Friday 18 May 2007
Keane
The live band season continued last night by seeing Keane at The Riviera Theatre, or the Riv as its affectionally known locally. The band who all attended Tonbridge School and grew up in East Sussex were as my Mum would say "such nice boys," as they charmed the admiring crowd of about 2,500 with pleasantries and conversation between each song.
The live band season continued last night by seeing Keane at The Riviera Theatre, or the Riv as its affectionally known locally. The band who all attended Tonbridge School and grew up in East Sussex were as my Mum would say "such nice boys," as they charmed the admiring crowd of about 2,500 with pleasantries and conversation between each song.The Riv is a famous Chicago music venue and although ornate, there is a desperate need of a lick of paint. Good viewing positions are also hard to find, and I spent most of the night standing on tip-toes for a good look at lead singer Tom Chaplin glide into sight.
The 3-piece band known for using piano's and not guitars were excellent though as they ran through songs from their two albums Hope and Fears and the darker Under the Iron Sea. In fact I've not listened to their first album, released 3 years ago, in some while and last night it made me realise what a wonderful record it is.
Without the energy of Snow Patrol or Bloc Party, Keane switched between ballad and anthem not ever so slickly, often stopping for long breaks in between to allow for thunderous applause. "For as long as I live, I will never forget this night," Chaplin said, perleeeeease!
Putting the cheese to one side though, it was an excellent performance with Tim Rice-Oxley storming on the keyboards. The stage lighting was done well for a small venue and they used the 6 large video screens to good effect silencing the crowd with WW1 footage before they sung A Bad Dream, a tribute to poet WB Yeats.
They did a first-rate job with Bedshaped, Somewhere Only We Know, We Might As Well Be Strangers and played about 80 minutes and then returned with a 3 song encore ending with Is It Any Wonder?
Some say Keane are boring, slightly cheesy yes, but boring no.
¶ 13:58
