Arctic Monkeys in Barcelona—a concert review
Supported by the Irish four-piece rock and roll band The Strypes, who themselves are building up recognition for their classic sound that is reminiscent of popular music from the Fifties, Arctic Monkeys kicked off the night with 'Do I wanna know?', a single from their latest album AM. It wasn’t long, however, before the band returned to their classics with 'Brianstorm'.
Although the band rarely addressed the crowd, singer Alex Turner did announce that "tonight is a good night" in Catalan before the set slowed down with songs from AM, an album that seems to have moved away from the indie-Brit style that launched them into the limelight. Their music now appears to be heavily influenced by R&B with songs such as 'One for the road', while other singles suggest a nod towards the classic rock 'n' roll era that appears to also have had its effects on their hair-stylist, as evidenced by the Elvis quiff that Turner is now sporting.
At the end of the night, the band performed 'I want to be used' and Turner thanked Catalunya for having them prior to the band leaving the stage. On returning for the encore, the band closed their set with a sedate rendition of the much-loved 'Mardy Bum', before finally finishing with 'R U Mine?'
Click here to read comments from some of the audience.