IT was but four days ago that the Kaiser Chiefs, destined for back to back dates in Douglas next week, were rocking the biggest stage of them all: the Olympic closing ceremony, in front of a domestic TV audience of 26 million.
The indie rockers from Leeds should arrive in the island on a wave of confidence, having pulled-off a performance of The Who’s Pinball Wizard at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday, with frontman Ricky Wilson starting the gig from the back of a scooter.
Wilson was in great form that evening, a good omen for the Manx gigs, on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. You could hear him before you saw him, and you could’ve been forgiven for believing it was Daltrey’s legendary larynx belting out the classic Tommy track.
The announcement of the band’s previous visit to the Villa Marina in August 2009 generated enough of a ticket rush to bring down websites and phone exchanges, and the eventual performance itself generated rave reviews.
Quite a coup then for Triskel Promotions, celebrating 10 years in the business this year, to coax back the band in a busy summer festival period, not just for one night, but for two.
The Villa Marina is the only venue they will play twice during the tour, notwithstanding playing both the Reading and Leeds legs of the Carling Weekend festival at the end of the month.
The pull of the road racing capital of the world could have had something to do with it, as guitarist Andrew White is rumoured to be coming over ahead of the rest of the band with his bike to catch some of the MGP and have a spin on the roads.
As far as the gigs go, one thing you can be sure of at a Kaiser Chiefs show is that they are not short of infectious anthems, from the commentary on youthful apathy in Never Miss a Beat, the electro tinge of Everyday I Love You Less and Less, personal favourite Oh My God, and their biggest hits of I Predict a Riot and Ruby.
It’s testament to the commercial strength of their back catalogue that the Souvenir album, a singles collection released earlier this year, is a decent record despite the odd timing of a ‘greatest hits’ type release.
‘It’s not a greatest hits, it’s not the end,’ bassist Simon Rix told the BBC. ‘Nostalgia is fun. It’s really good looking back.’
If they looked back with Souvenir, they definitely looked forward with 2011’s effort The Future is Medieval, a ‘create your own’ online record which won advertising and web awards as well as music gongs.
Tickets for next week’s shows (Tuesday and Wednesday, August 21 and 22) are £40, with support from local surf-rockers Mr Eliminator and the Deadly Vipers, available from 600555 or at the Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal. Doors open at 7pm.()