Sea Power: Islington Assembly, London

Last week, national treasures Sea Power rolled back the clock to 2009 to play ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’ in full at London’s Islington Assembly. Back then, it was their highest charting album (no.10) and would remain so until February 2022’s ‘Everything Was Forever’.

Click the image to buy the anniversary reissue edition.

While the element of surprise is lost from the setlist, their ability to drop jaws is not. ‘Down On The Ground’ swelled with the grandeur of the Last Night of the Proms, whilst ‘All In It Now’ kicked off like a euphoric battle cry from Game of Thrones.

Examining DYLRM without packaging up ‘Lights Out for Darker Skies’, ‘No Lucifer’, and ‘Waving Flags’ is impossible. Once ‘All In It Now’ ushers you in, the album explodes into life and life; it feels almost gladiatorial. The former creates sparks with every lick until Martin Noble’s guitars scorch the earth in the closing stages. ‘No Lucifer’, with the adopted terrace chant (from wrestling icon Big Daddy), still carries a fire and depth to match anything from the cannon of Arcade Fire, a band which Sea Power was unfairly denigrated against in the 00s. On ‘Waving Flags’, Sea Power reminds us to fight fire with fire. The 00s were awash with anti-immigration, but a grown-up approach was taken under Blair and Brown. Cameron’s wretched part adopted nasty campaign tactics and opened the door to the hard right, whose sphincter still twitches with too much ferocity in the debate. Noble’s guitars kiss greatness here, but it’s the power of the lyrics that transcend. The welcoming message to those who have held up our economy and public services amid rapid decline is a stark reminder that rock ‘n’ roll could and should fight the good fight!

‘The Great Skua’, in many ways, is the blueprint to their success post-2009 and is delivered to a stunned silence. After twenty-one years, the crashing orchestration allows a pause for thought about this remarkable band. The rise and falls conjure such mesmerising drama, only topped by the choral crescendo. This ebbs into ‘Atom’ like a gentle tide before running amok like their peers, The Maccabees and The Rifles, but with the majesty of Bowie and the carnival mayhem of Arcade Fire and Polyphonic Spree.

‘Do You Like Rock Music’, we wager, is not many of Sea Power’s fans favourite. Part of their charm has always been the wayward disruption of ‘Remember Me’ or, increasingly, the washed-out joy of a ‘Two Fingers’ or ‘Bad Bohemian’ in its wake. It is, however, an album that all fans love and the adulation in the room was tangible. It serves as a reminder that indie rock ‘n’ roll can be mainstream and not about lager. Wild but intelligent, boisterous yet elegant. This set of juxtapositions is met rapturously and tenderly. Happy birthday old friend!

British Sea Power: Shepherds Bush Empire, London

BSP’s new album ‘Let The Dancers Inherit The Party’, has reawakened everyone’s love for the 6 piece with its social comment and string of pop anthems. So, this tour surely could not fail.

BSP have always bred a respectful and loyal following, so, unlike most bands 6 albums deep, the new songs were a treat not an excuse for a piss. That said, 6 of the opening 7 being new tracks dimmed the mood after opening with the protest banger ‘Who’s In Control’. The pop prowess of ‘Bad Bohemian’ and the introspective Nick Drake-esque ‘Electrical Kittens’ are destined to remain in the set for a long time.

When BSP get into 5th gear with ‘Lights Out For Darker Skies’ the west London crowd spring into action. Their unique spirit rises to the surface as Martin Noble unleashes his brand of Springsteen meets punk rock.

Conspicuous by their absence are tracks from their classic album ‘Open Season’. The fact that BSP can pull off such a top draw show without classics ‘Please Stand Up’ or ‘It Ended On an Oily Stage’ is a testament to their quality, but what is it a brave step too far?

One note of Abi Fry’s violin on set closer ‘The Great Skua’ gave an emphatic answer of no. The colossal beauty and warmth was enough to think ‘fuck the encore, it’s never topping that'. Perhaps only their early firecracker ‘Carrion’ came close.

One thing is for certain, where there are dancing polar and grizzly bears, there will be a group of indie and punk lovers willing to cherish one of Britain’s best kept secrets.

British Sea Power - Let The Dancers Inherit The Party

Brighton's British Sea Power returned with their 6th studio album 'Let The Dancers Inherit The Party' this month. With a loyal following, nothing is particularly at risk, but, after various side projects and previous album lacking a little, their relevance was certainly on the line. How glad we were to hit play on this glorious indictment of the times then.

The underdog as the optimist is a difficult position to win from, when, easy answers to complex questions lay with your detractors. However, British Sea Power have come out with swinging with messages of togetherness and crucially, wrapped them up in radio friendly pop anthems.

The first half of the album is as unifying as any record in recent memory. Whether it be the driving guitars of ‘What You’re Doing’, the defiant messages of ‘Bad Bohemian’ and Keep On Trying (Sechs Freunde) or Sunkist tale of honesty ‘The Voice of Ivy Lee', BSP reminded everyone that to be heard, you must do what the mainstream does and do it better! Change will never come from playing to the converted at boutique festivals. With the pop majesty of these tracks, BSP should be forcing their way into V Festival and onto 4music to remind everyone pop music doesn't have to be dull.

BSP will not have sat down thinking, we need to do deep and meaningful better than Ed Sheeran or deliver messages of togetherness with unashamed glory better than the UK’s right wing, but, in doing so, for the first time in a long time, the cogs feel like they are gaining some positive traction.

‘Bad Bohemian’ walks the line of cult classic and victorious anthem, a skill BSP have not delivered since 'Who's In Control'. Sonically so effortless, it feels like a one take wonder.

The flip side to BSP’s renewed singles form is their destructive melancholy. ‘Electrical Kittens’ and ‘Praise For Whatever’ give a sense of something good being lost to evil (the BBC to the Tories for the former). Much like the This Is England film and TV series, darkness looms throughout, but, its so enjoyable your attention will never fade.

‘Don’t Let The Sun Get In The Way’ stands atop of everything here like a bombastic beacon of light. The introspective verses are tempered with infectious shimmering riffs and angelic backing vocals until the inevitable spotlight descends upon Martin Noble. His solo is 30 seconds of arms around the world positivity which will not settle for Farrage or Trump.

Go pick up a guitar. Now!

British Sea Power - Bad Bohemian

BSP guitarist Martin Noble recently told the NME:

“It was made to a background of politicians perfecting the art of unabashed lying, of social-media echo chambers, of click-bait and electronic Tonka Toys to keep us entertained and befuddled. All this can easily make the individual feel futile. But I think we’ve ended up addressing this confusion in an invigorating way, rather than imprisoning the listener in melancholy.”

Noble’s sentiments are clear from the off as their archetypal wistfulness soars all around you. In the early days, there was a sense of trying to two foot the doors of hinges with ‘Apologies to Insect Life’ and ‘Favours in the Beetroot Fields’. The charm still remains intact but, it comes with a wisdom and a loving arm around the shoulder. In such a divisive world, BSP’s alternate reality of love and hope is needed more than ever.