Kasabian live are certainly a force to be reckoned with. Seven years after the release of their self-titled début album they have taken an interesting and slightly unusual career path. They’ve achieved mainstream commercial success, the ability so sell out arenas and are only a stones throw away from becoming serious contenders to headline the biggest of festivals. However they have done this whilst staying true to themselves creatively. Even the band agree, speaking about their 2009 album ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ guitarist and songwriter Sergio Pizzorno said:

“With what we’re into, we shouldn’t really be as big as we are. You shouldn’t get big off a concept record about madness where you’re dressed as a priest on the cover.”

They kick tonight off doing what they do best, mid-tempo, high-energy rock complete with huge choruses and enough bravado to fill The O2 many times over. Serge cheering the crowd on from the tip toe front of the stage despite having not yet played a note. This bravado is of course nothing to be ashamed of. They’ve written songs they’re clearly very proud of, so playing them like this certainly makes the delivery all the more sincere.

With four albums under their belt they now have a wide collection of tracks to choose from, with the newer tracks feeling right at home among classics such as ‘Club Foot’ and ‘Empire’. Opener ‘Days Are Forgotten’ was certainly made to open a show such as this.

The set is quite dynamic and split into three sections almost. Part 1: let everyone here know you’ve arrived with a four song blitz of ‘Days Are Forgotten’, ‘Shoot the Runner’, ‘Velociraptor’ & ‘Underdog’. Part 2: take it down a notch to let everyone catch their breath with another four song group but this time of slower songs ‘Where Did All the Love Go’, ‘I.D.’, ‘Man of Simple Pleasures’ and ‘Thick As Thieves’. Part 3: play the night out with another ten or so of your most popular songs, slow and fast.

Visually the entire show is incredibly impressive and it’s great to see the band having a well thought out stage show. In addition to the fairly standard screens flanking the stage they’ve added a spectacular curved screen that warps around the back of the stage. The screens most impressive work comes during the anime inspired visuals for ‘Velociraptor!’.

The highlight of the night comes from the trio of songs that close the set. After leaving the stage to a deafening applause Kasabian return to the arpeggiated synth intro of ‘Switchblade Smiles’. With it they proceed to turn The O2 into a warehouse sized rave that kicks into gear right after Sergio’s screams during the intro. It also helps that frontman Tom Meighan catches a tricolour mid-song.

‘Vlad the Impaler’ keeps the frantic pace ensuring there’s no let up until these boys leave the stage for the night and I highly doubt there’s a single static body in the room at this stage. Ending the set with ‘Fire’ is hardly a surprise, it’s a song that sums Kasabian up very well. It’s their biggest hit, a constant staple in nightclubs all over yet it starts with a ramshackle beat and it jumps between time signatures for the verse and the chorus. Not the standard check list for producing a massive hit. The massive chorus on the other hand has everything a sing along chorus needs: easy lyrics, and a sing along melody that can be belted out by the drunkest, most tone deaf of punter. Live, they even go so far as to add a stomping kick drum clap for the bridge that lifts the song that one step further. Leaving the stage draped in a tricolour to a roaring Olé chant Kasabian have truly earned their spot as of modern rocks biggest acts.

Setlist
Days Are Forgotten
Shoot The Runner
Velociraptor!
Underdog
Where Did All The Love Go?
I.D.
Man Of Simple Pleasures
Thick As Thieves
Take Aim
Club Foot
Re-wired
Empire
La Fée Verte
Fast Fuse
Misirlou (Dick Dale and His Del-Tones cover)
Goodbye Kiss
L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)

Encore:
Switchblade Smiles
Vlad The Impaler
Fire