Amy Lazell

‘Now that’s a number one if ever I heard one’ were the words of KAISER CHIEFS front man Ricky Wilson after debuting a new track from their yet to be released album. The occasion? The homecoming show of the Kaiser chiefs employment tour, millennium square, Leeds.

Going into the venue and finding myself stood next to a piss head who thought we were here to see the killers and a little boy of about 3 who for 3 hours would not stop screaming ‘Kaiser Chiefs, Kaiser Chiefs’, I was a little bit dubious, and need I say it, soaked from the freezing cold rain. Not the best way to start an evening. However, as the night went on, the atmosphere became more and more electric as support acts DUELS and THE AUTOMATIC worked the hundreds of ‘chiefettes’ into a frenzy of anticipation for the band they had all come to see. I was particularly impressed with THE AUTOMATIC, especially the keyboard ‘dude’ who was as hyper as a child in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory and at one point nearly broke his neck balancing on an amp. A few of the guys behind me seemed to wish that had happened, but I found myself really rating them all. They are ones to watch in the future.

As the red velvet stage size curtains pulled back (found myself explaining to the piss head that the K and C on the curtains stood for Kaiser Chiefs not ‘killers clan’, it was clear we were in for a good show. The opening bars of Everyday I love you less and less rocked the square, sending the ‘chiefettes’ insane and several beers flying. At that point, I felt like the night could be going somewhere. The Kaisers worked their way steadily through the album, adding in some new tracks from their yet to be named album, which as first impressions go show that second album fatigue has not yet set in.

Ricky Wilson is a performer in every way; he got the crowd involved, in everything from singing along to Mexican waves. They closed the show on a high with their encore version of ‘Oh My God’. Special mention must go to Nick ‘peanut’ Baines, who got the audience providing percussion beats to ‘modern way’.  The night overall was a great success for Kaiser Chiefs, everything a homecoming show should be.

They renewed my faith in them that they aren’t one trick ponies, they are all born performers. Good effort lads and long may they reign as one of Yorkshires most popular exports.

Rating:

7/10

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