Arctic Monkeys

Bournemouth International Centre - April 2006
Image: © 2006 Kid 73
Written by Kid 73

I was secretly hoping their hype would prove to be a folded sock stuffed, by record execs and Svengali marketers, down the drainpipes of a slightly above average band. Seven songs in and it all fitted into place. ‘Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But…’ played after the incendiary ‘Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ was for me, the track of the night. This is where I can see the Arctic’s light shining brighter than a magnesium matchstick. ‘I Bet You…’ and ‘When The Sun…’ are to The Arctic’s what ‘Parklife’ was to Blur – a mainstream call to chant and foot stomp – but their depth is in the tracks kept nestled in the album’s ample bosom. Always comfortable onstage and lazily nonchalant about getting the gig over with, they wandered around twiddling knobs on amps and instruments. Part of their charm is undoubtedly the ‘cute’ varnish the media has ronsealed onto them, but, every band has to have an image and theirs suits them. Are they the real deal? In a word – damnstraightskippy.