The Maccabees are like that lovely fuzzy feeling you get when you’re in love. Their first, Colour It In, was fun, fast and full of youthful bounce, bursting at the seams with track after track of pure indie energy. Whilst their second, Wall Of Arms, is a more mature outing. Their songs immersed in more epic waters, built for bigger things, bigger venues, and a promise that this band are growing from strength to strength. The Maccabees music is quite simply, a joy to behold.
So what about them as a live act?!
Brixton Academy is a superb home for music. It’s decadent in its furnishings but hasn’t lost the lovable dinge of a decent London gig venue. The Maccabees herald from the south of the capital, with lead singer Orlando Weeks growing up only 10 minutes from the arena, so the band seemed to relish being home. Sending the sold out crowd away, fit to burst with a three course feast of the entire Wall Of Arms album, a large amount of Colour It In and some enjoyable B-sides to wipe their plates clean.
The set jumped back and forth between their most loved tracks, the brilliant Latchmere, Lego and No Kind Words to previously unheard Hearts That Strangle and Accordion – a song that saw Weeks step back from the mic, armed with said instrument. And it’s clear why he’s the singer, as the tracks felt a tad empty, missing his haunting tone. But aside from this dip, the usual suspects Precious Time and First Love were particular highlights that threw the crowd into a bubbly frenzy, arm in arm singing until their vocal chords gave in; whilst William Powers’ slow building momentum, rose to a clattering crescendo, ferociously urging the crowd to let loose and was an absolute delight, bathing Brixton Academy in a fantastic red light.
Their encore wasn’t too shabby either. Orlando and the gang teased with the quiet, atmospheric Bag Of Bones, before unleashing Seventeen Hands, a Wall of Arms, Arcade Fire affair buffered with a brass section that blew the roof off; and ending on Love You Better, a crowd pleasing Maccabees anthem, ticking the “end on a big one” box with a massive metaphorical marker pen.
The band clearly loves Brixton Academy and last Saturday was their homecoming ball. The songs were great, the crowd in a mood to party and The Maccabees determined to give it their all. Felix (guitarist and backing vocals) thanked the crowd for giving them “possibly the gig of their lives”, encapsulating the band’s overwhelming pleasure in their fans that adore them. And after a long tour gone and a new one ahead (supporting the Editors); The Maccabees were happy to be back home for a night. So comfortable in their surroundings, that all was missing were slippers and a pipe.
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The Maccabees are like that lovely fuzzy feeling you get when you’re in love. Their first, Colour It In, was fun, fast and full of youthful bounce, bursting at the seams with track after track of pure indie energy. Whilst their second, Wall Of Arms, is a more mature outing. Their songs immersed in more epic waters, built for bigger things, bigger venues, and a promise that this band are growing from strength to strength. The Maccabees music is quite simply, a joy to behold.
