Maximo Park, O2 Academy, Brixton
Posted 3rd Jun 2009 in Live Reviews by Shefali Srivastava | Brixton O2 Academy | 
Stricken City are the first support, and with their particular take on quirky, keyboard-driven indie, it's pretty easy to understand why they've been chosen to open for Maximo Park tonight. Unfortunately, the whole quirky gimmick is limited to the lead singer hopping from foot to foot like a caffeined-up frog, and donning a red, feathery headdress when the mood assails her and the music itself is unremarkable. Noisettes fare far better and entertain everyone with a few indie-punk cuts off 'What's The Time Mr Wolf?', and the smoother, more pop-driven songs from their recent album that's been successful in the wake of massive single 'Don't Upset The Rhythm'. Singer Shingai Shoniwa prowls the stage barefoot with an innate confidence and mesmerizes with her sweet, smoky-soul voice, pulling a few gymnastic poses inbetween and even jumping on the drum kit and dancing upon it at one precarious point.
But once the appetisers are out of the way, it is time for the main course, and at 9:40pm four of the five members of Maximo Park bound on stage amid blinding white lights, before being joined by frontman Paul Smith, and without further ado the opening riff of 'Grafitti' announces their arrival. The sixteen vertically placed strobe lights at the back of the stage light up various shades of the colour spectrum depending on what song is being played and they frequently flash at eye-aching speeds, while the music pulls us in into the thrilling, colourful world of the 'Park. A simple visual effect (nothing compared to the elaborate pyrotechnics of Muse), yet nonetheless effective.
"We're really proud of our new album", states Smith early in the night, and this is reflected in the setlist, half of which focuses on 'Quicken The Heart'. But due reverence and affection is shown towards earlier material, and it's for these songs that the biggest cheers are reserved. 'Books From Boxes' elicits a massive singalong that reverberates around the venue, yet a powerful and moving rendition of current single 'The Kids Are Sick Again' is met with a respectful rather than rapturous response. Smith is his usual dapper self in a black suit and white shirt, completed by a hat (of course), and is just a dynamo of energy - you can't take your eyes off him. Keyboardist Lukas Wooller gets into the spirit too, and on 'Limassol' gets so excited that he nearly tips the keyboard over. But no one else in the band can compete when there's such a ridiculously charismatic frontman in attendance. He shimmies, cavorts, and gallivants across the stage for the whole hour and ten minutes - sometimes in a suprisingly sensual manner - and his emphatic facial expressions and lithe moves give credence to the notion that he could've been a Latin ballroom dancer, or perhaps a silent movie star, in a past life. And then there's the mid-air semi-splits which he's famous for, and with which he punctuates songs frequently. The man is a heart attack of emotion, and it's incredibly fun to watch.
Everything played tonight is crisp and note-perfect, and Smith's vocals ring out like a clear bell, to the extent that individual highlights are difficult to isolate. 'I Want You To Stay' is endowed with a harder edge and packs an unexpected punch, while 'A Cloud Of Mystery' bounces along amiably, "a song about the dancefloor... and the misery of it," confides Smith afterwards. 'Roller Disco Dreams' really is tailor-made for tonight, with its chorus line of "under fireworks in Brixton/two carousel hearts spinning" - Smith alerts us to the reference, in case we miss it.
'By The Monument' brings forth a roar of recognition and delivers tenfold, with its addictive momentum and dizzying rollercoaster ride through the downs of love. 'Tanned', though, is one of the stand-out songs of the night; the lush, swirling synth draws the audience in, and combined with the swaying rhythm and gorgeous, sun-kissed tale of holiday romance, enchants and delights. Wisely choosing to end on 'Apply Some Pressure' - an exuberant shout of a song, and probably the one they're best known for - means that both the band and the crowd go out on a high. It's been a wonderful, vibrant night in the company of a band who not only make you want to get up and dance, but are more than happy to show you how.
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