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Gig Review - British Sea Power

Monday 6^th October 2008 @ Academy, Bristol

Minus any ten-foot dancing bears, displays of catch-as-catch-can wrestling or the plastic birds and foliage that customarily adorn the stage at their live shows, British Sea Power tonight showcase their Mercury Music Prize nominated album, Do You Like Rock Music, with no bells attached. Fortunately, British Sea Power’s now three album back catalogue of epic, oft-sweeping, oft-spiky, adjective exhausting, articulate guitar pop is more than a match for any current British group - including a certain clan of Monkeys. Unfortunately, perhaps as a result of inheriting the Mercury Awards over 40s crowd, the audience is frustratingly sedated.

Remember Me, is so hot it spits, while the blitzkrieg of Favours In The Beetroot Fields is a reminder to the rumoured to be re-re-forming Pixies where the bar is currently at. Please Stand Up and Larson B, showcase the groups impressive pop sensibilities a-la The Cure but it’s the wailing guitars of perennial live favourites Carrion and Apologies To Insect Life that finally shock the audience’s hearts into life and receive the biggest response of the night so far. Current single, Waving Flags then follows to loud cheers before the group regretfully leave the stage just as they begin to build real momentum.

However, by the time they reappear for an extended encore the room is in near rapture as the audience, prompted by the giant screen at the back of the stage, breaks into a chant of, “Easy, Easy, Easy!” (the opening refrain from previous single, No Lucifer) at a volume Big Daddy himself would have been proud of. The group launch into the aforementioned song followed by the crashing cymbals and ear-splitting guitars of regular set closer, Rock In A, accompanied by strobe lights and smoke.

When British Sea Power get it right you need a crash helmet. Sadly, for at least two thirds of tonight, the audience is too sedate, too polite (ironically, too British) for the gig to be as chaotic and exciting as the tunes. And if you can’t get excited about these tunes, it’s time to check your pulse; wake up Bristol!