With five studio albums, a Mercury Prize nomination and a shedload of BBC Radio 6 Music playtime under their belt, fans might have been forgiven for thinking that the days of seeing Wild Beasts in an intimate setting were over. Thankfully, the four-piece are still setting crowds alight in diminutive venues, with Edinburgh’s Summerhall the latest site to host the Beasts live.
Warm-up act Man of Moon stoke the fires early on, with singer and guitarist Chris Bainbridge celebrating a birthday in style throughout the double act’s growlingly melodic set. Though Bainbridge begins the performance tentatively, with shaky vocals and near-inaudible stage banter between songs, he soon settles into his rhythm and his catchy riffs, coupled with Mikey Reid’s authoritative and atmospheric drumming, make a mark on the steadily swelling crowd numbers. Their brand of grungy rock at times recalls elements of groups such as Nirvana, Placebo, Pearl Jam and Cloud Nothings and though it might be in stark contrast to the quirky glam-pop that Wild Beasts peddle, it serves as an apt appetiser for the evening’s entertainment.
An hour later, the Beasts take to the stage – but not before a tension-building drumroll of orchestral proportions. From the first bars of opener Big Cat, it’s clear that the 400-strong crowd are very much onside and the newer material goes down just as well as any of the old favourites. Indeed, with Boy King having been out for the best part of a year now, the band don’t concentrate overly on airing their fresh songs, instead giving all of their albums due attention (with the exception of debut offering Limbo, Panto, which in hindsight is a marked step down from their later work). All of the crowd pleasers are wheeled out to great acclaim, including the stunning Lion’s Share, the majestic Mecca, the incredibly catchy Hooting and Howling and the lyrically brilliant Wanderlust.
Audience interaction is at a premium, with Hayden Thorpe only breaking up songs to profess his love for Edinburgh and his frustration with the lack of action in the Lakes (“why do you think we bothered making a band?”). However, the energy poured into each of the songs – particularly from Thorpe and singlet-sporting bassist Tom Fleming – makes up for any deficiency in banter, and both of the men’s voices are absolutely pitch perfect. Both boast unusual but immediately enchanting voices which sound even better in harmony and reach another level in the flesh. Though the Beasts’ lyrics might sometimes be on the frivolous side, they certainly know how to craft a beautiful song – as well as deliver it with aplomb to a live audience.
The band stalk off without so much as a goodbye after just over an hour’s entertainment, but of course return for a three-song encore closed by arguably their biggest hit, All the King’s Men. It’s a fitting climax to a superb show, which was remarkably not sold out even despite the small size of the venue. The band surely deserve more acclaim and greater audiences in bigger venues than they’re currently playing, but for the meantime, it makes for an unforgettable experience for those fans who are in attendance.