Wild Beasts

Critical acclaim and popularity do not always make easy bedfellows. Despite being responsible for Two Dancers, the highly-acclaimed follow-up to their debut longplayer Limbo, Panto, Wild Beasts take their place onstage at Cabaret Voltaire to a smaller crowd than they could have reasonably expected. Still, as they emerge from a pall of smoke, the conspicuously low attendance doesn’t appear to concern the Kendal quartet.

By electing to kick off with the ornate melancholy of "The Fun Powder Plot", it’s apparent that the band are aiming to put on a polished display; one which seeks to ensure that the intricacies of their brand of baroque pop are exhibited to far greater effect than on record. In spite of this desire to nail each song to perfection, the eerily captivating atmosphere created by Hayden Thorpe’s haunting timbre fades somewhat as the evening wears on. Things don’t improve at the advent of "Hooting and Howling", which fails to surpass its uninspiring album counterpart in a live setting.

While the show seems to hit something of a mid-show plateau, there are definite highlights, particularly whenever bassist Tom Fleming assumes vocal duties, bringing with him a distinctive, weightier tone to proceedings. The newer tracks evidently gain a rowdier reception than offerings from 2008's Limbo, Panto; an obvious exception being the exuberant sing-along of "The Devil’s Crayon" which the band choose to end the show with, hitting a definite high point with the assembled revellers.

The majority of this evening’s set confirms that Wild Beasts strive for high standards. It’s a shame, then, that the boys didn't manage to maintain such levels on an evening that occasionally falls short, although their undoubted talent means that they still put on a strong show.