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Review: The Futureheads, SWX – ‘Exactly as expected’
Is there anyone who doesn’t love Futurehead‘s version of the Kate Bush classic Hounds of Love?
The band are celebrating over 20 years together with a UK singles tour, including a stop at SWX.
First up, though, was Du Blonde. Their sound is a blend of pop, punk and soul with heart-on-sleeve lyrics. Solitary Individual is full of glorious harmonies and celebrates being an introvert.
Despite a sparse turnout the band played with all the vigour they could as if the place was packed to the rafters as, really, they deserve.
Then Futureheads took a running leap into their set which promised maximum sing-along potential as they started with The Beginning Of the Twist. Give the people what they want!
A Futureheads show is a very communal experience, with frontman Barry Hyde and the rest of the band involved in constant banter with individuals throughout the show. They are cracked up by their own jokes and so are the crowd. They feel like a band of brothers.
Yet they move from humor to intensity very quickly – one minute asking the crowd random quiz questions, the next dropping a spine-tingling acapella rendition of folk classic Beeswing.
There are biblical harmonies: when you can sing like they can it makes sense to release Rant, an entirely acapella album.
Skip to the End and Heartbeat Song follow sweetly and swiftly to take things back to the indie bangers singalong, with Hounds Of Love saved as the set closer, followed by an up-tempo three song encore ending with Man Ray as one last blast of their infectious distinctive art rock sound.
This show was loads of fun, exactly what was expected and needed from The Futurheads.
Main image: Matt Barnes
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