Foals live at the Ambassador

Tonight marks the third Irish date of 2008 for Oxford dance-punk merchants Foals, who’ve unquestionably been one of the breakthrough bands of the year. Whilst the quintet delivered a reasonably strong debut album with Antidotes, this gig once again demonstrates that, in a live setting, their material truly catches fire.
Yannis Philippakis and co. conjure a series of rip-roaring dance rhythms that get the whole venue jumping. The group pace the tracks carefully, with many rising to a crescendo, then slowing right down, before building up once again to a climactic finale. As always, the band throw themselves into their performance with complete abandon, hurling themselves around the stage and generally creating a thrillingly chaotic atmosphere.
Philippakis is perhaps the most animated member of all, and concludes the main part of the set – as has become tradition at Foals gigs – by battering a floor tom, which he eventually picks up and fires across the stage. Throughout, highlights are plentiful, but the big three of ‘Balloons’, ‘Red Socks Pugie’ and ‘Cassius’ (introduced by Philippakis as “one of the classics”) are given a particularly rapturous reception.
Returning for the encore, the band embark on another punishing dance-rock work-out, before finally calling it a night. If Foals manage to capture the power of their live shows on their next record, they’re going to have one hell of a second album on their hands.