Photo: Press
They're tipped for big things in 2014 and last night Lacey brought the New Year in early.
The pop-infused rock quartet from Nottingham took to the stage at the O2 Academy 2 in Islington to a lavish orchestral opening of Kanye West's 'All Of The Lights', before drummer Dave Pearson shook the upstairs venue with a thunderous solo - some way to start. Despite only releasing their third EP, ‘Outlawz’, only last month, Lacey immediately launched into new material, playing 'Reach Out', which had more than a tinge of Don Broco.
It is perhaps unsurprising, as the boys spent a period during the summer with the band during Red Bull Studios' competition to play Download Festival. The new track could prove even more valuable to Lacey than the festival set they narrowly missed out on. Signature hit 'Let It Go' led the crowd back into more familiar territory, before 'Outlawz' was showcased in full. The intimate sister venue of the larger Academy was silenced with monster ballad 'Contender', a track that surely would have no trouble making Radio 1's A-playlist, before the frenetic 'Burning Out' showed the breadth of their repertoire and got everyone moving again.
The blistering half-hour set was closed by Lacey's potential breakout hit 'Hometown'. The track is an anthemic fist-pumper that would be more at home on the main stage at Reading Festival than a 100-capacity hall in North London and a number that bears absolutely no resemblance to the Adele ballad of the same name.
With barely enough time to catch your breath, the set was over. Lacey proved that the future is now, and the future is Lacey. Expect to hear more in 2014.
Below: Lacey, FKA Tigs, St Lucia, Say Lou Lou, Radkey and more - who will be huge in 2014?
