'Five Minutes with the Arctic Monkeys'. That was the title of their debut EP, way back in 2005. Yet here you are standing in Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena - craving their ever-increasing back catalogue of indie scene-setters – knowing you’re going to get more than just five minutes with the Arctic Monkeys.
The Vaccines took to the stage first though, their cheerful pop rock attribution entertaining certain sections of the packed out arena. Sing-a-long songs like ‘Post Break-Up Sex’ and ‘If You Wanna’ impressed from a band that seem to have played nearly every festival in the UK this year. You would have thought they were exhausted from this, but no, they whizzed through the majority of their debut album ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?’ with ease before calmly bidding goodnight.
A brief fifteen minute wait for Sheffield’s finest was then in motion before, unexpectedly, the sound of Hot Chocolate’s ‘You Sexy Thing’ echoed around the arena. Alex Turner, followed by his fellow bandmates Matt Helders, Jamie Cook and Nick O'Malley strolled on to the huge stage, their appearances met with blissful shouts and applause.
Delving straight into new heights, they opened with the addictive ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair’. Lyrically the song may not be one of their best, however, it’s a song that stays fixed in your head upon hearing it.
Following this, the band immediately burst into ‘Teddy Picker’ followed by ‘Crying Lighting’. Turner sings effortlessly with his brisk Sheffield accent apparent in almost every song. Now sporting a "Grease Lightning" style haircut, preferring the Elvis Presley look over his former indie mop appearance, Turner stares down at his microphone before gazing at the packed out hall, not needing to respond in a smiley fashion.
Common numbers like ‘Brianstorm’, ‘The View From The Afternoon’ and ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ are all crowd-pleasers. It sounds cliché, but the crowd literally went wild.
New songs from 'Suck It And See', such as ‘Brick by Brick’ and ‘The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala’, eloquently fit into their set list, however, the performance lacked a few favourites from their debut album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’.
The Arctic Monkeys proved tonight why they are loved worldwide.
Arctic Monkeys played:
Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair
Teddy Picker
Crying Lightning
The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
Black Treacle
Brianstorm
The View From The Afternoon
I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
Evil Twin
Brick by Brick
Pretty Visitors
This House Is A Circus
Still Take You Home
Dance Little Liar
She's Thunderstorms
Fluorescent Adolescent
Do Me A Favour
When The Sun Goes Down
Encore:
Suck It and See
Mardy Bum
505
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Following this, the band immediately burst into ‘Teddy Picker’ followed by ‘Crying Lighting’. Turner sings effortlessly with his brisk Sheffield accent apparent in almost every song. Now sporting a "Grease Lightning" style haircut, preferring the Elvis Presley look over his former indie mop appearance, Turner stares down at his microphone before gazing at the packed out hall, not needing to respond in a smiley fashion.
