Live Review

The Rifles – Stylus, Leeds University

25th Mar 2009

After what seems like an age The Rifles have finally released Great Escape, the follow up to their 2006 debut album No Love Lost. The people of Leeds have also had to wait an age to see the band in flesh after the original November date for this gig was postponed due to illness. All this has added a certain sense of anticipation mixed with a bit of frustration and some uncertainty. All good ingredients then to make for a great atmosphere which belied the fact it was a Sunday.

Right from the opener Science in Violence, the crowd were very much up for it and this passion was kept alive with a great balance of tunes from both albums and the fact that every crowd surfer ended up at the feet of the band members on stage, keeping everyone apart from the security amused.

After a few listens to the new album I wasn’t entirely convinced it stood up to its predecessor, however I’m happy to concede this is probably due to the fact that No Love Lost has had two and half years to incubate. Tonight’s gig really confirmed that Great Escape has plenty to offer in its own right with tracks such as Toerag, Science in Violence, The General and title track The Great Escape managing to deliver intelligent observations on 21st Century British life without the wannabe posturing of say The Enemy.

If you’ve only just been introduced to The Rifles via their latest offering make sure you go back and check out No Love Lost and if you’ve only a distant memory of that debut album then Great Escape will remind you why this band are so good.