Lostprophets at Sheffield Academy (Live)

14th August 2008

August 23, 2008, 09:15 AM

This tour sees the Lostprophets alternating between high-profile festival slots and intimate club shows. While cynicism may suggest their return to the club circuit has something to do with the less-than-full venues on last year’s arena tour, stepping into the rammed-to-capacity Sheffield Academy is a reminder of just how popular the Welsh pop-rockers are, even if they can’t fill arenas. Maybe it’s because, for a non-arena venue, Sheffield Academy is absolutely huge, but it seems like half the steel city has turned up to watch the Lostprophets play, and is the atmosphere is electric.

At first, Lostprophets don’t go off with the bang you’d expect from a band with so many modern classics in their arsenal. Taking to the stage to the Lost Boys theme song ‘Cry Little Sister,’ they are greeted by a wall of noise from the assembled masses, and a good number of people start singing along to this much-loved movie theme tune. Everyone seems determined to have a good time, but then Lostprophets launch into set-opener ‘We Still Kill The Old Way,’ and things all go a bit wrong. Very few people actually seem to know the lyrics to Lostprophets’ choice of set-opener, and most of the crowd stand still, biding their time until the next song. It’s an unexpectedly rocky start, and an unnecessary one: Lostprophets could have easily pulled out one of their big, crowd-pleasing numbers. After all, with their back catalogue they can afford to lose one of their big hits early on.

Most other bands would struggle to recover from this, but things quickly get back on track for Lostprophets as their big choruses and infectious hooks prove impossible to resist. Four songs later, and the ‘We Still Kill…’ misjudgement is forgiven, in fact, you can barely hear ‘Town of Hypocrisy’ under the crowd’s own rendition of this unashamedly poppy anthem.

And then Lostprophets make a surprise announcement: the debut of a brand new song. As digital cameras pop up all over the venue, eager to record this moment for Youtube, Lostprophets launch into ‘Streets of Nowhere,’ a punchy, danceable indie number with a chorus that’s so immediate, that after just one listen the whole venue is singing along. Another new song crops up towards the end of the set, the surprisingly dark and absolutely huge ‘End of The World.’ Again, everyone listens to the chorus once, and then bursts into song every time it’s repeated.

If these two songs are anything to go by, the Lostprophets’ next album will be a heavier, darker affair than 2006’s poppy ‘Liberation Transmission,’ but with those killer choruses that the Lostprophets have such a flair for. Far from receiving the wary interest unusually reserved for new songs, the ‘Streets of Nowhere’ ‘End of the World’ double-header get everybody moving. If tonight’s reaction is anything to go by, these songs will be set-highlights when the new album is released.

They bring the show to a close with three undisputed modern day classics; ‘Last Train Home,’ ‘Shinobivsdragonninja’ and ‘Burn Burn,’ a three pronged attack that could wring a smile out of even the grumpiest of gig-goers.

The minute that instantly-recognisable riff kicks in, ‘Last Train Home’ has the crowd pogo-ing and screaming every word with the fanatical devotion reserved solely for these sort of big, life-affirming numbers. ‘Shinobi Vs Dragon Ninja’ is as awkwardly addictive as ever and one of the few pre-‘Liberation Transmission’ tracks that the crowd seem familiar with. ‘Burn Burn’ has the Lostprophets venting some rarely-seen anger, putting the final, defiant flourish to this hard-rocking party.

It must be hard to be Lostprophets, knowing that you have the sort of back catalogue that guarantees almost any crowd will dance, sing and generally have the time of their lives. It’s difficult to imagine not having fun when the setlist features so many grin-inducing classics and, judging by the smiles on people’s faces as they file from the venue, no-one tonight managed the difficult task of not enjoying the Lostprophets’ party.