Arctic Monkeys lose PA system but power on for Brisbane fans

THE Arctic Monkeys were so hot not even losing the PA during their Brisbane gig overnight could halt their momentum.

Alex Turner and the Arctic Monkeys didn’t let a PA fail stop them at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Pic: Adam Smith

THE Arctic Monkeys were on such a roll that not even losing the PA in their closing song could halt their momentum.

That was R U Mine, and the audience singalong kept things going until normal service was restored.

At which point frontman Alex Turner said, “let’s try that again” and the band went out on a high.

Rock’n’roll is now in its seventh decade and it seems someone always finds a way to mix up the ingredients into a potent new brew.

Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys are doing that as well as anyone right now, and the 10,000 plus crowd at this concert last night would surely agree.

This is a band that started with a bang, their classic 2006 debut album, seemed to lose their way by album three and are back with a vengeance after last year’s top notch AM set.

On stage they now have all the confidence of a band at their top of their game, with Alex Turner calmly calling the shots and, with his swept back hair, looking like one of the coolest musicians on the planet.

They open with a trio of songs from AM, all sinewy riffs and soul-inspired grooves, before ripping into high gear with early favourite Brainstorm.

This isn’t a band that feels the need to run a marathon up there to entertain, they prefer to stand and play. It’s the songs that do the talking, not the stage moves.

And with the four members augmented with keys and percussion, the sound is massive.

Turner is a great lyricist, although that doesn’t matter so much here, with thunderous guitars and pounding drums to the fore.

Some bands never quite handle the step up from playing clubs to big stages like this one, but Arctic Monkeys handle the transition with ease. While the mix last night wasn’t perfect, they have so many strong songs to chose from now it hardly matters.

By the time they drop I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, She’s Thunderstorms and No 1 Party Anthem, the night is won.

Rock is not dead yet, as Turner wryly noted at the Brit Awards this year. Certainly it was alive and kicking last night.

Originally published as Arctic Monkeys lose PA system but power on for Brisbane fans