Arctic Monkeys @ KeyArena
Review & photos by Dagmar

Arctic Monkeys are viciously important. The way they attack their instruments, well, you can hear it on record and live they take over a room – gently when they need to, a bit harder when it suits them. I first saw them at the Crocodile in 2006, and have caught all of their shows here except one (I was ill) and have adored every album they’ve released. Lyricist/guitarist Alex Turner stomped out immediately as a poet in early Arctic Monkeys music and on Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, and has just increased his strengths. Each band member is 26, so I think creatively they’re just hitting their stride. How were they opening for The Black Keys? Delicious and intense. KeyArena is the largest venue I’ve seen them play, and it showed they’re very at home in an arena. This shouldn’t be a surprise as they’ve played giant festivals and venues, but it was the first time for me seeing them in this setting. To hear their music – music that’s so personal to me – along with thousands of other fans was a first. A few key songs of the night were “Brianstorm,” “Still Take You Home,” “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” “Crying Lightning,” “Brick by Brick,” “Fluorescent Adolescent,” and the elaborately sexy R U Mine?

Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

Gallery of Arctic Monkeys @ KeyArena