“A band you have to add to your bucket list.”
Kasabian’s return to Edinburgh was a night of wonder and mesmerising music that brought the packed out venue together. On July 3rd, around 3,000 fans joined together in the capital for a night full of Kasabian’s biggest and newest hits in a setlist spanning the band’s 20 year history so far. From their self-titled debut record in 2004 to “Happenings“, released this year, there’s a rich wealth of material that the group have had to choose from for this celebratory setlist. The thing with Kasabian is that every show is different. Each time I’ve seen them, their setlist has varied. They’re the band that are best at switching things up and showing that it’s okay to try new avenues with music.
From their most recent release, popular single ‘Call‘ opened the set. The bass riffs and catchy chorus captured everyone’s attention. Taken from 2024 album “Happenings“, the record originally steered Kasabian away from their signature alternative and indie style. However this fresh sound didn’t change the atmospheric feel always present in a Kasabian gig. Also included from this album were ‘Coming Back To Me Good‘ and ‘Algorithms‘. Throughout the setlist, songs are taken from each of their 8 studio albums including 2004 self-titled debut and 2017 record “For Crying Out Loud“. That’s the two albums that following tracks ‘Club Foot‘ and ‘I’ll Ray (The King)‘ were taken from.
2022 release “The Alchemist’s Euphoria” made an appearance with ‘CHEMICALS‘ and tour debut ‘SCRIPTVRE‘. Some of the lively Leicester band’s most adored anthems continued the set. ‘Re-Wired‘, ‘Underdog‘ and ‘You’re In Love With a Psycho‘ created an incredibly electric environment. At times, the crowd was louder than frontman Sergio Pizzorno who simply played into this energy even more. Not letting the momentum or atmosphere fade, ‘treat‘, ‘Vlad the Impaler‘, ‘Empire‘ and ‘L.S.F‘ were performed soon after. The audience during ‘Vlad the Impaler‘ and ‘Empire‘ were on a second wind of energy. Everyone jumping up and down while singing along with every word was a sight to see.
For their encore, Kasabian arguably saved their best tunes for last. Just when you thought the crowd’s liveliness was gone, ‘Reason Is Treason‘ and ‘Bless This Acid House‘ bring everyone back to life. To conclude the night, their most streamed track ‘Fire‘ truly set the place alight. Mosh pits were formed left right and centre. I don’t think you can say you’ve seen it all unless you witness ‘Fire‘ being played live. Even just hearing the opening portion of the song, the packed out venue knew exactly what song it was.
Kasabian are a band I will continue to see time and time again. Every era of their careers so far has provided many well-loved tracks. It’s incredible to see so many different age groups at their shows, especially this one in the Scottish capital. If you’ve not already seen them then they’re a band you have to add to your bucket list. Witnessing Sergio’s energy alone will leave you feeling like you’ve had a workout. With the lineup being completed by bassist Chris Edwards, drummer Ian Matthews and guitarist Tim Carter, Kasabian aren’t stopping anytime soon, and nor should they.
