Fickle Friends at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire - 19/10/18
After the release of The 1975's thought-provoking and lively single 'It's Not Living (If It’s Not With You)’, we were hungry to hear more Indie-Pop melodies. What could be more perfect to meet this need than a Fickle Friends headline London show the following night?
Following the release of their debut album 'You Are Someone Else’, the five-piece Brighton band headlined O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in West London. Frontwoman Natassja Shiner, known as Natti, explained to the crowd that the tour was initially planned to promote this album, but is now also being used to showcase new material, including new single 'The Moment'. This created the familiar Fickle Friends experience which the fans know and love alongside anticipation for music to come.
Fickle Friends have an appeal that spans generations, having mentioned in various interviews that they take inspiration from 80s artists such as Tears for Fears and Michael Jackson, alongside modern artists such as Paramore. Even during the support acts (Island Club and Marsicans) the stalls were packed out, creating an exhilarating atmosphere. More than anything, we noticed a strong sense of happiness and comfort, allowing us to disappear into the crowd, brought together by a shared interest in this vibrant and exciting band.
The band often describe themselves as 'tropical', which is evident in their sound and their image. They have created a show that brings a taste of summer to any setting; even a dreary October day in London. Their shimmering, fun sound combined with a stage full of palm trees gave the audience a feeling of much-needed sunshine.
A highlight of the evening was the first song of the encore, 'Useless', which is the closing song of their debut album. Natti stated they had only played this song a handful of times so far on the tour, so this was a well-received rarity for the London fans.
Earlier in the day of the show, Natti expressed her nerves of headlining the popular venue on Twitter, but she needn't have worried. It's clear that the band thrive upon the presence of big crowds; especially when comparing the energy of their October London show to their smaller shows in the March 2018 tour. The band are endlessly growing and improving as artists.
Fickle Friends also stated on their Twitter that they will not be performing in London for a while, perhaps making fans savour the experience as much as they could. We know this was the case for us.
From the moment they walked on stage to when the lights came up, Fickle Friends displayed infallible enthusiasm and passion for their work, making this a wonderful evening for all members of the audience.
featured photo from: academy music group
