The last time the Arctic Monkeys played the LC it was 2011 and the gig was a fairly low key affair. The British indie-rock darlings had yet to reach anywhere near the level of fame they’ve achieved back in the UK and that gig a few years back took place at a less than capacity LC to a fairly tame crowd – but that was two and a half years ago.
It’s a different looking quartet these days, and one that’s riding a wave of hype off the back of the band’s critically acclaimed album, “AM”, a late night album of 70s rock guitar and modern day hip-hop beat.
Opening with current single “Do I Wanna Know”, it became quickly obvious that this tour is all about showcasing the bands current musical direction. Drenched in saturated light and dressed in dapper suits, the band moved on through “Brianstorm” and “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” with a casual ease.
It almost seemed too easy for the band, and while the crowd were completely enthralled with Alex Turner, a man who now completely embraces being the front man, it felt like the band were just going through the motions of just another show.
The newer songs from “AM” fit the occasion more than the bands older, more punk inspired songs, which often felt like filler material in the set. The crunching guitar noise of “Arabella” filled the LC hall and the middle break into Black Sabbath classic “War Pigs” came as a nice nod to a song the band were clearly trying to channel through the track.
The bands older cuts were a bit of a mixed bag. “Dancing Shoes” still sounds great but “I Bet You Look Good On the Dance floor” lacked the punch it used to have.
The Arctic Monkeys are still a fantastic band, but the professional modern-man look they currently wear clashes with the bands older fresh-faced-kids-from-Yorkshire material and live they do sometimes look a little bored.
It’ll be interesting to see what direction the band chooses to go next, both musically and style wise, but based on the current trajectory, the next time they pass through Columbus they could be one of the biggest bands on the planet — perhaps just not the most exciting one.
Matt Ellis is a freelance photographer who covers bands that visit the city and the Columbus Crew MLS team. More about Matt can be found at Matt Ellis Photography.
