Review: Los Campesinos! at KCLSU

Considering they’re just written their most miserable set of songs yet, Los Campesinos! seem pretty happy tonight, but then they’ve got every right to be. Every old song they play inspires mass singalongs, while even the new tracks, sent to those who preordered Hello Sadness just three days ago, are received like old favourites. As a visibly choked Gareth thanks the sell out crowd and introduces set closer Baby I Got The Death Rattle, he self-deprecatingly mocks the band’s decision to close with “a new track that most of you haven’t heard”, yet somehow it works.

Indeed, despite featuring seven songs off new album Hello Sadness, this still feels like a greatest hits set. The tracks from Romance Is Boring have now had long enough to ingrain themselves into people’s memories, so that Straight In At 101 and Letters From Me To Charlotte get the same rapturous reception as older favourites Death To Los Campesinos! and We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. Before starting their encore, Gareth apologises for choosing to play the next song, “an album track you probably don’t care about”, but when Ellen starts playing the bass line to Documented Emotional Breakdown #1 the crowd roars their approval. That’s when it’s hits me: somewhere between the release of Romance Is Boring and Hello Sadness ALL of these songs have become hits. Yes, You! Me! Dancing! still gets the biggest reception - but this time the crowd are dancing not just for that one track but for the entire set, even the brand new songs.

And tonight is all about the new songs, from an album which (officially at least) is still to be released, and they sound spectacular. By Your Hand opens the set and sounds even more joyous than it does on the record, and while the rest of the album’s songs are nowhere near as upbeat as this track they all gain a new euphoria in live performance. Songs About Your Girlfriend especially reveals itself to be a shoutalong hit in the making, while the aforementioned Baby I’ve Got The Death Rattle will, given time, become an anthemic set closer to rival Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks.

The period between the recording of Romance Is Boring and Hello Sadness has been one of significant change for Los Campesinos! The band has lost three founding members (most recently violinist Harriet Campesinos!), grown two years older, and in Gareth’s case weathered what sounds like a pretty tough break-up. But they have emerged from these changes stronger than ever, with what may be (on the first few listens) their best record yet and a hugely powerful live set up. If this is sadness, then I’m welcoming it with open arms.

A review of the new album Hello Sadness will be posted later in the week.

Jed. x