Three years since their first visit to Australia, and now with two more albums under their belt, it's hard to deny just how much Bloc Party's popularity has grown when you see how easily the UK act managed to pack the Hordern Pavilion to the rafters on the first of their two shows in Sydney.
Let's forget for a moment that the band's last two albums, A Weekend in the City and their most recent release, Intimacy, have been receiving mixed responses from fans and press. In concert, all bets are off; Bloc Party's indie rock tunes are tailor-made for a live performance, with music that is rich with killer hooks and catchy riffs, thumping, danceable beats and lyrics anyone can (and will) shout out.
Playing a solid 90-minute set that happily touched on their entire back catalogue, it was clear that Bloc Party held the crowd in their hands from the moment they hit the stage. The atmosphere inside the Hordern was electric: every song was met with ecstatic cheers, enthusiastic dancing and more hands raised in the air than at your average rave. 'Song for Clay (Disappear Here)' inspired the biggest singalong, while beat-heavy new tracks 'Talons' and 'Ion Square' got the crowd moving, as did the manic 'Flux'.
Older tracks from their breakthrough album Silent Alarm such as 'Like Eating Glass' received the biggest audience response, while the introductory drum beats of their massive hit 'Banquet' paved the way for a giant, frenzied mosh pit with no visible edges - unfortunate for anyone who happened to be weaving their way back to their viewing spot with a fresh beer in hand. Frontman Kele Okereke was generous and polite, frequently asking for the house lights to be turned up so the band could see their fans (though he seemed a little perplexed when a pair of white underpants from a young lass in the audience soared onto the stage at his feet).
After unceremoniously departing the stage, the band returned for a lengthy encore, kicking off with 'Sunday' (which also saw tonight's jack-of-all-trades Gordon Moakes at his third instrument changeover for the evening, sitting comfortably behind a second drum kit beside regular skins man, Matt Tong) and finishing up with the night's most-loved and arguably their finest track, 'Helicopter'. The band then returned amid a flurry of lasers, finishing up with 'This Modern Love' from Silent Alarm, and capping off a performance which was energetic, passionate and, above all else, fun.
Michelle Ho
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