More about: Placebo

In celebration of their brand new album, Never Let Me Go, Placebo put on a short burst of initiate live shows across 6 dates. Including a concluding show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall. With a strict no phone rule, and we mean, –  phones sealed in tiny wallets secured tight with a magnet – it’s fair to say Placebo were head strong about their audience living in the moment and appreciating their return 9 years since Loud Like Love.

At first the ‘no phones,’ rule had the ultimate gen z in me shaking in frustration – how was I to remember this moment forever? How was I to make notes. Funnily enough it’s been five days and I can still remember the crisp poise of Brian Molko’s vocals, the blinding lights and the penetrative electronica that buzzed around the assembly hall and through my body.

Thursday shined a light on just how important is to really be there with the band at a concert and saw Placebo dominate Islington Assembly Hall with an unforgettable show.

As the stage beams with a tinted blue light, and the warped introductory sounds of ‘Forever Chemicals,’ play, and Molko makes his way onto stage in shades. The atmosphere is surreal, the sound is penetrative and shoegazy, the stage lights are blinding and Molko’s vocals are just as alluring and angelic as any of their studio recorded work – this is Placebo.

Up next is soaring, ‘Beautiful James,’ and the crowd is screaming with excitement. ‘Beautiful James,’ is easily one of the best tracks across this album and is Placebo at their best. Everyone in the top deck is swaying in their seats as Placebo exude emasculate energy across the venue. As completely ironically soppy as it sounds, ‘Beautiful James,’ felt like a cinematic experience, the synths were illuminating, and the blinding strobes of white stage lights domineered the venue.

Placebo are one of the very few bands who have been able to curate multiple albums and maintain a connection with their OG audience. Release after release, Placebo have never failed to harness their indistinguishable presence within the music industry with electronic rock.

Following the celestial prodigy of ‘The Prodigal,’ fans scream and stand from their seats as the group premier, ‘Surrounded by Spies,’ for the first time in London. The second release of Never Let Me Go, and another hard-hitting album standout, ‘Surrounded by Spies,’ was easily one of my favourite moments across this show. As the group wrap it up, a voice shrieks from the audience: “Happy Birthday Stefan,” an awkward sigh from guitarist Stefan Olsdal and a couple seconds of laughter later – suddenly the whole of Islington Assembly Hall is yelling happy birthday. Stefan shrugs an unenthusiastic “thank you,” and the band sprint into ‘Try Better Next Time.’

One of the only qualms I’ll make about this gig, is having it been an intimate show, it was the first time I’d experienced a band not engage with its audience. No hello’s, or chit-chat between each number. Perhaps because they were working on a tight schedule, but this lack of communication had me itching for the smallest bit of connection.

As the band walk off the stage after concluding, ‘Fix Yourself,’ dark orange stage lights are still beaming, which can mean only one thing… an encore. I’ve waited for this moment forever, I’m practically giddy, running through every single one of my favourite Placebo tracks in my head, trying to guess what it could be. A sudden eerie and distorted guitar riff later and Placebo have hit the ground running with mammoth single, ‘Post Blue,’ taken off their acclaimed 2006 album Meds. At this point everyone is up, energised and in awe of their energy. Placebo close the night as they shred the iconic Kate Bush number, ‘Running up That Hill,’ taken from their 2003 covers album.

It's fair to say Islington’s Assembly Hall show was a night to remember.

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More about: Placebo