The Rifles LIVE @ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London 02.05.14

Once again The Rifles are on tour up and down the country and tonight they stop off in their home town, London. The hardworking lads have been on the road touring the long awaited album, ‘None The Wiser’.

With the original line-up back together and another notch on the album bed post, the crowd are being treated to a set covering past and present. The band cover all albums over the course of an hour and a half with a packed house placed firmly in their hands.

Having followed the band over all albums it’s sometimes a tad easy and predictable to hand pick which songs will get the best reception, however tonight is somewhat different. With the new album being cited as one of their best and the band a well oiled live machine, it’s refreshing to hear the new songs, not only in the set but also getting some of the best responses.

New favourites – even before the albums release – ‘Heebie Jeebies’ along with ‘Minute Mile’ whip the crowd up into a frenzy, and then it’s old classics such as ‘Romeo and Julie’ that tip them over the edge. A testament to the cult following that this band enjoy is that Gigslutz can’t get close to the main dance floor and instead have to perch at the back, near the bar… Every cloud and all that.

Stoker and Co. are clearly loving every minute of the show and they cannot praise London enough throughout the set. In an age where bands can be stuck behind a synthesizer looking like they’re in a library studying for a computer science degree it’s great to see a band hammering drums and guitars, just like they should be and with all the vigor of new kids emerging.