Live review: Arctic Monkeys, Sydney

                                                                      Photo credit: Yael 'Yaya' Stempler

13 January 2012

by Poppy Reid

Thursday January 12
Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, NSW

Protruding above the packed sea of Arctic Monkeys’ fans are thin, white, shoulder-mounted bodies bounding up and down at sporadic intervals. This gleeful show of affection at a sold out Hordern Pavilion isn’t anything too out of the norm - except for the fact they’re mostly male and beautifully representative of the culture surrounding the band they’ve come to see.

For almost a decade now, the Sheffield band and their playfully charismatic linchpin, Alex Turner have pre-empted music and fashion trends for our own kin to snatch up like a floral blouse at a vintage sale.

After a two-year wait since their 2009 tour with the Big Day Out, it’s any wonder Sydney was forced to host two shows. Their fourth release last year saw the quartet unveil a new sound altogether, not out of character for the band but surprising as Turner managed to turn his youthful indiscretions into intriguing and well-received beat-pop with Suck It And See.

From opening track and first 2011 single Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair, the Arctic Monkeys delivered with skilful emergence, enough bass distortion to remind you you’re at a concert and not listening with the luxuries you hear in the studio version, and a drummer (Matt Helders) who’s percussion glued the set together with humble precision.

Cheeky tracks like Teddy Picker and Brainstorm were celebrated with each lyric mirrored back at them verbatim, with equal prowess. “Thank you Sydders!” shouted Turner in his brogue accent. “How’s everybody downstairs? I said, how’s everybody downstairs?” He smooth-talked us a bit further before A View From The Afternoon and 2005 breakout single I Bet you Look Good On The Dancefloor.

The more zealous crowd members were treated to Evil Twin, a Suck It And See B-side, which should have made the grade and later a mesmerising organ introduction chimed in for Pretty Visitors where Turner ditched the guitar but sadly stayed put and didn’t float on his fans.

The final track, When The Sun Goes Down was dedicated to Frontier Touring’s tour coordinator Michael Harrison; the first of their three-song encore, Suck It And See was dedicated to R.E.M and the final offering, 505 saw support act Miles Kane make a cameo. With all the correct tribute and championing-bases covered, Arctic Monkeys’ sweat-soaked, smoke-blanketed fans were left with new-found respect and new hair-cut ambitions for the unofficial dukes of indie.