“There’s no Monday night in The Vaccines’ world,” bellowed vocalist Justin Young as The Vaccines blasted onto the stage with their latest hit Handsome, taken from their third album English Graffiti. He was right as well – not only did The Vaccines make me forget about the ten hour shift I’d just worked, but also the fact that I’d be working another ten hours tomorrow.
Playing to a sold out crowd, packed tightly into the Corner Hotel, there’s no doubt The Vaccines are about to enter the top tier of British indie-rock, proving it with an array of old and new songs tonight. Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra) quickly followed the opener and got the full house moving in sync.
A lot of The Vaccines songs are quite short, which means they’re able to fit a lot of hits (virtually three albums’ worth) into a headline set. From songs that make you move, to tunes that have you singing along like you’re auditioning for The Voice, it seems that every number by The Vaccines is pure gold.
With English Graffiti released only two months prior to this show, the crowd were treated to a display of the band’s latest direction. Dream Lover, Minimal Affection and (All Afternoon) In Love illustrated the diversity of the British rockers, demonstrating how they’ve detached themselves from their earlier post-punk rock style.
While all new songs were enjoyable, there was no doubt that the fans were hanging out for the old favourites. Songs such as Wetsuit, Post Break-Up Sex, and Teenage Icon had the crowd singing in full voice. Closing with All In White, the band from West London said goodbye to their short stint in Australia. The performance was nothing less than flawless, but really, What (else) Do You Expect From The Vaccines?
BY MICHAEL EDNEY
Photo by Ian Laidlaw
Loved: The mix between old hits and new material.
Hated: Nothing.
Drank: Water (C’mon it’s a Monday night).
