Live

Bloc Party, Wet Paint

Emma Jackson 26/01/2009

Geek chic, indie-rock sensation Bloc Party kicked off their 2009 tour in Glasgow's newly renamed O2 Academy by playing two show stomping nights. As soon as frontman Kele Okereke bellowed as he strutted on stage: Welcome to our second night! Are we ready?, the night was in full swing.

The lighting on stage looked like a prop out of an episode of Star Trek, causing the stage to be covered in a mass of incandescent coloured lights beaming all over the place. Bloc party look like your average students, wearing baggy t-shirts and worn in jeans and tonight Okereke was fighting the winter chill with a fashionable bobble hat.

Shoes were flying in the air as the crowd where getting right into the music, dabout as if they were in a rave! Here is another hit from the factory,, Kelly would say and every song got a cheer of approval as the opening riffs kicked in.

Tracks from their most recent album, Talons, were in the set, including the single Mercury which has the Bloc party stamp written all over it. Monday saw the release of One month off, the latest hit for the band.

One member of the audience managed to throw a straw hat onto the stage and to their delight Kelly picked it up and put it on, Do I look like a member of the Kooks?, he asked playfully, giving the crowd a small rendition of a Kooks song on his acoustic guitar - when he stopped he upset the rowdy punters and they gave an almighty boo.

Chart-topping hits Two more years and Banquet weere the crowd pleasers of the night. Not one member of the audience stood still as the band showed their best dance moves on stage.

Okereke opened up on stage telling the crowd he had not been looking forward to the gig due to some unpleasant indigestion - as he rubbed his stomach he toasted the Glasgow Crowd with a glass of red wine: To the healing powers of Glasgow.

To end a night filled with glow sticks and techno beats, Bloc Party saved the best to last, finishing the night with Flux to which a mass of screams filled the academy.

Taking a well-deserved bow on stage, Bloc Party told the crowd to Have a good week, okay!. The gig was a great way to shake off those Monday blues.