Nothing But Thieves review

There was an electric atmosphere in the O2 Forum, Kentish Town yesterday evening as over 2000 fans packed into the venue to catch a glimpse of one of the UK’s current best alternative-rock bands. Since their formation in 2012, Nothing But Thieves have quickly grown in popularity, largely propelled by frequent radio airplay. The Southend-on-Sea band went on to score a UK top 10 album in October 2015* and have since been touring both in their own right and as a support act to various established bands.

Last night, the band were supported by the energetic if somewhat clamorous Black Foxxes and the great Sundara Karma. Both were fitting for the event and warmed up the audience effectively before Nothing But Thieves’ arrival at 9:30pm. ‘Itch‘ was the perfect opener with its urgent guitar riffs and its tension-building verses. ‘Painkiller‘ followed suit, the frantic percussion and driving bass lines pulsating throughout the venue and raising energy levels from the audience.

The setlist was spot on (aside from the absence of stunning ballad ‘Lover, Please Stay’) with a perfect balance of powerful rock anthems and the band’s more haunting ballads. The likes of ‘Hostage’, ‘Excuse Me’ and ‘Honey Whiskey’ translated brilliantly live and conveyed an infectious energy whilst the ballads formed magical moments of the show. The gorgeous ‘Graveyard Whistling‘, haunting ‘Tempt You‘ and eerie ‘If I Get High‘ all rippled emotively throughout the venue and were worthy of goosebumps as frontman Conor Mason captivated the audience with his intoxicating vocals.

The band performed as a unit; tight and in-sync whilst Mason’s vocals were other-worldly and at times eerily reminiscent of Jeff Buckley. His vocals are sturdy and perfectly executed, whether through the murmured lower register or his ethereal, soaring falsettos. He is in possession of one of the most remarkable and powerful male vocals in the world and it is truly phenomenal to experience them live.

The evening was solely about the music, emphasised by the lack of theatrics in the show; the band were aided only by a backdrop of their eponymous début album and atmospheric lighting. Still, this was enough for the audience who were on-side throughout the entire evening. The atmosphere in the venue was electric, prompting Mason to comment on the energy in the present multiple times throughout the show. He appeared rather overwhelmed by the vast sea of faces in the venue but channelled this into a buoyant energy and was an instantly likeable front-man. At one point he responded to a emerging chant for him to remove his t-shirt with “No I’m not taking my top off, my Nan’s on the balcony!” prior to instructing the crowd to cheer for her.

The evening concluded in an enthralling encore comprised of three of the band’s best tracks; ‘If I Get High‘, ‘Trip Switch‘ and ‘Ban All The Music’. It was a brilliant finale to a fantastic evening and proved that Nothing But Thieves are the alt-rock band of now.

All photos taken from the band’s official Twitter account.
*Read our review of Nothing But Thieves’ début album here

Setlist:

Itch
Painkiller
Hostage
Hanging
Graveyard Whistling
Excuse Me
Honey Whiskey
Where Is My Mind (Pixies cover)
Drawing Pins
Tempt You
Wake Up Call
ENCORE
If I Get High
Trip Switch
Ban all the Music

Catch Nothing But Thieves on tour now:

The commercial music industry is a competitive market and one which hundreds of bands battle to break into, many in vain. Every now and then, however, a British rock band seemingly appears from nowhere and hits the big time. Armed with the support of BBC Radio 1 and a legion of fans, Nothing But Thieves are the latest band to do just that with their self-titled début album.

Since their formation in 2012, the alternative rock band from Southend-On-Sea (Essex) have been on a steady upward pilgrimage. In addition to their three EPs released sporadically over the past two years, the band’s single ‘Itch’ was featured by Radio 1 as track of the day. They also landed support act slots on tours by the likes of Arcade Fire, George Ezra and Muse. Not bad for three years work.

Eponymous début album ‘Nothing But Thieves’ is undoubtedly one of the best alternative rock albums of recent years. Aided by lead singer Conor Mason’s haunting, ever-endearing vocals and an anthology of durable rock anthems, ‘Nothing But Thieves’ is a delectable album from start to finish.

The album aims to please from the outset but without a hint of desperation. The influences are clear – Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and U2 moments are littered throughout the sixteen track LP but avoid detracting from the band’s idiosyncratic sound. The Jeff Buckley-esque ‘Excuse Me’ is a killer opener to the album, on which haunting verses evolve into an epic chorus with an incredible vocal performance by Mason. Likewise, ‘Ban All The Music’ is abundant with belligerent guitar riffs whilst the riffs used in ‘Wake Up Call’ mimic those in Pink Floyd’s ‘Dogs’. ‘Trip Switch’, the single release which largely propelled the album features an enormous stadium-rock anthem chorus, utilising the trip switch metaphor to signify the end of a relationship. ‘Hostage’ is abundant with wailing guitars and a killer hook whilst the hook in ‘Honey Whiskey’ features almost operatic vocal moments.

Elsewhere, the band convey a softer side on ballads which punctuate the album beautifully. Mason’s falsetto drifts effortlessly over gentle guitar strums on ‘If I Get High’, a ballad reminiscent of Radiohead which builds to an extravagant climax. Likewise, ‘Graveyard Whistling’ conveys a vulnerability rarely found in contemporary music. ‘Lover Please Stay’, one of the album’s highlights, is a gorgeous acoustic ballad on which Mason uncannily resembles Jeff Buckley; his falsetto vocals fluttering gently over lamenting guitars. It’s a track which really showcases his superlative vocals; every note is aching with sincerity.

It’s an album impossible to pick holes in, one on which album fillers and weak material is noticeably absent. Every song from start to finish is exceptionally written and produced, from its profound lyrics to its huge choruses and catchy hooks. Nothing But Thieves have created a masterful stadium-ready album; an outstanding début.

Rating: 5/5.
Highlights: ‘Excuse Me’, ‘Trip Switch’, ‘If I Get High’, ‘Graveyard Whistling’, ‘Hostage’, ‘Lover, Please Stay’, ‘Hostage’.

‘Nothing But Thieves’ is available now on RCA Victor Records.