Stage tricks did most of the heavy lifting at this ‘intimate’ show – well, intimate if you’re the sort of band used to playing megadomes. Within the first few songs, spotlights flashed across the crowd, as if to say “MAKE SOME NOISE!!” And it worked. Borrell’s personal cheerleader was standing right in front, a game chap who turned to the crowd and did his best to gee them up with a roaring “COME ON!!”
Not that Borrell himself was exactly radiating peace and love. The frontman’s face was as solemn as the roses that lay at the foot of the drum-kit. To give the occasion a bit of extra vibe, six rectangular panels hung on the back curtain, shining different colours for each song.
Still, Borrell did get the crowd going by pounding his chest during ‘Don’t Go Back To Dalston’, and let some anger show when he sang ‘Stinger’, the panels flashing green and blue. And there was a sense of solidarity in the air when the crowd sang their hearts out during ‘All My Life’.
In anticipation of the encore, some people started the inevitable – and bloody annoying at this stage – chant of “Olé Olé Olé”. Borrell and company duly returned for a grandiose ‘Fall, Fall, Fall’ and an atmospheric ‘Burberry Blue Eyes’.
Though the majority of the crowd undoubtedly enjoyed it, Razorlight would do well to put a little more energy into their performance next time around. Sometimes a tastefully-decorated set simply isn't enough.