Welcome Home, Coheed and Cambria
With latest album 'The Color Before the Sun' receiving critical acclaim across the board, the return of progressive alt-rockers Coheed and Cambria to our shores was highly anticipated ever since being announced last October. The news was especially buzz-inducing when, in the same announcement, it was declared that they were to be joined by New York post-hardcore legends Glassjaw.
Rounding out the bill and opening the proceedings at London’s O2 Forum in Kentish Town are Cheltenham based alt-punk/post-hardcore quartet Crooks. Their debut album, 'Are We All The Same Distance Apart', came out last December, bridging the gap between bands like Circa Survive and The Fall of Troy with frenetic instrumentation and soaring vocals.
For those that hadn’t heard them before tonight, the intricacy of their music may have been lost in the fuzz of a large venue sound/opening support slot combo. That said, the solid vocal performance of Josh Rogers and tight musicianship on the likes of “What Might Have Been” and “Schöne Seele” wins the crowd over enough for them to hopefully look them up when they get home.
A band that aren’t likely to be caught out by a bad sound, are Glassjaw. Apparently their amps go to 11 and as the open chords of “Tip Your Bartender” ring out over the Forum, they are played with such bombast that there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Glassjaw are BACK.
Keeping the chatter to a minimum we get four more songs in a row from the classic Worship and Tribute, in the forms of “Mu Empire”, “Pink Roses”, “Ape Dos Mil” and “The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports”. Those who didn’t bring earplugs tonight were no doubt suffering afterwards due to the sheer volume, but there’s no denying that the songs still sound excellent 14 years later.
Due to issues with vocalist Daryl Palumbo’s health over the years, this could potentially be the first time many people here had seen Glassjaw live, despite being fans for over a decade and thankfully, they don’t disappoint.
Their new rhythm section punctuate the songs viciously, perfectly accompanying guitarist Justin Beck’s jarring melodies and Palumbo’s soaring wail. “New White Extremity”, the white hot new song that was unleashed late last year sounds breath taking live and we get a further taste of new material in the form of “Shira”, promising big things for album number three. Finishing on the venomous “Siberian Kiss”, tonight is a stark reminder that Glassjaw haven’t lost any of their fire over the years and could very easily have the album of the year up their sleeves.
Which brings us neatly to tonight’s headliners, who blew everyone away with their latest album late last year. 2012 and '13’s The Afterman' double album didn’t quite seem to connect with Coheed and Cambria’s audience in the way their previous material had, but after stripping out any sort of story/concept for 'The Color Before The Sun', the song writing shone through, making it Coheed’s finest album in years.
The adulation for the album becomes clear from the moment the opening notes of “Island” ring out and the sold out, 2,300 capacity Forum goes insane. It’s always a pleasure to see Claudio Sanchez’s incredible mane flying around and the band look like their enjoying every second of pumping out classics like “Devil in Jersey City” and “Blood Red Summer” to the baying audience.
“No World For Tomorrow” brings some colossal riffing to the proceedings around the midway point and “33” takes us all way back to the first album, but the new songs are the stars tonight. “You Got Spirit, Kid” offers up a glorious pop rock moment before “Here To Mars” gives everyone in the building goosebumps. It sounds HUGE. An instant classic, it’ll no doubt stay in their set lists for years to come with a reaction like this.
A trio of beauts from the brilliant 'In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3' finishing on the title track round out the set (the “Man your own jackhammer!” chant providing a highlight as always), before the band come back out for a fantastic encore of “Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)” and the epic “Welcome Home”, complete with Claudio playing part of the solo with his teeth. Who said comic book geeks weren’t cool?
Overall, tonight proved that there’s plenty more steam in the Coheed engine and in fact, it seems to be running better than ever. Let’s hope they get announced for some festivals soon so we can hear “Here To Mars” live again ASAP.
COMMENTS
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I am a MASSIVE fan of Glassjaw but I just can not identify with Coheed and Cambria's music. It might be Mr Sanchez's unusual vocals which turn me away but that is simply my take on them.
