Future of the Left – Birmingham Academy 3

December 1, 2009

I have a bit of a chequered history with seeing Future of the Left. I first saw them in April last year in Manchester at the Roundhouse where because of the venue’s club night, the band were asked to start and finish early (8 to 9) which didn’t go down too well with the Welsh trio, nor the crowd, some of whom missed virtually the whole set. I was due to see them again late last year but the tour was pulled at the last minute due to ‘recording commitments’ and earlier this year, due to some over officious door staff, I missed half their set at Dot to Dot festival. None of these issues are the band’s fault of course but I can’t help but feel that they owe me. Whether it was owed or not, the debt was paid with a little bit of interest tonight.

I’m not going to waste too many words on support band Tubelord and their polished but dated sounding set, nor am I going to dwell too long on the fact that the crowd has actually dwindled before tonight’s main act take to the stage, FOTL deserve much better.

We’re treated to an even split from Curses and Travels with Myself and Another (I count 7 tracks from each). The slightly more expansive range in sounds and styles from the new album gives the set a bit more life than when the band toured solely on the back of Curses though at the same time, the more melodic, playful songs such as ‘Land of my Formers’ and ‘Yin/Post-Yin’ don’t quite have the same punch as the angrier, snappier stuff like ‘Chin Music’ and ‘Manchasm’. That miniscule niggle aside, tonight is a nigh on perfect rock concert. Everything feels and sounds just right – the sound set up is spot on with everything sounding distinct and crisp but most importantly, this is a band who enjoy playing live and are masters of stoking the fire of the crowd. The banter, as ever is a highlight with Kelson leading the way and Falco dipping in now and again with his cynical, dead pan barbs. Their targets are odd and varied with David Tennant (a “goggle-eyed fuck” according to Kelson) and Thatcher (Falco dips into the argument of whether she should have a state funeral, suggesting she should and it should be done now) amongst them.

You need Future of the Left more than they need you.