Abbey Clancy turns match-maker as The View play the O2 Academy. Getintothis’ Liam Fay reports on how a spot of social networking turned into a dream night for Liverpool’s new band on the block.
“The View, The View, The View are on fire!,” scream the excited fans at every available opportunity.
Set in the ‘intimate’ and at times claustrophobic venue that is Liverpool’s O2 Academy 2, The View do not disappoint the heaving, sweaty, rambunctious mass that is humanity before them.
The Dundee lads may have grown up a lot since their debut, Hats Off to the Buskers, but their love for performing is evident. Their unbridled enjoyment and passion seeps into every song; firing and driving the crowd to the point of climax.
The tracks that still stand out though come from their debut album. It seems as though the lads, Kyle Falconer, in particular, still love playing these above all others.
They toy, tease and fondle the audience changing tempo at will and eliciting a reaction from the crowd every single time.
Wasted Little DJs has an inescapable air of The Proclaimers about it, especially in the chorus while Superstar Tradesman is by far the standout of the night as the long, crowded, sweaty room goes crazy.
Kyle Falconer of The View live Liverpool O2 Academy
There’s a sense The View will struggle to equal songs from their debut, and it would be hard to, and instead plug the gaps in gigs between these indie-rock gems.
Despite being the main attraction, delivering as anticipated, they are not the only story of the night.
Usually the first support band of the evening play in front of barely anyone and are underwhelming, full of nerves and have to bolster a meagre set-list with a couple of covers, which are often murdered. Tonight was a massive exception.
Young upstarts of the indie-rock oeuvre The Razz opened things up with a veritable barrel full of confidence and a hell of a lot of raw talent to back up their hubris.
Producing a sound akin to the Brit club of the mid-2000s, the vocals lean heavily on Alex Turner‘s Richard Hawley-esque crooner direction and they’ve the balls to back up the swaggering sound.
All of this, in their first gig, ever. It doesn’t stop there, though. Now, I’m not one for ‘nice’ stories but this seems like a pretty cool one nonetheless. Their opportunity came about via a twitter request from the big sister of lead-singer, John Clancy.
The Razz supporting The View at the O2 Academy
Liverpool-born model, Abbey Clancy (see main image, top) tweeted The View asking if they would give her little brother’s band a break. They took a gamble, having not heard anything of The Razz, and it paid off.
A predictably proud Abbey told Getintothis of her brother’s performance: ‘The boys are massive fans of The View and I knew they were playing so I thought I’d see if I could pull a few strings and it all materialised.
‘I think they were fantastic tonight. The crowd absolutely loved them, I think they went down amazingly well. They were so good. So tight.‘
‘He’s (John) been pacing up and down the kitchen all day a bit nervous. You’ve got to remember they’re only 16/17.‘
Footballer Peter Crouch, husband of Abbey Clancey with The View’s Kyle Falconer and Steven Morrison Picture by The View.
Pictures by Marie Hazelwood.
