Kasabian LIVE @ Victoria Park, Leicester 21.06.14

The Leicester lads triumph at huge homecoming show
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For weeks, if not months, Leicester has been buzzing with the prospect that its biggest export (apart from Walkers Crisps) would be coming home in style. Having not seen an outdoor music event on this scale since 2003 Victoria Park, in theory, should have been unprepared for the masses of people going through its gates. However, with a warm evening and alcohol flowing, the enthusiastic audience were content with the somehow idyllic setting, in the middle of the city. Kasabian have carved their career from playing the smallest pubs and venues in Leicester to producing album after album of innovative material, pushing the boundaries of guitar music today. Especially shown in their new album ‘48:13’ are strong hip hop/dance influences. This may have induced the controversial idea of having mainly DJ’s support them – and controversial it was.

Leaving it to 4 days before the gig to announce the support acts ended the hype with mixed opinions. But in the end it would only be one bands night. Showing a countdown clock in the style of their new album cover at the back of the stage, everyone began to count down. Opening a 19 song set, Kasabian bounded onto stage to the roar of 50,000 spectators and commenced with ’Bumblebee’. Instantaneously the audience surged forwards and started to jump uncontrollably screaming loudly as they went. ‘Shoot The Runner’ provided a foot stomping sing along for all and mob-pleasing “Underdog” caused chaos. Tom Meighan then promptly asked “Leicester, how’s your day been? Good?”

The set list consisted of tunes spanning across the bands back catalogue of albums. ‘Eez-Eh’ got the already moshing crowd, pogoing much to the delight of guitarist Sergio Pizzorno who encouraged it throughout the evening. With a nod to ‘The Message’ by Grandmaster Flash, Pizzorno made the stage and lead vocals his own during ‘Take Aim’. Girls (and the occasional drunken middle aged man) took to others shoulders just in time for the anthem like ‘Club Foot’ taken from Kasabian’s first album. Football chants echoed between songs which made the audience unite and arms were flung around strangers as if they had been your oldest friends.

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Something that was less anticipated, although not surprising due to the bands popularity in the Midlands, was the wide array of ages in attendance at the front. From very young children sporting Stone Roses t-shirts accompanied with their slightly tipsy parents, to the excitable teenagers who had no doubt been there long before the gates opened with the hope of getting to the toes of the amps.

‘Empire’ was included in a number of tracks that were graced with the accompaniment of a small strings section. Ending the main set, after Meighan displayed his gratefulness saying “We started a band in 1997… and now we’re here… thank you”, was one of the highlights of the evening, ‘Fire’. Their 3 track encore was completed with ‘L.S.F’, which began with an introduction of Fat Boy Slim’s ‘Praise You’.  In an unexpected moment, Chris Edwards addressed the park whilst guitarist Serge took off his top and jumped down into the crowd “Thanks Leicester. You’ve made my fucking year”.

The music scene in Leicester has gone through a stage in the past few years, where it has almost been reluctant to show its true colours. Although it does have some fantastic venues (sticky floors included) by bringing the focus back to the city, Kasabian will give local bands renewed life and hope. Leicester’s scene needs more attention. As inspirationally spoken by Tom Meighan during the gig, only 10 years ago, the band played The Shed. An intimate venue in the heart of the city that is popular with young bands from around Leicestershire. He also declared his pride in the whole event, and rightly so with something along the lines of, “If you believe something can happen, it can”.

Rachel Young

PHOTO: Myles Wright

Set List:

‘Bumblebee’
‘Shoot The Runner’ 
‘Underdog’
‘Fast Fuse’
‘Days Are Forgotten’
‘Eez-Eh’
‘Processed Beats’ 
‘Stevie’
‘ID’ 
‘The Doberman’
‘Take Aim’ 
‘Club Foot’ 
‘Re-wired’ 
‘Treat’
‘Empire’
‘Fire’
‘Switchblade Smiles’
‘Vlad The Impaler’
‘Praise You’
‘L.S.F’

Rachel Young

Rachel Young

Likes: Ponchos, cornflakes and Almost Famous. Dislikes: Egg with any red food, Leicester's seagull population and having no ID.