Arctic Monkeys, Arena Birmingham - review with pictures
Thousands of fans descended on Birmingham this weekend for not one, but two, jam-packed shows by Arctic Monkeys.
Performing their second of the Midland gigs last night, the Sheffield rockers barely came up for air as they played song after song for the duration of their 75-minute set.
Made up of a wide range of ages, the lively audience was absolutely huge - filling every inch of Arena Birmingham - and the atmosphere was nothing short of electric.
Their excitable energy was infectious, the seating area shook as fans jumped and danced, while the standing section - packed from front to back - was a sea of bouncing, singing bodies.
Fronted by the animated Alex Turner, the band was faultless throughout the show, made all the more evident by the unwaveringly crisp, clean sound.
Dressed in beige bootleg trousers, a white tank top, and black necktie, the 32-year-old singer was without doubt star of the show; his excellent wide range and unique, rich tone impressing throughout, as he acted out many of the song lyrics or danced along.
Drummer Matt Helders also stood out, with wonderfully heavy, thunderous beats - many of which were mirrored by atmospheric flashing lights.
Fans were treated to a range of songs including Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair, Do I Wanna Know?, Arabella, Snap Out Of It, and Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?
The band’s stage layout was a treat to see too, with an old-style beige and black colour theme and videos of the concert shown on huge screens shot in styles reminiscent of music videos from the early 90s.
“Thank you Birmingham, you’re very kind,” beamed Alex, as fans’ cheers and applause echoed around the city centre venue.
The venue near shook with clapping and stomping of feet as the group returned for their highly anticipated encore which featured I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor and R U Mine?
Though for us personally, the set lacked a certain spark and could have benefitted from more variety, though the band put on a good show, which was incredibly well received by the huge number of overwhelmingly excited fans.
