Music / Review
Review: Reef, O2 Academy – ‘One word for this set? Madness’
As the queues of people began to arrive into Bristol’s O2 Academy and onto the main floor, you couldn’t help but think that soon, this venue would be full of die-hard followers that have been accumulating since 1993 when the rock band, Reef first began.
Currently promoting their latest body of work Shoot Me Your Ace and hailing from Glastonbury, this was as close to a home gig as we were going to get and it was surely to be a special gig.
The first of two support acts arrived, first up was Mother Vulture. One word for them – mental. Copious amounts of energy from the guitarist literally running and jumping off the stage, to the guitarist crashing into the drum kit at the end of the set along with the singer’s voice which sounded like a combination of Myles Kennedy, Axel Rose and Steven Tyler. They were definitely one to watch out for.
is needed now More than ever
Next up, was A. A band who although haven’t released an album since 2005, showed that they didn’t need to write new music to give the audience a good time. At one point, the lead singer started off one of the songs by making the whole crowd literally walk round in a circle before shouting for a mosh pit.
After two big energy support acts, there were thoughts if the crowd had any energy left. When the lights went out and the ‘Reef’ chants began, the lights came back on and there they were in all their glory on stage. The audience were re-energised.
The audience were loving it, as were the band. Photo: Ben Nicholls
One word for this set? Madness. As Reef played through their set, their songs got heavier and rockier and the crowd more crazy and more unhinged. Of course the band played probably their most well-known tune Place Your Hands around the middle of the set. Everything after that was up another level. There was crowd surfing left, right and centre. There were that many of them, the crowd almost looked like it was thinning out because they’d all get dragged to the front and snatched away by security. The audience were loving it, as were the band. The ‘Reef’ chants from the audience intensified between every song and the continuous mosh pits spread like wildfire as the night went on.
The band came on to perform not one, not two, but three encores. A surprise to all was when the band performed The Chain by Fleetwood Mac – and boy did they cover it well. They incorporated everything into that song. The harmonies, the tones and they pulled off the famous riff sending the crowd into a frenzy. Reef were so humbled and appreciative of the audience that night and although most people left with either some bruises, broken glasses or one shoe, everyone left happy.
The harmonies, the tones and they pulled off the famous riff sending the crowd into a frenzy. Photo: Ben Nicholls
Main photo: Ben Nicholls
Read more: Review: Skunk Anansie/Gen and the Degenerates, O2 Academy
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