Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Jake Anderson enjoys a typically dynamic gig from the Tyneside favourites
Image by Em Cole
Maxïmo Park ended their 2022 Singular Tour triumphantly with a return to Tyneside. The purpose of the tour was a ‘greatest hits’ showcase, with the band focusing on fan favourite singles from their extensive discography – even casting a poll beforehand for particular songs.
Despite some songs being nearly two decades old, the band performed them with typical vigour. Paul Smith has excellent energy on stage, leading the charge of 90-minutes worth of indie rock bangers – and it only took him three songs to break the mic stand with excitement.
The set was relentlessly up-beat. Classics such as Going Missing had a hard-hitting sense of power to them, created by the band’s core shaking drums and the track’s heavy focus on that central shredding guitar riff, and it beat out any pre-conceived ideas of the band I had.
The moments Smith engaged with the crowd, whether about the songs or referring to current political topics, served to strengthen the singer’s connection with the crowd. The set wasn’t just a constant barrage of high tempo anthems however, an early example of the band’s range was Leave This Island from their 2014 Too Much Information EP, which was a lot more relaxed in its delivery, and offered some nice dynamism to the gig.
The band ended their main set with the instant crowd pleaser Apply Some Pressure, with its infectious hook that served as an energy raising, thundering closer.
The support came from Pip Blom, a Dutch quartet who seem to be becoming North East favourites. Their indie rock style and energy was playful; with a lively vocal performance and energetic and pleasingly brash sound which contributed to some danceable bangers.
