Gig Reviews

Cage the Elephant

Image Credit: Jessica McCarrick

Venue O2 Academy

The start of a prolific tour across the UK and Europe, the arrival of Cage the Elephant at O2 Academy didn’t have quite the frosty reception that the weather might predict. Instead, on the night things quickly heat up as the Kentucky rockers unleash a completely frenzied storm upon the venue, enough to rival even Storm Dennis’ wrath just outside those walls. With support from American punk-rockers SWMRS, who absolutely shine on songs like ‘Miley’, the sold-out crowd was electrified from the get-go.

Matt Schultz is an absolute vision of brazen confidence and Mick Jagger esque swagger as he storms onto stage to the sounds of ‘Broken Boy’ from their latest album, Social Cues, an album regarded by NME as seeing the band “truly find themselves”. It’s an album that in its recorded state is good but there’s a sense that there is something lacking. Performed live, however, it is completely transformed – perhaps due to the distinct shining quality that frontman Schultz possesses.

A perfectly curated setlist, the band guide the crowd through old and new, with the audience knowing every word regardless of how recently the song was released. Of course, tracks like ‘Cold Cold Cold’ and ‘Come a Little Closer’ go down a treat, unifying the crowd completely, but more recent releases like ‘Skin and Bones’ are equally as charming. Arguably, ‘Trouble’ is the most heart-warming moment of the night. Arms are everywhere around one another or in the air and it’s nothing short of magical. The bands music completely lends itself to sing-alongs, which completely makes the night – ‘Cigarette Daydreams’ is always going to be a special song but singing it with 2000 other people is something else.

The night draws to an end with an encore of two acoustic numbers by a lone Schultz – lulling the room to a peaceful contentment. He serenades his Leeds fans with ‘Goodbye’, and it’s perfectly bittersweet.

Neive McCarthy

Inhaler

Image Credit: Kelsey Raynor

Venue Leeds Beckett Student Union

Haling in from Dublin, four-piece Inhaler brave the stormy weather with their tour and make their long-awaited return to Leeds to provide an unforgettable soldout show.

The quartet don’t fail to live up to their reputation of being comparable to Echo and the Bunnymen and Editors. Perhaps more obviously there are sounds reminiscent of U2, particularly with frontman Elijah Hewson, Bono’s son, having undoubtedly grown up around their influence. While both their lyrics and sound remain modern, a single listen to ‘My Honest Face’ and it all becomes clear that Inhaler are producing a sound that is very much embedded within and endowed to another era – an era that the audience, including myself, love. Doors opened promptly at 7:30 and Leeds Beckett’s Student Union filled up quickly with much of the audience appearing to be in great anticipation for Inhaler’s support act, FEET. Needless to say, FEET also put on a spectacular show and utilised every bit of stage space they had with their rock ‘n’ roll stage presence.

Inhaler took to the stage shortly after 9pm to deliver their short but sweet set, providing everyone with an eclectic mix of tunes. The group didn’t skimp out on new projects as they intertwined several new tracks with their much-loved ones such as ‘Ice Cream Sundae’ and ‘We Have to Move On’. Having been musically entwined with each other since their school days, the magnetism between the four was blatant as they exchanged glances of awe and happiness between themselves while performing – evidence that their Leeds crowd blew them away just as much as they put us in awe.

The mixture of fans that filled the venue only proved the their appeal to the masses and the great range of their sound further; with the crowd ranging from students to an older audience, more specifically this one biker-looking bloke at the back who was evidently having the time of his life.

As the bands performance came to a close, much to the despair of their audience, it’s clear to see that the boys musical career together has only just begun.