Biffy Clyro, your time is now.
Biffy Clyro have had one hell of a year - skyrocketed to stardom off the back of their latest album Puzzle, and now filling respectable venues effortlessly. The band kick off with ‘Saturday Superhouse’, their most riotous and exciting song from their latest release and the crowd instantly sing along. It becomes quickly apparent that their vocals are more aggressive than previous shows, but this serves only as fire for the fans enthusiasm.
Next up is ‘Who’s Got a Match?’, another album highlight that translates so perfectly into the live setting that it simply has to be seen to be believed. The raw energy flowing through this Scottish trio’s music revives old favourites such as ‘Justboy’ and ‘Joy. Discovery. Invention’ into anthemic bursts of power. Whilst some bands find it hard to fit older material into their live shows, Biffy Clyro have no such trouble, for the crowd sings along to every word of every song.
The Southampton Guildhall nearly caves in as the meaty bassline of ‘A Whole Child Ago’ begins. As a slightly more melodic track in their collection, it’s a welcome change of pace that allows the crowd to catch their breath before ‘The Conversation Is...” takes over almost instantly.
Biffy Clyro then take us back to 2003 with ‘All The Way Down’. It’s another slower paced song that highlights the bands ability to infuse even their more melodic work with emotion and suspense. Of course, nothing can compare to the focal point of both their set and latest album. As ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’ booms out it’s apparent that Biffy Clyro have finally nailed the sound and fulfilled the potential seen in them by so many people. It’s a long way from the Aldershot West End Centre where I first saw Biffy play live. The crowd are thrown into a frenzy as the song breaks into motion, the band are on top form and the music seems so urgent and intense that it’s impossible to look away.
Of course, after such an intense song, the band have trouble matching it with their next song, so they opt for another slower song but one that is equally anthemic. ‘Love Has a Diameter’, with its driving bassline and emphasis on vocal work goes down well and leads into ‘Now I’m Everyone’.
Frequently, when bands perform a set so heavy with new material, many fans will complain, but Biffy Clyro once again prove that they are different, for not a single person appears to be disappointed with their choice of songs tonight, and the band finish up the evening with a trio of great choices- firstly, ‘Glitter and Trauma’, proving that Biffy Clyro have always been at the forefront of modern rock with it’s funky beats and catchy chorus. ‘As Dust Dances’ takes the pace down again, before the final song of the night, surprisingly from their first album, begins. ‘57’, in all its glory, givces the crowd one last chance to sing their hearts out and enjoy the emotional, highly-charged rock that Biffy Clyro do so well. So often bands who become popular are lacking in material or ambition, but with Biffy Clyro the possibilities for this Scottish trio are endless.