Originally planned to be going with my usual gig buddy, Hannah. Unfortunately, she was not going to get back from Leicester in time, so it was just me plus the lovely Natasha & James.
I'm sure they won't mind me saying, but they're not the biggest followers of music, but wind back the clock a while and Natasha came to see Vampire Weekend with Hannah. She thoroughly enjoyed it and we all sort of agreed to do it again.
I'm normally the one who books the tickets, so the four of us were booked in.
My turn to drive, so I eventually found their place in a village on the way and we got sorted. Naturally, a bit of Foals on the iPod. Suffice it to say that this was the first listen that N&J had of the band.
"How do you spell this band's name" - Natasha. She'd been going round telling people that she was going to see The Fowls, and then wondered why no-one wanted to buy the spare ticket.
Soooooo, we get to the UEA and head for the bar. Always a good thing with a band like the Foals is that they are quite popular with the students at the Uni, a lot of which are not yet 18. This means that the bar is not as busy as usual.
After grabbing a drink, Natasha decides that she wants a cigarette, but doesn’t have any on here. I agree to join her and we pop outside on the lookout for anyone who may have a spare one going. We round a corner and spy three likely looking guys leaning against the wall near the tour buses. Natasha quickly marches up to them and asks for a fag. They politely say that they’ve just run out, even proffering the empty packet for proof. Natasha sighs and heads for one of the coach drivers who comes good.
It’s only then, as I pull Natasha to one side that I point out what she’s done.
“You do know who you just asked for a fag”, says I. Of course, she’s no idea. It just happens to be the lead singer of Foals, Yannis Phlippakis (plus two other band members).
Natasha doesn’t immediately believe me, but then we both crack up in fits, especially as she then says that, as they were hanging around outside she was going to ask them if they wanted to buy our spare ticket.
Back in the warmth of the hall, we catch the last track by the first support and the whole set of the second. Both quite good.
Foals don’t disappoint. A really, really good set. Lots of new stuff, but some old favourites too. The audience are bang up for it, making loads of noise plus lots of obligatory crowd surfing.
The band are on proper form. Even when the lead guitar stops playing ball and takes a while to get sorted. Yannis does his usual stuff of crawling all over the speaker stacks. At one point, he puts his guitar down and lines up as if to jump off the stage. A couple of run-ups and then he launches himself into the awaiting crowd. After a few minutes of being passed all over the place, he jumps back on stage.... missing his shoes of course!
The end of the set comes round soon enough, one of the roadies comes on and says something to Yannis. He then announces that if they don’t stop soon they will get fined. However, he says that they’re having such a good time, they’re going to carry on anyway.
All great stuff, and Natasha & James thoroughly enjoyed it and want to go to more gigs. Unfortunately, I had a bit of a scour at the weekend and couldn’t find anything of particular interest, either at Norwich or Cambridge. Something WILL turn up.
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