Kaiser Chiefs / Zulu Winter / This Many Boyfriends

It has been almost a decade since the Kaiser Chiefs came to prominence during the indie boom of that time. Since the release of their debut album 'Employment' in 2005 the lads from Yorkshire have played to huge crowds at festivals and arenas across the globe. Tonight their current UK tour is drawing to a close and they find themselves at a packed Corn Exchange in Cambridge.



Before Kaiser Chiefs take to the stage we have this evenings support in the shape of This Many Boyfriends and Zulu Winter. First up are This Many Boyfriends who introduce themselves as "from the north". The five-piece group spend the first half of their set tonight trying to sound like The Smiths, but they just come across as bland. Even when the energy of the band does pick up towards the end, my enjoyment of them does not.



Things are soon looking up however when Zulu Winter take to the stage. I had heard good things of this band and they instantly stepped it up a notch. This is a group that has both the look and the sound to become a success. Zulu Winter produce a very enjoyable performance with a sound that sucks you right in. From opening song 'Leave Me' to set closer 'The Drift', Zulu Winter create an experience.

In a recent press release, Kaiser Chiefs front man, Ricky Wilson was quoted as saying that the recording for their next album will be like recording their "first record for the second time." This statement couldn't be more true as the band have recently lost one of their primary songwriters following the departure of drummer Nick Hodgson. Time will tell how the band fare in the studio, but tonight's tour is in support of their recent best of compilation 'Souvenir', and the set list is a testament to Hodgson's song writing as it's a procession of hit singles.



Energy levels are usually high with Wilson and tonight is no different as he takes a dive into the crowd during second song 'Kinda Girl You Are'. 'Na Na Na Na Naa' and 'Little Shocks' follow as the band reel out song after song in quick succession. Despite the quick succession of songs Wilson still finds time to encourage the crowd to clap and sing along.

I was interested to see how the group would cope without Hodgson in the live setting and the answer is just fine. At this time they have decided against a permanent replacement, instead using friend and Club Smith drummer Vijay Mistry on this tour. Mistry fits seamlessly into the well oiled machine that is Kaiser Chiefs and the band could do far worse than sign up the drummer.

Kaiser Chiefs further evidence what a hit making machine they have been with tracks such as 'Everyday I Love You Less And Less', 'Everything Is Average Nowadays' and 'Modern Way'. Without a permanent drummer, the remaining members Wilson, Andrew White, Simon Rix and Nick Baines have been writing new songs and Wilson declares the audience "lucky" as we get to hear one of these new songs 'Living Underground'. I must say that I'm unsure this track will satisfy Wilson's desire for chart success, but it does have its moments.



Wilson always has been the focal point of the Kaiser Chiefs live show and he plays his role well again tonight, disappearing during 'Never Miss A Beat' only to re-emerge from a balcony over the crowd to finish the song. Wilson also encourages the crowd to lose their voices tonight, which could quite possibly happen following the closing trilogy of mass sing-a-longs 'Ruby', 'I Predict A Riot' and 'The Angry Mob'.

Over the past hour or so, Kaiser Chiefs have proven that there is life in the band yet with another top performance and the airing of new material. Where the band go in the future however only time will tell. As for the next ten minutes the band return for an encore of 'Say Goodbye' and a rousing rendition of The Stranglers classic 'No More Heroes'. They then send the packed Corn Exchange home happy with the ever popular 'Oh My God'.

FUTURE GIGS