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Gig Review - Kasabian with support from Slaves - Leeds First Direct Arena


British rock veterans Kasabian played a ram-packed show at Leeds First Direct Arena last night, proving that after twenty years and six albums, they're stronger (and ballsier) than ever.

Kicking off the night was neo-punk duo Slaves. Their brand of no-nonsense, aggressive punk rock resonated with a gritty, bold energy, enlivening the crowd through a series of  ebullient riffs and snarling vocals.

The highlight of their set was their track 'Cheer Up London'. After enticing the audience with an candid, brooding monologue, the band exploded into the ferocious track. Fuelled by the infectiously catchy lick of: "You're dead already, dead dead already ready", Slaves invigorated the crowd into a full blown riot.




At 9pm Kasabian swaggered onto the stage, all dressed in white like an edgy Clockwork Orange gang.

A low rumble echoed through the arena, heightened by lilac strobe lights, before a pulsing drum beat pierced the atmosphere, filling the room with the tune of 'Ill Ray'.



Their latest album (' "For Crying Out Loud" ') has slotted seamlessly into their set, adding an upbeat, mature air to their sound. The incorporation of brass instruments gave their tunes a full-bodied sound and works well with their well-loved distorted rock riffs.

This variety has played a vital part in keeping Kasabian's music fresh over the decades. Their poppier tracks ( such as: 'Shoot the Runner', 'eez-eh', 'Bless this Acid House') emit a radioactive energy that got the whole crowd dancing and singing. Countless of teenagers mounted their friend's shoulders and bopped along nine at feet in the air.

However, this didn't take away from their grittier tracks ( 'Underdog', 'Clubfoot', 'Re-Wired'). Their signature distorted and oh so heavy riffs hypnotised the crowd, cementing them as a fully-fledged rock group, without a hint of indie lurking in the background.

During the instrumental in 'L.S.F.' guitarist  Sergio Pizzorno started to chant "mosh", resulting in half the standing area (and some of the more inebriated seating) to collide into a manic mosh pit.

Their flawless set concluded with a three track encore of 'Comeback Kid', 'Vlad' and their biggest hit: 'Fire' - making the crowd erupt like sharks in a frenzy.


From wild mosh pits, to illuminating the room with lighters and mobile phones, Kasabian know how to work a crowd and never fail to produce stellar rock music. Their iconic anthems were made for arenas and always unite thousands of adoring fans of all ages through their first-class performances.


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