provided by drummer Richard Jupp and bassist Pete Turner on ‘Grounds For Divorce’ is like a punch to the gut with Jupp’s rumbling drums giving the track a heavy darkness before we finish up with more trademark Elbow. ‘Weather To Fly’ again shows the widespread appeal of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ as the chorus is sung back joyfully while if anyone was wondering if they had another big hit in them, set closer and next to be released single ‘Open Arms’ is as close to a follow-up for ‘One Day Like This’ as you’re ever going to find.
The usual charade of going off before everyone knows the return is soon for an encore is duly followed (Garvey says you should blame the French) before they return as they started, to the stunning orchestral intro which precedes ‘Starlings’. A quick dip back into 2005’s ‘Leaders Of The Free World’ for a personal favourite of mine ‘Station Approach’ before the track which many have been waiting for ‘One Day Like This’ closes the set with the obligatory sing along.
I do have a few niggles. I completely understand the need to promote the new album and use tracks people know best from ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ but I do feel it’s a real shame to entirely disregard tracks from ‘Asleep In The Back’ such as ‘Red’, ‘Newborn’ and ‘Powder Blue’. It might not have been a huge commercial success but it well deserved its’ Mercury nomination and those tracks have always been among the best at previous live performances.
Elbow are without question well into the mainstream conscious now. Ages varied from high school to near retirement and if anyone doubted the impact ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’ has had, it was evidenced when well over half the audience raised their hands when asked by Garvey ‘Who hasn’t seen us play before?’. Judging by the comments as we were leaving, if he asks that when they return there will be far fewer hands raised.
‘Are we having the time of our lives?’ he sings during ‘Weather To Fly’. Pretty close I’d say.
Stereoboard gig rating – 9/10
Elbow played:
The Birds
The Bones of You
Lippy Kids
Mirrorball
With Love
Neat Little Rows
The Night Will Always Win
Great Expectations
Grounds for Divorce
The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver
Puncture Repair
Some Riot
Weather to Fly
Open Arms
Encore:
Starlings
Station Approach
One Day Like This
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
Shortly after the lights dim and the orchestral strains of ‘The Birds’ drift out across a hushed crowd, Elbow shuffle on stage. Any doubts about whether Guy Garvey’s voice would sound as impressive in a hall this size are immediately dispelled, even with the often questionable sound quality in the arena his vocal rises over the melodies. It’s an impressive opening and also sets the tone for the type of set we are to expect.
