Arctic Monkeys- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 2/8/14

A hip young crowd packed the world’s most famous arena on Saturday night as the Arctic Monkey’s played their first headlining gig on New York’s brightest stage. Smoke and anticipation mixed as the group strolled out and begun their pulsing “Do I Wanna Know” in front of a giant A and M light rig. The sleek restraint with which the group played on this first tune was indicative of their maturity as a band leading to a new level in their evolution as young girls screamed and danced along with Alex Turner’s front-man ministrations; a perfect opening statement.

The band then got their punk out with “Brianstorm” as lasers in the form of light and sound shot from the rafters via red beams and Jamie Cook’s six strings. One of the weirder tunes in the Monkey’s catalog “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I Moved Your Chair” got an airing and was accentuated by the huge bass lines of Nick O’Malley. The band mainly focused on their excellent new album AM with tracks like “Knee Socks”, “One For The Road” and the shimmering “I Wanna Be Yours” all getting massive positive reactions.

During a few tunes on this night, like “Snap Out Of It” the band swelled, having extra guitarists, keyboardists and tambourine players in the shadows. Touring member Tom Rowley got a shout out but others were also around to lend a hand to the proceedings.

The real MVP’s are easily spotted though as Turner and drummer Matt Helders blend beautifully on harmonies in between guitar runs and Helder’s creative drumming. The beat for the acoustically delivered “Fireside” was hip shakingly grand while the slamming “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor” smashed away the pain. The Arctic Monkeys can still get aggressive but it is their growth and relaxed playing that is the most fascinating; when they slow down, like on set highlight “Cornerstone”, things flourish wonderfully.

Amping up the arena rock quotient on “Arabella” showcased the songs direct influence by dipping into a few bars of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” behind Alex Turner’s strutting, posing and engaging of the crowd. Guitarist Miles Kane joined the group for a set closing “505” before sticking around for the first song of the encore.

After a break Turner commented that it was almost 50 years to the day that The Beatles came to NYC to play The Ed Sullivan Show, so in honor the band delivered a disco ball fueled, nuanced version of “All My Loving” with guest Kane’s reverb filled guitar lines being a highlight. Closing with the powerful “R U Mine?” the bands tight show was a winning testament to their newfound arena headlining level success here in the states and hopefully hints at even greater things to come.

 

  1. Do I Wanna Know?
  2. Brianstorm
  3. Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair
  4. Snap Out of It
  5. Crying Lightning
  6. Old Yellow Bricks
  7. Fireside
  8. Knee Socks
  9. Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?
  10. Arabella
  11. Dancing Shoes
  12. Pretty Visitors
  13. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
  14. Cornerstone
  15. I Wanna Be Yours
  16. Fluorescent Adolescent
  17. 505 (with Miles Kane)

Encore:

  1. All My Loving (with Miles Kane)
  2. One for the Road
  3. R U Mine?

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