Arctic Monkeys LIVE

They are followed on Facebook by about 2,25mln fans. This number makes one wonder if something has changed since Arctic Monkeys played 3-pound-entry gigs in Sheffield. The concert turned out to be a cast-iron proof of how far the band has distanced from their roots.
The first fact standing out a mile was the slightly more diverse audience. Now nearly 15 000 people were attracted to fill up the venue, even the absurdly distant back rows. Those turned into the oasis of peace for families with children or spectators heavy-laden with fast food dishes, beverages and other necessary etceteras. This stadium-feast ambience created a bit distasteful atmosphere.
Selling out their own headline tour, The Vaccines were a suitable appetizer. The band kept winding up the excitement successfully, ending the performance with their biggest hits. Then in elated anticipation for the main dish, the crowd waited to hear a set of songs they know perfectly well, ready to sing-along.
Soon the show packed with simple, energetic tunes began. The musicians didn’t especially bother to ravish, the crowd-pleasing songs picked one after another from their arsenal of anthems were enough. It sounded mechanical. The only song played in a way different from the record version was the encore ballade-aspiring modification of Mardy Bum. All of this made an impression that the golden age of the band is over.
To sum it up, the boys did their job properly, but I feel that over the course of years they have lost the crucial part of their charm and strength – power of youth, the raw freshness, becoming rather the ordinary craftsman . Nevertheless, on that evening the standing area was definitely the place to be. Arctic Monkeys satisfied the needs of their believers.