Premiering some new tracks live for the first time, the circumstances surrounding Foals' Village Underground set were secretive to say the least, a fact that only played in their favour. Here are 9 things we learned from the show.
- MORE: Read out track-by-track guide and review to What Went Down here
1. That Fucking Tank are awesome
The great thing about these tiny fan-only gigs is that the supports are always amazing. When ‘That Fucking Tank’ took the stage, the crowd seemed apprehensive, as the unassuming Leeds duo started readying up.
Whirring guitars and tentative cymbal playing exploded into a hypnotic wall of noise. That Fucking Tank took the form of a post-rock band of two, scorching earth with their cacophonous noise rock. The soaring dissonance created was inescapable and divisive but to those with a higher tolerance to the intense, electrifying.
2. ‘Snake Oil’ is the best new live tune off of What Went Down
As expressed in our track-by-track run through of Foals’ new album, we’re very excited about ‘Snake Oil’. The most obtuse and unchained track the band have ever put out gets ramped up by several degrees in the live setting.
Partly due to the amazing sound team behind the scenes and by virtue that ‘Snake Oil’ was the first track played, the audience and band traded waves of excitement creating the atmosphere that something chaotic and beautiful was about to go down.
3. People aren’t great at following ‘no phone’ measures
Due to the one-off nature of this show, Foals requested the crowd to abide to their ‘no phone’ policy. This was to maintain the intimacy and visceral atmosphere of the show and while everyone knew this, the venue’s security team were still sweeping the crowds for those who thought they could sneak a quick snap of Yannis when noone was looking - they thought wrong.
4. Antidotes is a certified classic at this point
‘Olympic Airways’, ‘Red Socks Pugie’ and ‘Two Steps Twice’ were met with a rousing applause and a bubbling excitement from fans who have just jumped on the Foals wagon and participants who had been there from the start. These tracks obviously sound more frontal and fleshed out than they did in 2008 but at heart they still elicit the same excitement and fevered frenzy they did when Foals first debuted.
5. Yannis’ stage antics makes the security team earn their wage
The Foals frontman has always seen the stage having a vertical axis as well. While the other band members sway from side-to-side, Yannis frequented the top of the monitors only to descend into the heat of the crowd when the songs call for it.
Despite the relatively small venue, there was a full security team fronting the stage to make certain that the audience didn’t completely swallow the singer because, seriously, it became a real possibility at a few points.
6. Foals’ tech team are quick as bunnies
Following on from this, during ‘Providence’, Yannis’ angular jolts caused the microphone stand to fall off the stage, with microphone attached. The singer ditched his guitar and dived into the sweat-dripping pit to retrieve it. Once Yannis had recovered, Foals tech team took the stage at lightening speed and before we even realised they were there, the mic was standing upright and operational ready for the next time Yannis would knock it over.
7. Foals fans know all the cues for the live show
A band that don’t ever seem to stop touring and for that, have a renowned live show. Part of this memorability comes from the audience interaction which, at this point, is automatic. For example, when ‘Spanish Sahara’ made it’s debut, the band would ask the crowd to sit on the floor and all rise when the song reaches it’s full stride.
These days, the audience have their bums parked on the floor as soon as the first chord is plucked, even if it means a lot of cramped legs. Similarly, the promise of an encore is met with synchronised chants and ‘ba ba ba’s coercing a performance of ‘Two Steps, Twice’.
8. The Village Underground suits Foals to a tee
The fact that we’re seeing a gig surrounded by brickwork arches and a dilapidated skylight gives Village Underground an air of the forbidden. It feels spontaneous, like the whole stage set-up will be gone by the morning, and it's the perfect environment to see Foals at this point in their career.
By incorporating greater depth and dynamics into their songwriting and live performances, the underground venue provided an immaculate sound, not allowing a scrap of rich quality to escape and good thing too since this is the first time London are hearing a lot of these new tracks.
9. ‘Inhaler’ still "goes off"
While 'Two Steps, Twice' is golden and new banger, ‘What Went Down’, is ferocious, Foals’ strongest track of the night is indisputably ‘Inhaler’ which, if you excuse the musical jargon, "goes off". With tightly locked grooves and an inferno of chorus, mosh-pits were aplenty as the crowd literally threw themselves life and limb into one another in adoration for the 2013 single as the band reciprocated the same energy, less violently of course.
Foals are one of the best live bands the UK has to offer and while their festival sets are explosive and unmissable, as their sound gets bigger take the opportunity to try and see them on smaller scales, the intimacy is synonymous with intensity and if this new record is anything, it’s bloody intense.
Foals' setlist from the Village Underground:
'Snake Oil'
'Olympic Airways'
'My Number'
'Mountain at My Gates'
'Providence'
'Give it All'
'Spanish Sahara'
'Red Socks Pugie'
'Late Night'
'A Knife In the Ocean'
'Inhaler'
'What Went Down'
'Two Steps, Twice'
If you want catch Foals at the peak of their career live, they have announced a UK tour - dates are below. For tickets and more information, visit here.
5 November - Nottingham, Rock City
6 November - Liverpool Olympia, Olympia
7 November - Norwich, UEA
8 November - Cardiff, Uni Great Hall
10 November - Aberdeen, Music Hall
11 November - Newcastle, O2 Academy
13 November - Southampton, Guildhall
14 November - Margate, Dreamland 'By The Sea'
15 November - Bristol, Anson Rooms
16 November - Cambridge, Corn Exchange
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