Okay…so the big question about Of Monsters and Men ‘s gig at the O2 is not ‘how did this band having only formed in 2010 and having released only one album have to get this gig moved up from Oran Mor to the sold out O2?’ Nor is it ‘how does the tiny Icelandic community (only 320,000 of them) keep producing these amazing bands with such individual sounds?’. Nor is it ‘how can this new band have fans from every age group, social class, colour from young hipsters to old folkies; from 12 year olds to guys in tracksuits and bad bad haircuts?’
No. The real question is – just who is having the most fun, us or the band on stage?
Because they were having the time of their lives.
As the first chords were struck and harmonies sung, the band had us totally in their hands and we were in very, very, safe hands. Live, they managed to really rock out and then rein it in for the soft lullabies and handle each as if they had been doing this for decades. They managed to keep the harmonies and warmth of the songs whilst still bringing them alive on the stage. This was far from simply hearing an album played live, this was a band giving a new expansion to each and every song.
And what songs! From the hit single Little Talks to the sweet ballad Sloom, every song was welcomed and luxuriated in by the fans. Seen live, you realise just how sing-a- long most of their tunes are. These are the songs that your neighbours will learn to love as you drunkenly sing them, loud and proud at 3.00am of a Friday night.
They have been winning plaudits all over Europe and the US with their festival tours, and by end of the gig, every one left the O2 with a warm glow. It was just like those old ads for Ready Brek (kids- go ask your dad)
If you weren’t there? You probably should’ve been.