And, as I’m thrown into the air by a couple of so-called “friends” – nearly being evicted from the venue by a burly bouncer – it is remarkable to see how much they have evolved as a band, writes Ryan Butcher.
After a summer of high-profile festival appearances at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Bloc Party received a fair share of negative criticism. This year, it seems they fell flat on such a vast, outdoor soundscape.
However, if their performances at the rest of their run of dates this month – dubbed “Bloctober” by the band – are anything like their appearance at the Engine Shed, then they have surely found a stride they are both confident and comfortable with.
Sonically, Bloc Party’s third album, Intimacy, saw the band at their most self-indulgent. Many of the tracks took a lot of work to get into, lacking the immediate appeal of their first two efforts. However, when performed, each note of every alternating time signature seemed to jump alive.
Signs and Ion Square both boast that rare combination of intelligence and delicacy, without coming across as disheartening, whereas Mercury and latest single One More Chance sound like the soundtrack to the rave at the end of the world.
But the band didn’t just stick to their newer material, playing a plethora of tracks from their back catalogue and sparking waves of euphoria from the exuberant crowd.
Banquet and Helicopter, predictably, received the biggest reactions of the night, confirming their status as modern indie classics, whilst Silent Alarm album track Positive Tension, at the request of a singled-out girl in the crowd, still managed to rear its monstrous head. Song For Clay (Disappear Here) sparked riotous scenes, with girls losing their shoes and bodies flying in every direction, while The Prayer thundered to life, sparking an eerie, almost cult-like reaction.
Unfortunately, before Bloc Party could finish their last song – presumably the top-ten hit Flux – the Engine Shed was evacuated due to the activation of the fire alarm.
The disappointment of the 1,500-strong crowd spoke volumes, as fans gathered outside the venue yearning for more.
If this truly is Bloc Party’s final tour for a while, they will be sorely missed by a legion of well-deserved devotees.
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