Live Review: Arctic Monkeys, Pond

After almost a year of relentlessly touring their fifth studio album around the globe, Arctic Monkeys finally made it to Australian shores to celebrate the release of the highly acclaimed AM.

The British lads were joined at the sold out Adelaide leg of their tour by Perth psych-rock five piece Pond, kicking the evening off and starting the night with a bang.The boys played hits from their most recent release, Hobo Rocket, mixed in with earlier tracks from Beards, Wives, Denim. They dedicated one song to tube surfing and another to “making love”, and encouraged the crowd to get their dicks out and wave them around. The band's incredible stage presence and frontman Nick Allbrook's wild onstage antics had the crowd dancing and singing along with lyrics from better-known tracks like Giant Tortoise and Xanman. The well-suited support got the crowd well and truly hyped for Sheffield's finest.

The dapper four-piece took to the stage under strobe lights, and were greeted by a sea of iPhones and screaming fans. To put it in perspective, the image of Arctic Monkeys arriving onstage is comparable to that of a modern-day Beatles concert. Teenage girls (and the odd guy) lined the barrier, clad in Arctic Monkeys merch and holding up home-made signs confessing their love for frontman Alex Turner, and you can't really blame them. I mean, the guy practically oozes sex appeal, so much so that a girl had to be pulled over the barrier when she fainted in the crowd as soon as the lights dimmed. Whether it's the slicked-back greaser look, clever songcraft or charming British accents, fans went absolutely insane as soon as they walked onstage. The roaring applause was deafening, even more so when they launched into opener and AM favourite, Do I Wanna Know?.

The standout set featured hits from all five albums including their earliest release, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. The unmistakable intro to the song that started it all for Arctic Monkeys, I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, and heavy bassline of Crying Lightning sent the crowd into a frenzy. A far cry from the disco-esque vibes from their later releases, the garage rock sound and screaming guitar riffs saw bodies being thrown around the room as the front half of the full AEC Theatre turned into a mosh. The band's mastery of flicking between genres serves as verification of how much their style has been developed and refined over the years. The boys ended an incredible set with an encore of One For The Road and I Wanna Be Yours dedicated to “all the lovers in the house”, and an electric finale of R U Mine?.

Arctic Monkeys are undoubtedly a band that belongs in arenas performing to thousands. Although their amazing live show cements the band as one of the best live acts around, a connection with the audience was lacking. But the punters were so in awe of what was happening onstage, that addressing the audience wasn't really necessary in making the experience memorable. And well, whenever Turner did say a few words, it was almost incomprehensible (unsure if that's due to the thick accent or being slightly drunk). It didn't matter if punters had been Arctic Monkeys fans from the early days, or newcomers since the release of AM, because on the night the band impressed all fans, old and new. After 12 years, Arctic Monkeys have not lost their flair and could easily go on to continue touring and writing albums equally as amazing as their first five for years to come.