Photo: Rick Caughey
Earl's Court is a bit of a sorry site. Built in 1937 and since playing host to the likes of Muse, David Bowie, Queen and even the Olympics, this once grand hall has fallen from an iconic palace of culture to a rackety and cavernous aircraft hanger of an enormodome - due to be demolished in the not too distant future. Which is why it seems fitting that Arctic Monkeys should be one of the final huge gigs here: From The Ritz To Rubble.
It would be criminal if Arctic Monkeys didn't smack a big wet kiss goodbye to the old girl and join the ranks of the many legends to tread the boards here before she's razed to the ground - because that's what they are now - and now they look the part too.
Many have slammed the current Elvis-like incarnation of Alex Turner and his slick and stylish bandmates - but what do you want from the biggest band in Britain? Now they've finally got the balls and the bravado to match the bombast and brilliance of their sound. From the spotty Yorkshire lad firing out spikey riffs from his Strat hung just below his neck, to the lizard-like suited and booted rake that snakes and snarls his way across the stage today, the evolution of Turner into a rock god is now complete.
The roar that greets the band for the rumbling intro of the brilliant opener 'Do I Wanna Know' is a true heroes' welcome, and kicks off a set with no troughs whatsoever - just a series of peaks, battling to remain at the forefront of your memory.
The relentless quickfire explosion of 'Brianstorm' sees the sea of wild fanatics burst into a mosh that lasts the evening. Everyone in every corner of this vast hall is up on their feet and out of their minds for 'Teddy Picker', and even the once maligned 'Crying Lightning' is received warmly in the context of the milestone of a band striving for greatness.
Former guitarist with The Coral Bill Ryder-Jones makes an appearance for the wonderful 'Fireside', but it's 'Why Do You Only Call Me You're High' that truly hails the universal adoration of the AM material. You might be shocked to hear that this week is the eigth anniversary of 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' debuting at No.1, but that once instant burst of promise sounds ever bit the golden oldie tonight, and goes down with the inevitable insanity of nearly a decade of indie discos.
The immediate connection of 'No 1 Party Anthem' and 'Snap Out Of It' ram home the fact that AM is an album of potential singles, but without overcomplicating or diluting anything about that Monkeys' approach. While Muse are an all-out theatrical live experience of awesomeness, the beauty of the Monkeys lies in their simplicity. Other than a shower of confetti from the crowd-swaying 'I Wanna Be Yours', there are no grand rock cliches here - and no OTT stadium statements. There are no dubstep electro breakdowns, no dancing robots or daft lazer special effects. They just let the music do the talking without using props as a crutch. It's just pure rock n' roll entertainment, with no tricks.
Even after Earl's Court is long gone, people will still be talking about when Arctic Monkeys breathed the fire of life into her for one last time, showing a heartwarming inverse reflection of the venue: from rubble to rock royalty. No band has unifed a generation like this since Nirvana or Oasis - who's next to challenge them? Viva the Monkeys.
Arctic Monkeys played:
1. Do I Wanna Know?
2. Brianstorm
3. Dancing Shoes
4. Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair
5. Teddy Picker
6. Crying Lightning
7. One for the Road
8. Fireside (with Bill Ryder-Jones)
9. Reckless Serenade
10. Old Yellow Bricks
11. Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
12. Arabella (with War Pigs snippet)
13. Pretty Visitors
14. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
15. Cornerstone
16. No. 1 Party Anthem
17. Fluorescent Adolescent
18. I Wanna Be Yours
Encore:
19. Snap Out of It
20. Mardy Bum (semi-acoustic)
21. R U Mine?
Below: Exclusive photos of Arctic Monkeys' UK 2013 AM tour
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