Venturing out on their first headline tour on February 3rd, The Sherlocks bring with them a whole range of touring experience – having supported band such as Reverend & the Makers, Simple Minds and The Buzzcocks to name a few – yet they clearly ooze their youthful, energetic exuberance through every single chord.
The Sherlocks take to stage with an appreciative look glazed over their faces, as the herd of fans most central and nearest the stage somewhat erupt.
With a no-nonsense beginning to the set, Kiaran; the bands lead singer, delivers each and every note on each of their songs with what looks like relative ease – the same can’t be said for the audience who screech the lyrics back, pint in hand.
It’s a watertight and thoroughly enjoyable set delivered by these young lads, who have been on many peoples radars for some time now. This next year could be a huge one for The Sherlocks, who fixate you from start to finish.
Now there are at least three things you are guaranteed when you attend a Libertines gig – a mass array of Fred Perry polo t-shirts, the customary Pete and Carl on stage banter, and a serious barrel full of anthemic tunes.
As the jeers from the crowd – produced by support acts The Enemy as well as The Sherlocks – set the rumbling atmosphere, The Libertines lash in to set opener ‘Barbarians’, and it is no longer just a mere rumble. Offering up a whole host of crowd favourite sing along lines: “All I want is to scream out loud/And have it up with a mental crowd” – ‘Barbarians’ gets the exact reaction you’re imagining – the same goes for the next few tracks, ‘The Delaney’ and ‘Heart Of The Matter’.
“Alright my lovers?” are the first spoken words from either of the boys, begging the question whether or not they actually know where they are. But once they sarcastically ask “are there any Southampton fans in here?” it soon becomes clear the lads are on fine form as always.
As they plough through their set – consisting largely of tracks from their new album ‘Anthems for Doomed Youth’, they and the crowd simultaneously perk up at the sound of the opening riff of ‘Fame and Fortune’. With the emotional rawness of the boys’ past still distinctly clear, every time they address those turbulent times on stage, there is a true bond between each and every member of the audience. This it seems is why the band are still at it.
Downing his bizarrely coloured pint – of god knows what – they push on in an almost un-Libertines like manner. Efficient, mechanical and hitting almost every note in a clean cut manner.
‘You’re My Waterloo’ – from their new album, takes the whole show down to the slowest of tempos. As Carl takes his seat at the piano, the four minutes that follow are as in your face as ever, in the subtlest and gentlest of ways. As: “You’ll never fumigate the demons/No matter how much you smoke” rings around the pavilion, besides the fans that are whaling along, the rest are left silent.
‘Gunga Din’ and ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ bring the crowd back to life in the most explosive way possible, the biggest thing you take away from a Libertines gig is the sheer electrifying bond between both band and fans. The commitment and admiration from the audience towards this bands vast back-catalogue is surely what keeps them all coming back for more. The audience and the band.
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