We are not the kids we used to be
Alexisonfire - London Forum - 11th November
Opening act The Computers, prove an understandable choice to kick the night off. They’re energy throughout each song is appreciated with gracious applause from the crowd- although the band lacked variety in song structures and chord sequences.
Chickenhawk, fresh of the Australian leg of the Alexisonfire tour, show that while they’re still finding their feet as performers, they are up to the task of holding it together upon the forums stage. Integrating sweeping intros with overwhelming technical skills and clever use of effects, they breeze through a powerful, if slightly detached set.
With a dramatically orchestrated opening, Alexisonfire storm onto the stage beginning with a crowd favourite “Young Cardinals”. Once the crowd is singing along, vocalist George Pettit dives carelessly into the hungry crowd, showing tonight they mean business.
For any fan that endured their latest album “Old Crows/Young Cardinals”, they were rewarded with a treat involving several hits from the album presented in an energetic manor to which set the mood of the night ahead.
Despite the bands Canadian origin, the aptly title, “This Could Be Anywhere in the World” really could be, with imagery of broken cities and disposed people, it screams London when the chorus hits. You can feel the truth in every roar of lyric. For this band that defines a whole generation, giving it a voice with anthemic tracks such as “Boiled Frogs” and “We Are The Sound”. They’ve been representing the hardcore genre since 2001 and their slick performance shows why the have triumphed where so man other similar bands have failed.
Though the set does lag towards the last third, peoples man George Pettit does yet another crowd surf and decides to roam to the top balcony where he is flustered with excited fans. “Dog’s Blood”, a new song departed from the last album achieved in raising the tempo of the set again as it also indicated a new experimental phase for the band.
As the band left the stage without goodbyes or acknowledgement to the crowd’s efforts, an encore was inevitable. “The Northern”, profound more for it’s harmonies and slow tempo - one would argue it was an unusual song choice to begin the encore with. Nevertheless, it indicated that the encore would be longer than a single song. That it was.
The fortunate crowd witnessed the band finishing with old numbers such as “Accidents”; one would say it was an early Christmas to the loyal Alexisonfire veterans amongst the crowd.
Any neutral music lover attending the show without any history of the band were sure to be won over by the emphatic display by Alexisonfire.
