Houston Calling

Review: Kasabian, Fitzgerald’s Houston, 3.15.12

March 20th, 2012 · No Comments

Kasabian
Live at Fitzgerald’s, Houston, TX
3.15.12

The vibe was celebratory at Thursday’s sold-out Kasabian show, and with good reason. For one, it’s been nearly six years since the Brit-rockers played in Houston, and–perhaps more importantly–seeing Kasabian in a small venue these days is a rare occurrence. In fact, it seemed like a surprise to the band members that they were playing such an intimate setting (surely it’s been years since the Kasabian was as close to its fans as it was during the Fitzgerald’s show). Although stage banter was minimal, hand gestures and facial expressions were fairly easy to read–it was great to see the band members having such a great time at this stage in their careers.

Kasabian relied heavily on its latest release, 2011’s Velociraptor, although the show’s lengthy setlist was essentially a “greatest hits” that featured “Club Foot” (probably the band’s best-known song in the U.S.), “Fire,” “Where Did All The Love Go?,” and “L.S.F.” From its first note, the band played Fitzgerald’s like they were playing a huge stadium show, with over-the-top bombast the band is known for. The sound (to my earplugged ears, at least) was excellent, and the band never lost momentum.

Like fellow Brit stadium rockers Oasis, Kasabian’s concerts draw a raucous crowd, and the Houston show was no different. But it was great to see fans so into a band, singing along with each song and continually throwing themselves at the band members. One fan I spoke with had seen the band in Milan and Dallas, and was raving and dancing throughout the band’s set. Despite some stereotypically annoying crowd members, the entire room seemed intently focused on the music and the obvious rock stars onstage.

It’s easy to see how Kasabian’s attitude and ambition can be a turn-off to the more jaded listener. However, there’s no denying the professionalism and enthusiasm for fans that the band displayed throughout its Houston set. It was both surprising and impressive.

Photos after the jump…

Tags: Music · Reviews

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