Arctic Monkeys - Newcastle, 5th Nov. 2011

I moved to our glorious capital around ten weeks ago for university. I was scared and nervous, but also looking forward to it, I have to say. It’s been great so far, and sometimes when I walk around the city, my breath is just taken away from me, and I can’t help but think, “wow, I can’t believe I live here.” It’s absolutely crazy. There’s always something to do or see, somewhere to go, and people to meet. In all honesty, there’s too much to do really. London is quite strange. It’s a massive change to a little seaside town on the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne. It’s busier, louder and faster. People here have things to do, so asking for directions or the time is a massive inconvenience. Waiting longer than two minutes for the tube is an outrage, and I even found myself internally complaining about my six minute wait for the next train the other day. Back in Newcastle, fifteen minutes is the standard wait time, so I couldn't‘ help but laugh at myself for acting like a Londoner. But you get sucked into it, this “hustle and bustle” as they call it. The 24-hour lifestyle becomes your lifestyle. One thing I haven’t changed is my accent. (Although my friend Jordan would disagree, as I said “Mum” once, haha.) I like how people know where I’m from instantly, and most people like the way I speak. Apparently, it is “cute,” which I accept. With others however, (and these are people known to the world as arseholes,) my accent seems to sicken them. As if because I don’t speak RP, or because I say “Mam” instead of “Mummy dearest,” I’m “wrong” One man said to me, “oh you should be less northern, yah.” My response? “You should be less of a dick.” Some people would love to see the world a more boring and stuck up place, and I honestly do not have the time to listen to people like this and their absolutely dire spiel. With these types of people (and they are in a minority) as the exception, London is a lovely place.

I visited home for the first time since leaving a few weeks back, yes to see my parents, dog and friends, but mainly to see Arctic Monkeys, who were playing at the Metro Radio Arena on the Saturday night. This gig would be the fourth time I’ve seen them live, they are one of my all time favourites. The support band was The Vaccines, and although I like a few of their songs, I found that during every song I was thinking, “is this one I know?” - they all sound fairly similar until the vocals come in. Turns out, I know two. “Post break up sex” is one, and that one about “if you want to come back,” which I can’t remember the name of. They’re not exactly bad, but I found it slightly boring and couldn’t describe them as anything more than average. As they’re continually being described as “the must see band of 2011” by various music publications, I have to conclude that these publications are full of shite. If you’re reading Vaccines, (which let’s face it, you’re probably not) I preferred listening to you on Spotify, it was more interesting.

Arctic Monkeys however, are a completely different ball game. Although I’m not entirely convinced Alex Turner’s new hair is not the result of a lost bet, as a front man he’s first class. Now various music publications, this is the must see band of 2011 - as they were in 2006, and every year after. Five months previously, I saw them at their homecoming gig. It was held in a field, in a tent at the Don Valley Bowl in Sheffield. It had (and don’t ask me how) the intimacy of a small show, the power of a stadium show, and the friendly feel of a festival. All these components added to the fact it was a home town concert - and the Arctic Monkeys were absolutely incredible - made it one of my favourite gigs I’ve ever been to. I do think that all artists are better in their hometowns, mainly due to the pride oozing from the crowd (“yeah! Local lads have made it big!”) but I also feel like the band have a kind of debt to the town in which they first performed. I see it as almost a duty to the town, a sort of “thanks for watching us when we didn’t fully know what we were doing, look at us now.”

Getting back to my hometown and the gig I initially set out to review, however... The set was filled with a collection of songs from all albums. It was clearly a setlist formed with everyone in mind - fans of all albums, new and old, a “crowd pleaser,” if you’ll excuse the cliché. One thing I did notice about the crowd is that they were very young, even I felt old, at the (not so old) age of eighteen. Be it their youthfulness, or child like idea of dominance to impress friends, they caused a lot of mosh pits. More than I expected, or quite frankly could be bothered to deal with. I did all this when I was into metal. Don’t get me wrong, I hate a stationary crowd, but I have better things to be doing than being pushed on the dirty, sticky floor and trampled on thanks. It didn’t stop me enjoying the show, but I did feel kind of like I’d seen it before. The stage was almost identical to the Sheffield summer concert, and the set almost identical to the November 2009 show I saw, but obviously with album number four’s songs making an appearance as well. But yes, a tad repetitive, for example ending on 505 (but with no confetti canon?! Shocking!) and slowing down Mardy Bum (a song I have never heard at it’s recorded tempo.) Luckily for Arctic Monkeys, they’re good at what they do, and as a die hard fan they could do nothing but an acoustic set of completely new songs no one had ever heard and I’d still think the £35 ticket was them ripping themselves off.

New York City

November 2010.

My Eighteenth birthday.


TIMES SQUARE.


HOBOKEN, NJ. CAKE BOSS.


LIBRARY.


AMERICAN IDIOT ON BROADWAY.