Apparently, it’s been 10 years since Kasabian last played this venue. Different name, again, and after a quiet period, they have bounced back with a No.1 album, ‘Happenings’, and hitting the road in support of it. With a very nearly sold out, newly renamed bp pulse LIVE – the old Resorts World and even older N.E.C Arena – which proves their pulling power, with singer, Serge Pizzorno, absolutely loving the adoration of the fervent crowd.

As you would expect the setlist had a large chunk of songs from ‘The Happening’, which were greeted with as much as a reaction as the older classics. This bodes well for their future; you have to be confident of your material. Kasabian rolled out a big gun very early, ‘Club Foot’, and of course took the roof off, with the standing mass all jumping in time, like a sea of waves, very impressive.

Kasabian haven’t lost any sense of humour and at one point to the Grandstand theme for ‘48:13’, it showed the full band on the screens as boxers at the weigh in with real height and weights. This was a prelude to Serge stopping and pointing out a super fan in the front row, who had asked prior for a favour. Serge duly went down into the pit and gave the fan the microphone, who then asked his girlfriend to marry him, and she said yes!

With a four-song encore just to rinse out any energy left in the crowd, and finishing with ‘God Bless This Acid House’, and the obligatory ‘Fire’, bringing the sweaty night to an end. The only question is, if they leave it another 10 years, (hopefully not!), what this venue may be called then?

Photos by Geoff Griffe
Review by Jenny Griffe