ShareKaiser Chiefs performing at The Wolverhampton Racecourse on Saturday 1st September 2018.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
With the sun setting it was left to the Kaiser Chiefs to bring the curtain down on two days of great music last night at the delightful Wolverhampton Racecourse, and to the approval of this packed crowd, the Leeds band certainly knew how to put on a show as they delivered hit after bona fide hit.
Bursting on to the stage to open with Everyday I Love You Less and Less, the atmosphere was immediately electric with the crowd jumping around with their arms in the air, and the energy did not stop there.
Fronted by the enigmatic Ricky Wilson, the other band members were content to allow him to take centre stage and to be the focus of attention, and that is exactly what he was as he ran around the stage, jumped onto the drum kit, stood on the amplifiers and furiously head banged.
He delivered Kaiser Chiefs’ easily digestible rock anthems with the energy of a Duracell Bunny and it was an absolute riot. Equally striking was how comfortable their recent material like Parachute from 2016’s Stay Together sat alongside the bands big hitting singles from the past. New song Hole In My Soul was as well received as oldies such as Modern Way and The Angry Mob, with the common denominator being the energetic way in which they were delivered.
With Wilson’s passion for the music spilling over into the crowd, the rest of the band held their own. The songs were carried by Vijay Mistrey’s imposing drum beats, Andrew White’s powerful guitar hooks and solos, Nick Baine’s smooth keyboard interludes and Simon Rix’s neat bass lines all served to create a polished and engaging set with the likes of Everything Is Average Nowadays and Never Miss A Beat.
Having worked through the band’s impressive catalogue of hits, the entire set kept the crowd transfixed and dancing to all of their favourite tunes, with standout songs that proved favourites on the night included Ruby and the raucous I Predict A Riot which induced a mass sing along.
Towards the back end of a blistering set, the band changed the tempo slightly with their version of The Who’s Pinball Wizard which they first performed in 2012 at the Olympics closing concert. Misery Company followed and set closer Coming Home saw the crowd applauding in appreciation.
The pace was really ramped up to a riotous crescendo for the encore by way of fan favourite Na Na Na Na Na and the opening chords of the final number was greeted by thundering cheers around the racecourse as the Kaiser Chiefs closed their epic show with Oh My God, a performance supported by the vocals of the entire crowd as Wilson threw streamers over them.
With the sun truly set over the Wolverhampton Racecourse, the horses well stabled and the losing betting slips flitting around the course, everyone who had stayed to watch the Kaiser Chiefs were the undoubted winners on the night.
