Birmingham are treated to a spirited appearance from the Welsh five-piece
Not that many bands drop a red curtain before their appearances these days. Faith No More did so for their reformation in 2009, but as the curtain parts at the Birmingham O2 Academy, a sense of occasion fills the venue. Paired with the sound of thunder crashing all around the room, the red curtains have separated to reveal motionless figures drowned in frenzied lighting.
Starting with 'Sunshine', the set was understandably dominated by songs from latest album 'Dirt', but the ensemble impressively still managed to include several tunes from their debut release 'Smart Casual'. The only omission from the 'Dirt' album was the concluding song 'Artbreaker II', but the high standard of the set meant that the predominantly-instrumental track was not missed at all.
The Saturdays' singer Frankie Sandford may not have been present, but this mattered not, with the thousands in attendance joining in for 'Undercover Lover'. During the show, the backdrop of lights effectively transformed from the initials of the band's name to four letter words such as 'SING', 'CLAP' and 'MOSH,' acting as great encouragement for the fans to enhance the atmosphere.
Beloved single 'Give Me What I Want' was unsurprisingly met with delight, boasting a chorus that is difficult not to like. Making the most of the band's growing popularity, singer Aled Phillips shared some of his vocal duties with the audience, but fortunately not to the extremity of artists like Robbie Williams, who are likely to leave you wanting your money back as a result of persistently throwing the vocals to the fans.
A glance over to the Kids in Glass Houses merchandise stand revealed shirts with the Welshmen's song title 'The Best is Yet To Come' printed on them. Whilst intended to promote their latest single, it does also suitably reflect on the potential of the band. The group don't necessarily have an all-star aura to them, but they have expertly tapped into the pop-punk genre and know what it takes to succeed in the overpopulated genre.
Concluding their encore with their UK rock chart-topping single 'Matters At All', Kids in Glass Houses departed on a high. There may well be more electrifying live bands on the circuit, but the Cardiff rockers undoubtedly continue to deliver pleasing performances. Funeral tribute letters displaying 'DIRT', the title of the Welsh group's second studio album, the group proved with their performance that their status is far from dead and will continue to blossom for many years to come.