Kaiser Chiefs ‘Stay Together’ Tour
Over the last few years the North Wales music scene has turned a massive corner with acts such as James Morrison at Rhyl Pavillion. The Shires and Bellowhead at Venue Cymru, Little Mix, Lionel Richie, and Elton John gracing the stage at Parc Eirias . And last night the Kaiser Chiefs kicked off the first leg of their UK tour at the Venue Cymru Arena in Llandudno.
The 2,500 capacity venue was sold out but with plenty of space to dance! The support acts warmed up the crowd suitably and just before 9pm we were treated to a large neon sign donned with a bright arrow pointing to the stage and the words ‘Tonite-Kaiser Chiefs’. With what seemed to be some kind of salute to 1940s-60s America the sign intermittently flickered and buzzed in the fifteen minutes before the band’s arrival-a suitable tease!
The show opened with the band on a small stage in the style of an American high school prom-the ones we are used to seeing in the movies (think Grease!) complete with silver tinsel curtain, a disco ball and lead vocalist Ricky Wilson in a green blazer throwing his best Elvis shapes!
Soon after, and in a little murmur of confusion, the band were behind the tinsel curtain as it suddenly fell, revealing the real size of the arena stage, a huge neon ‘K’ and ‘C’ and a plethora of lights and smoke machines. The perfect secret reveal!
The band, from Leeds, who originally formed in 2000, played all of their greatest hits including ‘I Predict a Riot’ (which shot them to stardom in 2005 reaching number 9 in the UK Singles Chart), ‘Ruby’ (which topped the charts in 2007), ‘Modern Way’ and ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’ along with some new stuff including the catchy ‘Hole in my Soul’ and ‘Parachute’.
Ricky Wilson is a brilliant showman with incredible energy and a voice with stunning control despite scaling scaffolding and jumping through the crowds, transforming most female fans into screaming teenagers as they stumbled to get closer!
The guys deserve every success on their latest tour and they’ve certainly started as they mean to go on in this little seaside town! They go on to perform in Bournemouth on Friday and then throughout the UK over February and March, including a huge show at the O2 in London.
Venue Cymru Arena, Llandudno
Wednesday February 22nd 2017 7pm
Supported by Howl Sounds and Spring King