Kaiser Chiefs deliver a mind-blowing performance in London
The band celebrated 20 years of their debut album ‘Employment’.
Photo: Cal McIntyre
Alexandra Palace is well-known for its boundless nature and scenic, vast views, but the best view in the park on the evening was the infamous indie-rock band Kaiser Chiefs, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album Employment with an eras tour-esque performance of the album, plus a few other fan favourites such as Ruby and Never Miss A Beat, which have changed the face of indie-rock forever.
Employment was released in March of 2005 and has been a staple for music lovers all over the globe, inspiring multiple other budding artists since. With the help of New York-based rock band We Are Scientists and British rock group The Coral, the Kaiser Chiefs created a night of stunning performances that will be remembered for years to come.
Getting off the train at Alexandra Palace Station, it was strikingly clear where everyone was headed, and the park was filled to the brim with exhilarated fans enjoying the view and waiting impatiently for doors at 5pm (and exhausted from the terrifying incline on the walk to the venue). Fans piled in once given the opportunity and were met with not just a stage, but a stunning venue stretching through the endless greenery consisting of food trucks, bars, photo opportunities and even a Pimm’s-branded converted bus where you could enjoy a cool glass, or even a pitcher of the delicious drink while admiring the view (or enjoying the music if diving into the action isn’t your thing).
Once fans were settled, American indie-rock band We Are Scientists made their appearance and everyone was left stunned with their energy levels high from the performance of their greatest hits, which included the top tracks Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt and The Great Escape, leaving fans elated and raring to go for English rock band The Coral, who were up next in this fantastic line up, and with their knack for blending rock with psychedelic pop and creating unsurprisingly great hooks, the band had the audience mesmerised in absolutely no time with performances of their top hits Dreaming of You and In the Morning.
After these two remarkable performances, the agonising wait for Kaiser Chiefs to grace the stage began as fans flocked down to the floor (or the grass, if you will) to see the main act that they all braved the treacherous walk to the venue for. Once fans heard the infamous electronic keys of the intro for Everyday I Love You Less And Less, they erupted into screams and cheers. The energy was hitting the non-existent roof from the get go and it rose to unfathomable levels as the evening progressed.
The band then followed this astounding start with I Predict A Riot, one of their biggest tracks to date and only just beaten by the infamous track Ruby. I Predict A Riot had the audience cheering with elation as they chanted the lyrics so loudly that even Kaiser Chiefs themselves couldn’t be heard over the enormous speakers. The band played through their debut album Employment from this point, including popular tracks such as Modern Way, Na Na Na Na Naa and Oh My God. The audience could tell that the stage felt like home to them through their energy and phenomenal stage presence; they even played on a Jurassic Park theme as a humorous homage to the fact that they have been creating music for over twenty years now.
The group’s extended encore after playing their debut album in full made the night feel complete, in which they played their hit tracks Ruby, The Angry Mob and even covered the timeless classic Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones, which it appeared that no one in the audience was expecting due to the roars that erupted from the opening note and was a fantastic way to show their musical versatility as a band and that, even after over twenty years, they’ve still got what it takes to put on absolutely breathtaking performances.
After performing The Angry Mob as their final track of the night, they said their goodbyes and the Ally Pally park stage was dark once again. The performance itself made time feel unreal; I’d say that the show was two minutes and not two hours. The only light left was the soft glow from the food trucks, and — after a delicious (albeit not cheesy enough for my taste) late-night mac and cheese bowl — it was unfortunately time to head home.
Through this performance, Kaiser Chiefs ran fans through a ringer of emotions and nostalgia as, for many, they have been a household name since childhood and put on a stunning performance that reiterates exactly why this is. In fans’ eyes, they are indie-rock gods and have provided the soundtrack for some of the most important moments in their lives.