Liverpool Academy, 23 April 2004

This started out as a ‘should I or shouldn’t I’ concert date. I had already seen Keane perform at the smallest of the Liverpool University Academy venues and came away just a little disappointed. Then a few days ago I received another invitation to see Keane, this time at Liverpool Academy 4 and thought, “Hell! this must be an even smaller venue. No way!” But then the tickets arrived and I decided to go in the hope that at least I could secure some better photos.

The first pleasant surprise emerged on arriving at the venue. I heard the name Bell X1 mentioned as being on stage shortly. As is so often the case with gigs, one never really knows who the ‘special guests’ are going to be, and frankly it’s not something that I spend endless nights thinking about. But this was different. You see Bell X1 just happened to have released an album called MUSIC IN MOUTH last year that just happened to be voted Shakenstir’s best album of 2003. This in itself was quite interesting because nobody, but nobody, even mentioned it in their lists, and I can’t even remember seeing a review of it. Still, it’s hardly surprising since Bell X1 is an Irish band and talent from the Emerald Isle is so often overlooked by our UK music press. As you can imagine this appearance was something of a bonus for me.

Surprise number two was that the Academy 4 was actually the Academy 1, the mother of Liverpool University’s venues, and arguably Liverpool’s finest. Was I pleased I went? Hell Yes! As previously mentioned, I found Keane disappointing, particularly in the instrumental area, at the tiny Academy 3. But what would the guys be like on the big stage?

Bell X1

I arrived in the pit to find Bell X1 in full flow lead by Paul Noonan giving a typically passionate vocal performance. Unlike Keane, Bell X1 has the full complement of rock instrumentalists. Sonically, the band lies somewhere between Coldplay and Radiohead, and majors on song writing that is highly melodic, dramatic and lyrically intense. In Noonan, Bell X1 possesses a skilled and very expressive singer, and one of the best frontmen around at the moment.

The sold-out show is packed but few are aware of Bell X1 and so it was interesting to watch their reaction as the superb, glacial Daybreak and Next To You ambled off the stage. I was struck by the way people seemed to be mesmerised by the band’s music, and the high level of genuine applause which greeted the end of each song. I also noted expressions that all too obviously said, ‘who the hell are these guys!’

Then Noonan announced the killer track from their album called Snakes & Snakes, one of the finest rock songs of 2003. It’s a song that pretty well sums up what this band do, and if there was a proven formula to great song-writing, this would have to come bloody close to encompassing it. Of slow to medium pace, it features a massive melody, great lyrics, and on the night it sounded better than the album version.

Other great album tracks follow in Alphabet Soup and the dark and haunting Eve, The Apple Of My Eye. This impressive set was completed by a new song to me called Offshore and another album track, Whitewater Song. Back in Ireland, live music and the power of the sung word rule and right now Bell X1 is one of their finest exponents. I can best sum up this performance as dramatic and moving. Both Keane and Bell X1 are signed to Island which probably explains their presence on the night, but I could think of no better band to warm up the Keane fans.

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Keane

Here is a band that has been over-ground in an underground kind of way, i.e. they are a major signing, have released a couple of limited release singles (before their current single), and have built a fan base of substantial proportions over the last year. But all this has been achieved without a major hit, or an album, or major media hype, or large shows. The debut album is due out in May and from the support I witnessed for them at this and the previous gig, I suspect it will fly.

In almost total darkness leadman Tom Chaplin strode onto the stage (to massive applause), followed by drummer Richard Hughes and keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley. I immediately felt that this would be a very different gig from the last minor outing. IT WAS…

Following a short greeting, Chaplin launched into Can’t Stop Now and Everybody’s Changing, and exhibited the vocal quality/style that has become central to this band’s success. Both these songs are well known to fans and all around me words were being mouthed to perfection. Chaplin is a rather special performer capable of squeezing every sentiment and nuance out of a song. Vocally he’s up there with the very best while retaining a mischievous innocence as he smiles at his mates on stage between songs, and chats with the audience.

Your Eyes Open and Sunshine follow introducing a mixture of darkness and light into the set. But it was songs like Bend And Break, End Of The Earth and Strangers that truly provide this band with market distinction. During this passage of the performance Hughes and Rice-Oxley exhibited far more commitment and excitement than I remember from our last meeting, although I still feel that the band is a guitar short.

As the show progressed it went from being very good to very great. The transition came with the superb Snowed Under, and Chaplin and Rice-Oxley’s performance (without drums) of a song called She Has No Time. Chaplin explained that the latter was written for him by Rice-Oxley when he was experiencing ‘romantic’ problems. It was at this point above all that I felt that the band had found its niche and where, perhaps, they depart from the Coldplay style. While the songs are not littered so much with melodic hooks, they exhibit more introspection and sincerity. It was also at this point that I realised that this was a band of very close friends and the interaction, while not patently obvious, was there none-the-less.

Then came the moment that every act strives for: the rendition of a song that that they just knew would get the audience really going. The song was Somewhere Only We Know and this time the audience not only sang the words but physically acted them out. As I looked around I could see arms flailing and girls at the front trying to attract Chaplin’s attention, and so ended the main segment of the performance.

The cries for an encore were unremitting and amongst the loudest I have ever heard. Chaplin and Rice-Oxley returned to the stage and performed my favourite Keane song, Allemande, taken from their first limited release single. The drummer then joined them to complete the performance with This Is The Last Time when all hell broke loose. During the performance Chaplin had acknowledged the joy of coming to Liverpool where the band has performed several times. As they left the stage, Liverpool and its Keane fans received more thanks, and then it was over – till the next time.

This was a great show, one of the best. Bell X1 was the icing on the cake for me while Keane went a long way in justifying Island’s decision to sign them on a multi-album deal. There is no doubt that the band stand a good chance of creating a few waves in the States following Coldplay’s pioneering work there. On the night the band didn’t put a foot wrong and at times were inspiring to watch. I still have small reservations in the sparse instrumental line-up and feel that there is insufficient diversity in the band’s songs; a sameness that Coldplay and Travis managed to overcome with their last albums. Given a little more time and experience, Keane will develop into one of the great bands, and on the night provided a key highlight of my live performance year.