Arctic Monkeys at Finsbury Park

My first outdoor gig of the summer. And it was dry.

It has been years since I have been to a gig at Finsbury Park. They had an innovation of putting a wide ring of barriers around the stage and then only letting in a certain number to the inner sanctum. To help crowd control no doubt. Anyway it was fine.

First up on the bill were Royal Blood. Now there is a good reason why one rarely comes across duos of guitarist/singer and drummer. Only really the White Stripes who pulled this off. It doesn't really give you a sophisticated sound. It didn't for Royal Blood either. Bit crude.

My trainee having joined me from work, next up on the Friday evening bill was the great Leighton Baines lookalike, Miles Kane and his band. Have seen Miles a number of times and he ever disappoints. The crowd really liked him. An act that can get by without a set of hit songs behind him. Of course his mate, and co Last Shadow Puppeteer was yet to come.

Fortified by some chips and another beer, we returned to our compound to see the main support, Tame Impala. This was the first time I had seen this outfit, and the first time they had played such a big stage. It showed. The crowd were noticeably less enthusiastic for them than for Miles, although not necessarily less enthusiastic. They fall into the shoe-gazing category. They play for themselves more than the audience, and tended to form into a huddle as if for protection. They have a very decent sound, verging on prog rock without steeping over the boundary, but I have to say that if one heard them on cd one doesn't get anything more from seeing them live.

Not so from headliners the Arctic Monkeys. Alex Turner is getting too cool for skool. He frequently combed back his greased hair during the gg, and was wearing a cross between a jacket and a kimono with a bird-dropping pattern. But if you act cool enough and are a rock star you can get away with anything. And they did play a storming set with their now fine back catalogue of hits, although featuring more on AM, their latest album. But then again, unlike many bands, their latest is very good. They came on to AM's opening track, Do I wanna know?, which just has such a good intro to it that its just the perfect opener.

My trainee and I both went home happy, and with the extra bonus that we both live relatively nearby. For a gig that finishes at 10:30 I don't normally expect to get home just after 11. Good night all round.