EVERY bit the heart-throb in slick rockabilly garb, effortlessly cool pop-poet Alex Turner and his almighty Arctic Monkeys swung into Belvoir Amphitheatre on Friday night.
The band delighted fans with a booming set of stellar riffs and image-laden lyrics summoning prostitutes and pick n’ mix, romance and riot vans, before our very eyes.
Marking Turner’s 26th birthday, the night had an extra hint of magic in the surprisingly chilly summer air, with revellers – largely UK lager-fuelled lads – honoured to celebrate with the Sheffielder renowned for both acute and deliciously frivolous social commentary similar to that of Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker or Blur’s Damon Albarn.
When the pumpin’ primates exploded onto the scene in 2005 with their duly-hyped indie anthem about looking good on the dancefloor – number 11 on music magazine’s NME 150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years list – people knew something great had arrived.
In 2006, their rockin’ offering Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history causing a stir with press and even politicians.
Seeking a piece of the action, former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated he regularly listened to the quartet, although was later unable to name any of their songs.
It was Perth’s turn last week to revel in the sensation of (arguably) one of the best bands of today as the Monkeys put on a special sideshow ahead of their gig at Southbound music festival.
After kicking off with Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I've Moved Your Chair – tempting listeners to “do the Macarena in the devil’s lair” – from fourth studio album Suck It and See, the lads proceeded with one hit after the next.
From Teddy Picker to Crying Lightning, on to a roaring version of I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, then Fluorescent Adolescent, When the Sun Goes Down, Cornerstone and more, no stone was left unturned.