Tonight is Elbow’s 3rd sell out appearance at
London’s 02 Arena. That, in itself is one hell of a feat when you consider how
difficult it is for a down-tempo indie band to get airplay on any radio station
these days.
When they first played the 02 in 2011, it was a cause for
celebration. Everyone was jubilant the humble mancunians had finally hit the
big time. 3 years on, this reporter was wondering what they could do to produce
the magic of similar to those gigs.
The answer comes in the form of the word intimacy. This
reporter has been enthralled by Suede, Noel Gallagher and The Verve at the 02
but the corporate setting always left a feeling of detachment between band and
crowd. Elbow, through the wit of Guy Garvey and the richness of the ballads, transport
you to the ballroom of a holiday camp you cherished as a kid with loved ones
all around.
The warmth they generate is astonishing, especially when you
consider songs like ‘Fly Boy Blue/Lunette’ and ‘The Night Will Always Win’. These
are tales of loss of Garvey’s closest friends and are so personal it’s
impossible to not relay his emotions to you own experiences of loss, something which
never gets any easier no matter how much time passes.
The set is closed with the inspiring ‘Lippy Kids’ and the
euphoric ‘One Day Like This’. Both tracks are so awe inspiring you would be
hard pressed to find anyone who walked away tonight in anything other than a
state of glee. One onlooker was heard saying ‘it was even better than Wet, Wet,
Wet’, so, there you have it.
