Miles Kane: Live at Brighton Concorde 2
After releasing his fourth studio album, ‘Change the Show’ in January this year, Miles Kane kicked off the start of his rescheduled UK tour earlier this week at Brighton’s Concorde 2.
The Wirral-born singer/songwriter’s latest solo album was lauded for its lean into Motown and Northern Soul influences while retaining the indie rock sound Kane is famed for.
Walking into the venue, Kane’s mod style influence could be seen across crowd members of all ages. With classic 80’s tunes being played across speakers throughout the venue, there was a definite buzz and high energy coming from the audience as they awaited the Last Shadow Puppet’s frontman’s arrival.
This energy was maintained as support act Brooke Combe walked onto the stage, the Scottish newcomer feeding off the crowd, looking thrilled to be opening for Kane for the first time.
Combe’s soulful, mature voice powered through the venue, her engaging vocals hooking the audience from the first song. Her R&B and Motown influence could be heard throughout her setlist, with the highlight being her most famed song, ‘Are You With Me?’ The foot-tapping beat was well-received by the audience, with the crowd singing along to the chorus by the end.
Combe also treated attendees to a soulful yet impactful cover of the Arctic Monkeys’ hit ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’ Combe’s rendition gave insight into what was to come from the night, with the crowd coming alive and shouting along to the indie anthem.
Following Combe’s set, there was an excitement that could be felt and heard across the venue, as chants of ‘Miles, Miles, Miles f***ing Kane’ echoed throughout.
Entering the stage to the spoken words of Lily Savage (the drag alter-ego of TV personality Paul O’Grady), Kane started the night off with a bang, going straight into ‘Don’t Let It Get You Down’ from his new album.
After settling the audience in with some well-known bangers off his previous albums, his performance of the titular track ‘Change The Show’ really got the crowd going, Kane exclaiming, ‘That’s it, Brighton, we’re rocking now!’
Kane’s renowned rock/indie vocals could not be faulted throughout the night, his retro-sound feeling comforting yet refreshing. His tight 18-song setlist gave the audience a taste of Kane’s varying styles, with the brit-pop sound of ‘Blame It On The Summertime’ contrasting the bouncy techno-style beat of 2018 hit ‘Coup De Grace.’
Kane’s ability to hold and engage his audience without the need for over-the-top staging or lighting was also a credit to his unarguable skills as a performer. Dressed for most of the night in nothing but a white vest and jeans, his showmanship came purely from his enthusiasm for performing live and his passion as a musician.
After performing some hits from The Last Shadow Puppets, ‘Aviation’ being a crowd favourite, and a cover of the Beatles’ ‘Don’t Let Me Down,’ the audience had truly been shown all that Kane had to offer by the end of the night.
Closing on ‘Come Closer,’ the first song off his debut solo album, ‘Colour Of The Trap’, the show felt like a well-rounded representation of all that Kane is. His familiar sound had the audience hooked on his every beat from the offset, and his laid-back yet charismatic style of performing created electric energy throughout the venue.
For his opening night, Miles Kane certainly set the tone for what I can only expect will be a high-energy, high-impact tour going forward.
By Alicia McDermott
Don’t Let It Get You Down, Rearrange, Cry on My Guitar, Coup de grace, Change the Show, Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Good Enough, Caroline, Aviation (The Last Shadow Puppets song), Blame It on the Summertime, Give Up, Never Get Tired of Dancing, Inhaler, See Ya When I See Ya, Don’t Let Me Down (The Beatles cover), Colour of the Trap, Standing Next to Me (The Last Shadow Puppets song), Don’t Forget Who You Are, Come Closer.
