ShareArctic Monkeys performing at Hillsborough Park Sheffield on Saturday 10th June 2023.
Review by Kevin Cooper
Sheffield rockers Arctic Monkeys set Hillsborough Park alight on Saturday night for the second of their homecoming concerts that saw them work through plenty of their classics and crowd pleasers along with their more thoughtful new material, essentially playing a greatest hits set which had their ecstatic fans jumping around, arms aloft and singing back every word.
Fronted by the enigmatic Alex Turner, they opened with Brainstorm and at Matt Helders thundering drum intro, the crowd went wild. Following up with the upbeat pulse of Snap Out Of It from 2013’s AM, Turner showed that his voice had stood the test of time.
The moody Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair was an early highlight which saw Turner at the piano, as was the brooding Crying Lightning. Teddy Picker showcased Nick O’Malley’s tight bass work, and there was brilliant guitar work from Jamie Cook on Arabella.
Four Out Of Five induced a mass sing along as did Why Do You Only Call Me When You’re High? Do I Wanna Know? easily has one of the most singable riffs in rock which was enhanced by the signature Turner twang. The beautiful Cornerstone came mid-set and went down a storm with a crowd that were really appreciative.
Mardy Bum segued into There’d Better Be a Mirror Ball, a banger from their latest album, The Car, even though the band’s actual mirror ball didn’t come down on cue. The crowd quietened down for another new song, Perfect Sense, which is a gorgeous reflective ballad.
Whilst some of the new material has yet to kick in with the crowd, it shows that the band’s confidence in them is high, because the magnificent lead single from the album is chosen to close the main set rather than the more obvious choice of 505 which comes before it. Side by side, they showcase Turner’s lyricism at its finest despite them being fifteen years apart.
The encore saw them perform Sculptures Of Anything Goes, a highlight of their newer material and I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor before the crowd took the non-existent roof off the building for the show stopper that is R U Mine?
Turner had dominated the stage, switching between playing electric and acoustic guitar, playing the piano and singing, and with the rest of the band excelling in their roles they had grabbed the attention of this capacity crowd and reminded them that their tunes are still as relevant today as they were over twenty years ago.