Live Review

Foals – Rough Trade East, London

• 13th May 2010

After an erratic week of touring for the amazing Foals, they booked themselves into the legendary Rough Trade East for an evening of ecstasy. Fans found themselves queuing round the block to witness the momentous occasion that this evening was set to be, and that it certainly was.

An over-capacity crowd took their positions against the far end of the store, shuffling as they did so, nattering about their first listens to Foals stunning new album ‘Total Life Forever’ only released yesterday. A lengthy 20 minute wait came In due course.

As the Cambridge 5-piece took the stage, they were confronted with a round of cheers from an audience only to eager to hear their first taste of this new sound, settling down with title-track ‘Total Life Forever’ they took presence on the small stage. Yannis’s vocals hitting in with ‘I know a place, where I can go’ and the chirpy chime of Edwin’s keyboards following through.

Next up, an oldie, ‘Olympic Airways,’ my personal highlight of Antidotes, showing the opposite exterior of Foals, a Foals the crowd obviously agree with by the wealth of movement that has suddenly grabbed the room. Popping guitars and chanting, a perfect combo, surprisingly the song still sounds fresh, much to the indifference of recent interviews in which they’ve explained they’re sick of old ones after playing them 3 years straight. An excitable ‘Miami’ follows.
Foals seem as though they’re beginning to enjoy tonight, as they weave together simultaneously onstage all the while Yannis chants the unfamiliar lines to the audience’s fresh ears.

Next we were graced with the enchanting, brilliant, ‘Blue Blood’, the first track on the new album and by god what a corker it is. With one of the most stunning rifts I’ve ever heard it was the track I was most eager for tonight, being blessed enough to hear it, myself and the crowd took together in the selfless out of body popping and jerking that only Foals seem to produce. The track came to an abrupt end and the crowd are left on edge.

Spanish Sahara kicks in, keeping the intimate mood shared by everyone after the last track, Yannis’s understated vocals once again piercing the hearts and minds of the crowd. The track wades by beautifully and quant. I’m sure I’m not the only person in the room who feels as though they’ve been brushed off this land and put into a place of peace and harmony. The track came to a close with a stunning melancholic guitar chorus from both Jimmy and Yanni.

The audience now entranced; only to be hit out by the pounding drums of Jack Bevan, starting off the colossus ‘Red Sock Pugie’ bringing everyone back to movement again, grooving all the while, the whole band find themselves skanking evidently, the place now alive with tapping fit and winding hips. After the track, Foals take a moment to catch their breath and ready themselves for the finale track, ‘Two Steps Twice’.

The guitar is let leash and they begin, joined too by the bob of Walter’s bass. The crowd are exhilarated, the first verse passes, the breakdown begins and Yannis leaps into the crowd with his guitar, setting a mission to walk around everyone, even taking a brief moment to account those outside who weren’t able to get in tonight. After a full circle of the crowd, he clambers back onto the stage, to face a crowd now all jumping for the heavens, as they all once again begin skanking on stage, while everyone below does the same, tonight there is is a real emotional connection between both audience and band. Two Steps Twice inevitably finishes to silence and then a resounding applause. They all leave the building stunned and truly inspired by what they have just witnessed. Utterly fantastic.

9/10