Last night I finally got to see Alexisonfire (though I'd seen them at Reading in 2008, I wanted to see a headline show). It was at the London Borderline, where I had been once before to see InMe this year. The venue was just as hot inside as I remembered it, but it was bearable for the night. We didn't go in until just before 9, when the band were due to start.A few minutes after I got in the lights dimmed and the band walked onstage, where they kicked into the opening track of their second album 'Watch Out!'. This was unusual I thought. Usually a band opens with the first track of their latest album. In Alexisonfire's case I was expecting the first track from their 2007 album Crisis or maybe the opening track from their upcoming release. Still, I had no complaints as Accidents is one of my favourite songs.
The band played a healthy mix of old and new songs, which was very pleasing. I was worried that they would be showcasing their new songs and I would have to sit through a setlist where I knew only about 20% of the songs. Infact, they only played 3. 2 of which are on their myspace so I had heard them already.
The brilliant thing about Alexisonfire was the amount of energy they seemed to have. They really seemed to be putting everything into the show, and the crowd were the same. People were throwing themselves up onto the stage, where George Pettit (frontman) would grab them by the waist, flip them upside down and launch them into the crowd.
At recent events, I've been thinking to myself about why all of a sudden I've been standing at the sidelines from all of the action in the crowd, and so tonight, after a few drinks I was really up for getting involved.
Alexisonfire put a great show on, and they were especially good in the way that they also entertain the crowds, rather than standing still and just churning out songs. I think that we all have a lot to look forward to at their double set at Reading this year. Their new album 'Old Crows / Young Cardinals' is also out soon, and I think that it should be the album that takes the very first New Release Monday slot on the 22nd of June. Even though it comes out the 23rd...
5/5
