Review: Kasabian Rock City Gig
Review: Kasabian Rock City Gig
Leicester band Kasabian returned to Nottingham on October 20th for the first time since their headline performance at the Motorpoint Arena in 2014. A lot has happened since then with lead singer Tom Meighan departing the band and Serge Pizzorno taking up lead singing duties. The Music’s Rob Harvey is assisting the band on this intimate tour to complete the line-up with Pizzorno, Chris Edwards, Ian Matthews and Tim Carter.
This tour was evidently a test of the waters as to where Kasabian will fall without Meighan, and I would recommend any Kasabian fans who are sceptical of a Meighan-less line-up to give the reformed band a go. The band went straight for big Kasabian hits, starting with their 2004 anthem Club Foot followed by 2017 single Ill Ray (The King) and fan favourite Underdog.
Pizzorno assumed front of band responsibilities excellently however it didn’t feel like the festival and arena headlining band of old; though the lack of Meighan was a factor you have to regard especially when you consider if Daron Malakian left System of a Down or if Win Butler left Arcade Fire.
It isn’t going to be the same band and this gig certainly felt like a new Kasabian were born and if you were relying on it being like they formerly were, I suppose you would be pretty disappointed.
They are back down the touring pyramid and now have the task of working their way back up and you must appreciate the challenge they have taken on as a band without their lead singer for the first time in the band’s history.
One thing that did show is that they have put a lot of work into this tour, and you could tell how at one the band were together and the effort they have put in to make the band work post Meighan.
They finished the main set with Kasabian classics Empire, Switchblade Smiles and Vlad the Impaler – the crowd loved it and with every song the older supporters of the band were moving ever closer to the stage. The atmosphere hadn’t changed at all from the bands older gigs and was as good as any other Kasabian concert with the crowd singing every word back to the band.
Rob Harvey fitted in like he has always been a member of Kasabian and sounded great alongside Pizzorno and the band. It is to be seen whether Harvey will feature on future music and tour as a regular fixture, but they chose excellently and at certain points of the gig you felt like Meighan was present.
They encored with Bless This Acid House, Happiness, L.S.F and Fire which felt like a round of appreciation for what they have gone through over the last year and for starting a new chapter of the band. It isn’t the same Kasabian however you look at it, but they are still a band with a cult following, who sound good and put a show on worthy of calling themselves Kasabian.
Personally I cannot wait to see what is next and which musical direction they head in, but one thing is for sure they are back, and they are giving everything to the band which so many people love.
Rating: 4/5
By Daniel Jones
Feature Image: Kasabian Facebook
