Bloc Party @ Camden Barfly - 14th October 2007

‘Tonight we’re here to party, use your space well’ bellows Bloc Party frontman, Kele Okereke as the band rush the petite, paltry stage at the Camden Barfly, the band’s ‘smallest headline show in two years.’ Of course it’s wrenched in irony, space being the exact thing the thrilled, adoring audience have absolutely none of.

The crowd were made up of lucky ticket winners, extravagant eBayers and industry types, all collected to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the cult MTV2 news programme and generally, bearer of all things alternative, the Zane Lowe presented Gonzo. To make the distance between you and the sweaty, dehydrated, fringe swept teen in front of you even smaller, there was also a large number of cameramen filming the show to be aired on TV in a few weeks time.

So, a brief recap: Bloc Party in London, ‘smallest show in two years’ and it’s being filmed for television. We sure were in for a treat and I was undoubtedly privileged for the opportunity. I definitely owe my friend with the spare ticket at least one or two pints next time I see him.



Opening with ‘Song For Clay’ the first track off latest ‘Weekend In The City’, the simplistic, hard hitting, gloomy chords got the crowd bobbing along immediately, with the pulsating rhythms and signature Bloc Party cynicism on display in the lyrics, with lines such as ‘When we kiss I feel nothing’ and ‘We can dream that the ‘80s never happened.’

‘Banquet’ from 2005’s ‘Silent Alarm’ sent everyone into a frenzy, with the first of many sing-a-longs to come, and ‘So Here We Are’ was also played in close succession. The band really took the crowd’s opinion into mind, and as well as playing a request at one point, a rare B-side ‘Lost Thoughts’ asked for by a typically pretentious fan, they also played all of the fan favourites and classics, and turned the show into more of a greatest hits set. We got one taste of the much anticipated new record ‘Flux’ but it didn’t last long as the band experienced keyboard problems and had to end it, to the crowds dismay. Perhaps they were just teasing us.

During the encore anthem ‘Helicopter’, Okereke completely knocked down the stage and crowd barrier and crowd surfed the entire length of the venue, all the way to the bar at the back, where he preceded to pour himself an absolutely deserved pint of lager. He finishes the set with a happy birthday chant to MTV2 still standing gloriously a top the band in a sea of thrilled fans.

It’s not hard to believe that they’re a huge band both sides of the Atlantic, although the days of playing shabby bars in the armpit of Camden are behind them, they prove tonight they can still deliver on a small scale when given the opportunity. I will certainly be on the sofa when it's on next week, I can’t wait to watch it all again.