LOOKING BACK AT THE ARCTIC MONKEYS AHEAD OF THEIR MAY TOUR
“Stop making the eyes at me, I’ll stop making the eyes at you,”
The Arctic Monkeys, a band that need no introduction, lyrical genius combined with classic rock; the group that defined a whole genre. Originally inspired by the likes of The Strokes, Queens of the Stoneage and The Libertines indie music pivoted as the Sheffield rock band burst onto the scene. With 7 studio albums and 5 EPs, the Arctic Monkeys have proved themselves worthy of being called one of the biggest bands in the world.
The cassette tape for the Arctic Monkeys’ most recent album, “The Car,” represents another step in the band’s evolution of the music business. Given that the record wasn’t even published until October 2022, the Sheffield band accomplished an astonishing achievement when the tape became the most sold-out of all cassette tapes last year.
The band are now back bigger than ever and are “making the eyes at” the UK, at least for the next month or so.
As they are about to embark on the UK leg of their world tour beginning in Bristol on the 29th, we’re taking a look back at one of the biggest bands of the past 20 years.
Learning guitar as a young teen, the first riffs I tried my hand at sprung from Jamie Cooks lead guitar on the AM album. Also, still not one guitarist can even approach the B chord without a chorus of ‘omg is that ‘When the Sun Goes Down’ I love the Arctic Monkey!,’ with so many iconic riffs, lyrics and drum lines under their belt it is near impossible not to know at least one Arctic Monkeys song. Their early albums combine garage rock’s growling tone and indies positive jangly sound. More recently they have taken on an experimental style, with frontman Alex taking to the keys in a prog rock infusion. It isn’t only the front man though, the band have all ditched their worn in tracksuits, “knackered Converse” and Reebok Classics for a more suave look and sound.
Not that they’re moving too far from their roots “the best you ever had is just a memory” the band continue to play their earliest hits and some fan favourites too. Videos circled the net in May of the Arctic Monkeys playing a few lesser played tracks, including ‘From the Ritz to The Rubble’ and ‘Suck it and See’ which hadn’t been played live since the band toured the ‘Suck it and See’ album in 2011.
If you have been living under a rock for the majority of the 21st century here’s my 5 picks from the Arctic Monkeys extensive discography to both grab you into an Arctic Monkeys chokehold and save you from a deep hole of musical blindness.
A Certain Romance
A track including everything the Arctic Monkeys are about. The perfect opener to a playlist or live set. Matt Helders’ drums are near tribal and lead the song into a crescendo of Northern grit. Painting a story for their listeners of what it is like growing up in a Northern city.
PERHAPS VAMPIRES IS A BIT STRONG
The height of early Arctic Monkeys instrumentals. It is a doomed task to sort through the track list for a favourite from ‘Whatever People Say I am,’ the band’s debut album, but it has to be this one. The energy fills every line, a class A tune that you can imagine yourself getting lost in if you heard it live.
Love Is a Laserquest
Stripping it down now with an ode to an ex-lover. From my favourite album ‘Love is a Laserquest’ holds heart-breaking lyricism reflecting on Turner’s past. This song and album as a whole are Alex Turner’s testimony as both a frontman and a writer. This album saw the band move from being the newcomers of the indie scene to cemented staples on the rock and roll hall of fame.
Sculptures of Anything Goes
From their latest album. A commanding track that wouldn’t feel out of place in a bond film. The song is littered with pop culture references a staple of Turner’s writing. Both of the band’s latest studio albums have divided the many, yet it is hard to deny how immense the Monkeys prog rock direction will sound, especially in the arenas that the band are filling.
The View From the Afternoon
Not completely a wildcard, in fact a staple of the Arctic Monkeys discography. The band had a vlog series which took inspiration from the title of this particular track. Another song holding everything the Arctic Monkeys are known best for, explosive guitar, rowdy drums, held together by a metallic bass and Turners young vocals. This was my go-to song when I needed to let loose growing up, and could you blame me. Everything about this song bangs; it is the perfect way to summarise a top pick of the Arctic Monkeys list.
The band kick off the UK leg of their tour with a show that will no doubt bring the house down at the Ashton Gate Stadium on the 29th of May. The tour will last a month, finishing this leg in Glasgow on the 25th of June.
They are being supported by The Hives and The Mysterines each night. All three bands are sure to fill the huge venues they are lined up for. The latest album is perfectly matched for a stadium tour, and no stage is too big for the four boys from High Green, Sheffield. Although their set list will undoubtedly be full with newer songs, the wet coasts of England can only hope they’ll choose a few from their nearly two-decade-long career to please UK fans and give them some much-needed noughties nostalgia.
TOUR DATES
Full list of sold-out 2023 UK & Irish dates as follows:
May
29 Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol
31 Building Society Arena, Coventry
June
2 Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
3 Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
5 Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough
7 Carrow Road Stadium, Norwich
9 Hillsborough Park, Sheffield
10 Hillsborough Park, Sheffield
12 Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea
14 The Ageas Bowl, Southampton
16 Emirates Stadium, London
17 Emirates Stadium, London
18 Emirates Stadium, London
20 Marlay Park, Dublin
23 Glastonbury Festival, Pilton
25 Bellahouston Park, Glasgow
Ruby Weatherill
Photo: Zachery Michael 2022
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