Live Review

The Streets – Brixton Academy, London

• 19th Mar 2011

Last night Brixton Academy saw the coming of the end of an era. Those that managed to grab themselves a ticket were lucky enough to witness the finale of a 10 year revolution that changed the face of music and captured the sound of a generation of lost youth, Mike Skinner’s last ever tour date under The Streets.

The crowd seemed to consist of a range of faces, from lads draped in their finest Ben Shermans’ to the aged supporters who’ve watched Mike’s career play out from the start. This diversity seems to be of benefit to the band as each chooses they’re position inside the venue.
The smooth sounds of an orchestral intro beckon as turntablist and pianist take the stage, instantly leaping straight in to Computers and Blues first track ‘Outside/Inside’. The set contained every favourite a fan could’ve wished for, mixing up all 5 albums into a consistently captivating blend. At times, as with any major venue, the sound seemed to dwindle, as vocals were laid low in the mix, opening up a world of experimentation for the backing band. The energy was still there though, not at any moment did the crowd not seem to be captivated.

Through club banger, ‘Blinded By The Lights’ Mike asked to entire audience to “Get Low!” – who all almost immediately complied, finding their space beside a cascade of sweaty adrenaline fueled bodies, jumping up to adhere to the instantaneous chaos that followed.

Tonight seemed to capture a sense of sentiment that no other gig I’ve experienced has ever had. For a percentage of the audience, The Streets music is the sound of their youth, something they’ve grown aside and felt a part of. An insistent and emotional speech from Mike towards the end had most on the verge of tears as a realization hit that this may just be the last time many of the crowd see The Streets in the flesh.

The encore drove home an end, ‘Turn The Page’ and ‘Fit But She Knows It’ were followed by a big version of the new record’s lead single ‘Going Through Hell’ finishing off an impeccable evening. Fans trickled out with a sense of realization that what they had just seen was the end of a generation of change.