Metronomy: Making everything go their way
Kicking off the 13 night tour in Glasgow's O2 Academy with sprawling teens head to toe in Topshop, the NME Awards Tour was in town. With a four band bill of the magazine's hottest acts of the moment, the in-crowd had the venue packed and ready to party early doors, forming quite possibly the edgiest after school club known to man.
Straight from Harlem, potty-mouthed mean girl, Azealia Banks, opened the NME Awards Tour with attitude. Ranking high in the Sound Of 2012, Miss Banks mixed quick-lipped rapping with banging beats and clubby glitch, to get the young crowd on her side immediately. Whether it was by choice or by fear was questionable, but she's certainly as good at holding a crowd as I imagine she is at four-lettered Scrabble.
Indie rock 'n' rollers of the moment, Tribes, featured next on the four band bill. With a slighly lofi jangle, the four piece had pheromones in a fluster, with girlish screams to match their guitars from the image conscious crowd. Hooks and haircuts from the trendy Camden boys kept the party rolling, as giddy screams intensified towards tonight's headliners.
Opening with a slow burner, the quirky noise pop of Metronomy raised the game of the crowd like a giant bag of Smarties. After the build of wonky synths, the most experienced band on tonight's bill burst into The Bay from last year's album, The English Riviera. With bright lights and hands in air, the geek chic band do their own thing with their distinct psychedelic sound. Old favourites like Heartbreaker had the crowd screeching along, though it was when they leaned towards heavier synths that tonight's Skins idolising bunch really got involved. "Here we, here we, here we fu..."
Continuing to ride the wave of success from their 2010 debut album, Tourist History, headliners, Two Door Cinema Club entered the stage like Rocky with their own bright lights and booming intro. Sending pints of fizzy pop flying in the air, Alex Trimble and co broke into angular guitars for album opener Cigarettes In The Theatre. Harsh jolts of lighting and a shrill electronic backing made the sprint of this track even more attention seeking than usual, with no signs of sleep as it crept closer to bed time. A band who always remain incredibly sincere regardless of their success, it wasn't long before they were thanking fans for coming out to see them tonight.
Breakthrough single Undercover Martyn started a stampede from the front of the Top Of The Pops style stage setup to the back of the crowd, which was maintained on a scurry of drums for the remainder of their set. Mixing best known tracks with newer material, it would seem their new album can't come quick enough for enthusiastic fans.
Keeping bang on trend, the NME Awards Tour offered up a varied bill to keep fingers on the pulse and feet dancing, as well as the opportunity to relive the calorie crunching metabolism of your youth through perspiration alone.
People who read this story also read
-
Coronation Street spoiler: Rosie gets a job in London
Rosie is delighted to have been offered a place on a reality TV show in London, but what does that mean for her and Jason?
-
Rachel Sermanni reveals debut album plan and excitement at Celtic Connections return
-
Weatherwatch with Sean Batty: cool new series for STV weatherman
- Gary Barlow signs host of Diamond Jubilee acts
- Noel Gallagher collects ladies underwear
