The Academy Is…, The Cockpit, Leeds
Live ReviewsBeckett has the audience wrapped around his mike stand.
16th September 2008, The Cockpit, Leeds / By Harriet Jennings
It’s quarter past seven and the doors to Leeds’ Cockpit are yet to open. The tension is mounting and the crowd are turning hostile; rain is battering the tin roof and security won’t budge an inch; it looks like the support bands will have their work cut out for them warming up this group of fans.The Maine rise to the challenge with an over zealous but enchantingly enthusiastic opening set. Hostility seemed to disappear as soon as the first chord is struck, and before you know it, the entire crowd is bopping about to powerful pop punk with undeniable fervour. It’s all a bit non-descript, although admittedly well played, until set highlight ‘ Girls Do What They Want’, which wins us over with it’s cheeky hints of Cute Is What We Aim For, Kids In Glass Houses and Go:Audio. A standout performance of Akon’s ‘I Wanna Love You’ seals the deal and marksThe Maine as a new one to watch. Flirty, fun and oh, so sexy; it’s a treat for the eyes and ears alike.
By the time that We The Kings take to the stage, the atmosphere is electric. Their set passes in a relative blur of sameness until lead singer Travis Clark, dedicates a special treat to the city of Leeds. An extraordinary cover of the Gorrillaz’s ‘Feel Good’ picks the mood back up and showcases a great deal of obviously hidden talent.
When The Academy Is… stumble into the limelight around 9pm, and they couldn’t have asked for a better welcome. The opening riff of set starter ‘Neighbors’ is met with such a force from the crowd that lead singer William Beckett looks a little thrown. Not to worry though, it doesn’t phase him for long. Within a matter of seconds, he has them chanting, singing, clapping and dancing with almost religious authority.
They speed through an auditory barrage of hits from debut album ‘Almost Here’ but it those from the sophomore ‘Santi’ that really make This Is Fake DIY sit up and take notice. Despite receiving a great deal of criticism from the music press, it’s tracks such as ‘We’ve Got A Big Mess On Hands’ and LAX to O’Hare’ that seem to really get the audience going.
Beckett proves once again to be an exceptionally talented front man with a stage presence unrivalled by most. He has the audience wrapped around his mike stand as he peels his shirt away to reveal his naked stomach. We’re all “dying to, dying to touch.” as he reminds us we can “take him home for only $9.95”. He teases the audience with lingering looks and subtle gestures before throwing himself in for a heavily anticipated crowd surf.
New songs ‘Summer Hair = Forever Young’ and ‘About A Girl’ are well received, and hint at a return to their roots with a more upbeat, positive sound. Classic tracks ‘ Attention’ and ‘Black Mamba’ never fail to get all the “eyes and ears to the front of the room, if only for one second”. An overtly sexual performance of ‘Checkmarks’ caused quite a stir; the perfect example of how good the The Academy Is… can be.
Some bands can’t play live to save their record deals, and others just don’t come across well recorded. The Academy Is… is the latter. All those years of tours have paid off tenfold, resulting in a live performance that is hard to match.
The Maine support band may be Kings but The Academy Is… rules by divine right.
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