Lostprophets at the Olympia
Review: David Dooley
Photos: Sean Smyth
When Lostprophets’ singer Ian Watkins met with GoldenPlec last month (read the interview here) he spoke of aspirations of mainstream success and how he’d like Lostprophets to headline Slane Castle. With tonight being the opening night of the tour to support their fifth album ‘Weapons’, it’s as good a time as any to investigate that aspiration. It’s been six years since Lostprophets were number one on the UK chart and each subsequent release has slipped that little bit further down the charts. So if it’s crossover success they’re after it could be make or break time for them with ‘Weapons’.
When the Welsh quintet take to the stage they certainly know how to make an entrance. Low lighting with stark silhouettes lead straight into the latest single, Bring Em Down. The metal riffing, chant-along was just the invitation everyone under eighteen was waiting for to go a little bit crazy. Starting a show with some of your heavier songs is nothing new, it’s a tried and trusted method to get the crowd on your side from the get go. It works even better if the majority of the participants are under eighteen. Nine songs in a row of similarly structured, guitar led, mid-tempo sing alongs, it does begin to get tedious. We Still Kill the Old Way, Better Off Dead and Make a Move are all guilty of this. For a band with five albums under their belt, it really shouldn’t be the case but the younger participants don’t seem to mind. Perhaps that’s where Lostprophets are being clever, they know exactly who they’re playing to. With that in mind they’re able to give them exactly what they want, which is heavy riffs, sing along choruses and an endless energy on stage.
It’s a shame though because when the distortion pedals are finally turned down and the band stop trying to beat everyone with a wall of sound, the gig takes a turn for the more interesting. A striking example of this welcome change of pace is Last Summer which has as catchy chorus, more so than any of the previous songs which makes the overall set more dynamic. It gives you a bit of perspective to see that they have written some great songs over the years.
Things do get a little embarrassing once we see that all six band members are wearing identical green jackets. A little camaraderie never went astray but surely it’s a step in the wrong direction when the jackets are removed to show matching t-shirts. They aimed for a consistency between them but what they end up with looks like an awkward case of wearing the same clothes unbeknownst that the rest of the band had made the exact same choice.
If there’s one thing however that Lostprophets cannot be faulted for it’s the passion that they put into their live show. Yes, the first half of the set tended to blur together but that didn’t stop them playing with more enthusiasm than a band half their age. Even when they return to play Everyday Combat as an encore they play it with such intensity you would have no idea they had just spent the last hour and a half playing their hearts out.
Surprise of the night however comes from closing song Sway. For all the heaviness throughout tonight’s set you could almost guarantee the last song would finish tonight with a bang. Instead though Sway brings it to a gentle halt, catching everyone off guard.
All in all though Lostprophets have carved out a comfortable place for themselves in modern alternative rock. After a decade and a half they’re clearly in it for the long run. As for that crossover success Mr.Watkins is aiming for; it doesn’t look like it’ll be happening anytime soon.
Lostprophets Photo Gallery
Photos: Sean Smyth
