Athlete: Live Review, Nottingham Rescue Rooms, 13th June 2009

2009-06-14 10:50:22

After releasing their second album Tourist, Athlete somewhat fell-off the radar. The release of their third album, Beyond the Neighbourhood, proved to be as low-key as the songs, and the band members having blossoming young families have possibly made them take a step back from music. Now signed to Fiction records and with a huge UK tour ahead of them, Athlete are as popular as ever.
    
Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms is a cosy venue at the best of times, but never have I seen the venue quite so busy. The band aren't lacking support, and they’re more than able to keep the crowd happy. The band road test some of the new material from their fourth album Black Swan. Despite this, there were still plenty of familiar tunes, and even the odd more obscure album track had the audience singing along.
    
Live renditions of Athlete's songs really bring them to life
    
That's perhaps what Athlete are best at doing: skilfully crafting songs which you can belt out at the top of your voice, but just as easily sing sitting round a camp fire. It's live renditions of these songs that really bring them to life, their studio-mixed radio edits not doing the songs very much justice.
    
The band weren't called back on stage for an encore by the usual method of shouting, jeering and grabbing another watery lager from the bar. At the Rescue Rooms they came back to hundreds of people all singing together. That's what makes an Athlete gig special.
    
Athlete write songs that strike a genuine chord with people
    
The gig finishes with a three-track encore, and a massively uplifting rendition of Wires. This had the entire audience waving their hands in the air, singing and hugging each other. It might sound like the end to a mediocre Hollywood rom-com, but Athlete have written songs that seem to strike a genuine chord with people, and the people are only too happy to let them know.
    
Review: Alex Ward
    
NG Magazine's video interview with Joel and Steve from Athlete is coming shortly, watch this space!
    

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