Not so Silent Alarm

Bloc Party

Hall for Cornwall

Review by Lee Trewhela

IT'S amazing what rumours of a split – and an unexpected fire alarm evacuation – will do for a band's performance.

The angular indie band have always boasted a reputation for their incendiary live performances but the show in Truro was truly awe-inspiring (and a lot better than the next night's gig in Plymouth).

Only a few days before the Hall for Cornwall show, the band pulled a gig on their Bloctober tour, admitting to the BBC they were questioning their future. Surely a concert this great – where band and crowd unite as a single joyful, sweaty entity – should persuade them to continue?

It promised to be memorable in a different way initially – after a frantic Mercury, with singer/guitarist Kele Okereke wrestling with his vocal-warping pedals, we were suddenly ushered out on to Lemon Quay for a good 20 minutes.

Yes, an alarm had gone off (not a silent one especially for Bloc Party fans). This is the third time this has happened at the last four shows I've attended at the HfC. Obviously, for safety reasons these incidents have to be dealt with seriously, but is shouldn't be occurring as frequently as this. It's irritating and not a little amateurish – sort it out please, Hall folk.

A spokesman said: "A full investigation is now under way. HfC works closely with the Fire Brigade to ensure the safety of everyone who uses the venue and we are pleased that the incident passed quickly and people were able to continue enjoying their evening."

What could have thrown both band and audience – a gloriously young and excitable sell-out crowd – in fact fired both up.

There followed a set peppered with songs from all three albums – so we had the Cure-esque art-rock of early single Banquet from 2005's breakthrough and NME album of the year Silent Alarm, The Prayer and Hunting For Witches from the typically "difficult second album" A Weekend In The City and the new electronic glitch and grooves from last year's return to form, Intimacy.

While Russell Lissack on guitar, Gordon Moakes on bass and keyboards and the intense drumming of Matt Tong are priceless, it's the frontman who makes Bloc Party.

Okereke is mesmerically animated – at one time getting on What's On photographer James Ram's shoulders!

The encore was sublime – what could be described as their anthem, So Here We Are, preceded a fantastically manic Ares where the band transmuted into the Chemical Brothers (without falling into dodgy rave-rock territory). The synth squall of Flux then careered into a magnificent Helicopter, the perfect closer.

Despite poor vocal sound, there was an interesting Morrissey meets Arcade Fire support set by Leeds' Grammatics as well.

There was much talk of "the best gig I've seen at the Hall for Cornwall" – let's hope the venue can build on this and treat us to more regular rock gigs.

Setlist: One Month Off, Waiting For The 7.18, Mercury, Signs, Trojan Horse, Hunting For Witches, Song for Clay, Banquet, Ion Square, Two More Years, One More Chance, This Modern Love, The Prayer, So Here We Are, Ares, Flux and Helicopter.