The Ricky Wilson trademark shout “WE are the Kaiser Chiefs” rang out more than once through Kirkstall Abbey during the course of their first homecoming show in over three years – To be honest, the 10,000 strong crowd didn’t need reminding who they had been waiting to see. Following the release of their interactive fourth (top ten) album, The Future is Medieval, the Chiefs were certainly on top form, with Wilson giving the crowd his high jumps and mad pogo jump dance moves for the duration of the set and it was obvious from the opening of the show that the Chiefs were back to make an impression…Again.
Despite the setting being a 12th century Cistercian abbey, the band bashfully played a fair few tracks from their new album, but only really had the crowd swaying and chanting with their performances of hits like Everyday I love you less and less, Oh My God, and Ruby. A mid-set revival of the number one hit from 2005, I Predict a Riot, was the pinnacle of the show, turning the Kaiser Chief Army into a frenzied sea of people screaming along and hanging on Ricky’s every melody and move.
So – was it a good show or not? Personally, the new material is kind of middle of the road to me, but the old stuff is legendary, even epic some might say. The Kaiser Chiefs are embarking on their European tour this autumn and my advice is, if they are playing in a town near you, they are a ‘must see’.
Words: Neil Short