If a band’s ability to bring an arena atmosphere to a mediocre venue is a measure of its success, then Biffy Clyro may have just set the benchmark. Not to say that the University of East Anglia’s student union is a complete dive by any means, but it rarely generates the buzz that was present on Wednesday as the Scottish trio took to the stage.
For years Biffy Clyro had existed under the radar, relatively unknown outside of their devout and almost cult-like fan-base - it wasn’t until 2007 that their music really hit the mainstream, after the hard-earned success of their critically acclaimed album, Puzzle. Whilst the band’s major commercial success is only recent, their touring experience is clearly not. Four albums on, and Biffy Clyro are every inch the performers you would expect them to be.
Their set was an electrifying two hours of adrenalised rock from start to end, accompanied by a kaleidoscopic array of neon from an equally impressive lighting rig. The latter brought an added dynamic to the gig, giving songs like 'Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies' and 'Saturday Superhouse' the sort of epic quality that their sound deserves.
The explosive energy of frontman Simon Neil was punctuated only briefly by the occasional acoustic track - there to remind us just how talented he is as a vocalist (and perhaps give his sweat the chance to evapourate). His angsty onstage persona also helped give some credence to those who have compared Biffy to the likes of Nirvana and Foo Fighters in the past.
The band’s comprehensive set list spanned across their musical career, although the majority of the songs played were from Puzzle. This wasn’t a bad thing, and the choice was a welcomed one by a crowd who were involved for every minute of the show, chanting along to every chorus with surprising harmony. The band involved the audience at every available opportunity, memorably descending into the pit to share the mic with fans during 'Love Has A Diameter', much to their delight.
The fact that the UEA’s student union is one of only two adequately equipped music venues in Norwich means that it has always managed to draw in the big names – with the likes of Biffy Clyro thankfully proving that a band can truly make a venue.
