Monday 12th July 2010 @ Thekla, Bristol

For some, tonight is a chance to see the most intimate Bloc Party gig since Kele and co first hit the scene back in 2004 when they played the likes of The Louisiana and The Fleece. It is clear to see a lot of Kele’s following are avid Bloc Party fans with their merch shirts and the whispers of being fans since Silent Alarm, pledging allegiance and flying their flags for tonight’s headliner. There seems to be a somewhat unusual tension in the air though as we wait for the now solo singer to arrive. Maybe this is due to the rumours’ that Bloc Party may not return from their hiatus and as Kele seems to be the one out doing something different, he is perhaps the instigator and unforgivable in some die-hard’s eyes.

A neon blue ‘Kele’ sign flashes alight rear of stage to announce his arrival. He is joined on stage with his three-piece band; drums, keys and various electronic synthesizers act as the backdrop to King Kele’s sermon this evening. The flashing strobes kick in and the place feels electric. After the first song, Okereke is already stating; “Bristol are always a good crowd”. By the second, girls are screaming for Kele to get his top off to which he replies laughing; “Hey, we’re not at a JLS gig, this is real music”.

Now referring to his ‘other’ band rather than his ‘old’ band, like mentioned at previous gigs, Okereke jumps into a medley of Bloc Party hits that some may see is ill-advised but hey, who are we to judge? He wrote it, has a right to play it and when it vibes the room up this much, who really cares?

What tonight essentially feels like is a great club night, an avid live performance of a Bloc Party remix album - while Kele is striving to do something new, this is essentially what it sounds like. One could even imagine he drew influence from hearing what other strange places people had taken his sound.

For his second encore he ends with dance-heavy 2007 single Flux and again Okereke shows what a true showman he is, daring to be different yet not completely submitting himself to change. We wait with baited breath as to whether King Kele now tries to carve out his own kingdom or return to the homeland of Bloc Party. Either way, Kele is sure to be a face for years to come. Even if he doesn’t inherit any throne, he’ll be a prince to many.

www.iamkele.com

Laura Palmer
Photos by Laura Palmer