This review was written by guest author Lyra Wilson.
The British are coming! The British are coming! The British invasion came to Chicago for one night at the Riviera Theatre.
Lined up down the street corner underneath the marquee lights, tons of fans were steadily talking and exclaiming how excited they were to see The Vaccines and The Kooks. The energy in the crowd did not disappoint. I saw people talking to the bartenders about how long they'd loved these bands. A concertgoer talked to me about just how much they loved The Kooks and The Vaccines; they got her through her tumultuous high school years.
Like many indie bands throughout the peak Tumblr era of the 2010s, a lot of bands were emerging and establishing themselves in the scene. Over time, they grew with us into adulthood. For those who don’t know what Tumblr is, it might be best to not know its full extent. But to sum it up from my experience, this was a platform where a lot of good music was found. Out of that good music came The Vaccines. While onstage at the show, lead singer Justin Hayward Young told the audience they had been a unit for about 20 years now. He thought it was unbelievable but was entirely grateful for it.
When Young initially approached the stage, the energy palpitated from him. He wanted to be part of the party in front of him. He had a way of gliding across the stage with the music. Something about his aura that jumps to my mind was very similar to Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys. Young plays the part of the leading man who would croon to the audience, go into stances or poses when a certain beat hit, down to the fashion. Young’s velvet jacket, shades, and wide-legged pants were very reminiscent of the '70s. I found a lot of the fashion for the bands of the 2010s that grew with us, their fashion has become more vintage as well. Young was so interactive with the audience. He took off his shades because he wanted to see everyone’s smiling faces, he pointed to people in the crowd and had fun with them, frankly. One other person I had talked to at the show agreed that he was like Alex in style and aura, but a more genuinely approachable version of him.
The Vaccines put on such a high-energy show incorporating a lot of songs from their previous albums, and from their latest album, Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations. One song that made me discover them came from the show New Girl, “I Always Knew”. When that twangy guitar came on, it was something that clicked. Something reminiscent of a good summer feeling. I even captured lovers in the audience just staring into each other's eyes and dancing like it was their song and no one else existed in that room. The power of music really showed up tonight.
All in all, what a stellar show; that it escaped me that there was still more show to go. The playlist before The Kooks took center stage was top tier featuring classic hits from Brit rock & roll such as the Rolling Stones. I was definitely pleased and anticipating how their influences in their personal playlists connect with their live show. Everything went dark and then shining like the gates of heaven came this drastic bright light, and Luke Pritchard, the lead singer, stepped out to give a little hint of over the pond with the song, “Seaside.” He captured a lot of nostalgia by playing hits from their 2006 album Inside In, Inside Out. He was a light, and was super happy while playing the guitar. It had been a while since The Kooks toured, so I’m sure it was great for Luke and everyone to be back to it.
This show was a trip down memory lane for a lot of people, with captivating performances and beyond-pleasant crowds. I have newfound love for all the groups after experiencing so much love live in person. Chicago that night was red, white and royal blue.
All photos by Lyra Wilson.