You would be forgiven for thinking you are about to read a review from 15 years ago, writes Alan Tobi.
But Scotland’s biggest rock export Biffy Clyro faced a West Yorkshire die hard crowd of little more than 100 fans this week.
They were the lucky competition winners of a Leeds Festival competition, organised to promote the band’s 10th appearance at this August Bank Holiday weekend’s event.
Better known for arena tours, the established Kilmarnock band stripped the notorious power chords for a one night only acoustic set, ahead of the release of their seven studio album ‘Ellipsis’ in July.
Opening with smash hit ‘The Captain’, tonight was an opportunity to try out some new material while nodding to their vast and compelling back catalogue of anthemic British rock.
And having used 2015 as a year to re-charge the batteries, Biffy sounded more confident and accomplished than ever.
The band signified fan appreciation with regular banter between songs, adding to the treat for those who made it into one of Leeds’ newest and more compact venues.
New song ‘Medicine’ was warmly welcomed, as were sing-a- long tracks such as ‘Mountains’ and ‘Black Chandelier’.
In a recent interview, lead singer Simon Neil admitted the band had ‘spent a long time working on new songs’, drawing influences from many genres.
He confessed to ‘taking the mind set of modern hip hop records’ and declared that this time, all rules were out of the window. ‘Rock music shouldn’t be friendly, it should be exciting’ he said.
Crowd favourites ‘Machines and ‘Different People’ concluded a very exciting night in Leeds for both fans and the band, who will this month head out into Europe for the festival season.
Neil departed the stage by thanking fans and told them he will ‘see them in a field in August’. Europe you are in for a treat– ‘Mon the Biff!’
I am sure it won’t be long before Leeds Festival performance number eleven comes calling.
