KEANE - THE O2 ARENA, UK
Keane
at The O2 Arena in London, UK
by Brendan Sharp
Keane are a band whose journey was once beset with fallouts and tragedy; now, they have risen against the odds to the top of their game, having found peace with themselves. Gracing the stage with a looping sample of angelic, ethereal vocals from the anthem ‘Bedshaped’, Keane builds gloriously into the set opener ‘Can’t Stop Now’. The lyrics “you and I will rise again,” feel particularly poignant in terms of this 20th-anniversary tour for their debut album Hopes and Fears as this is a band whose journey was once beset with fallouts and tragedy. Now, they have risen against the odds to the top of their game and that’s what this tour is all about.
Showcasing lead singer Tom Chaplin’s uncanny ability to capture both despair and optimism, ‘Bend & Break’ finds the crowd in a trance. “Bitter and hardened heart / Ohh-oh aching, waiting for life to start,” he sings. The lyrics seem to tug at the crowds heart as the room fills with smiles and the same response is given to ‘Nothing In My Way’. Brimming with tortured words, the simple drum-driven track captures what makes Keane’s work so compelling. “Why'd you say / It's just another day, nothing in my way / I don't wanna go, I don't wanna stay,” he belts. “So there's nothing left to say? / And why'd you lie / When you wanna die, when you hurt inside / Don't know what you lie for anyway / Now there’s nothing left to say.”
Something Keane have proven to do impeccably well throughout their career is resonate with their fans; the setlist for this show has been carefully crafted to reflect that. Where the former tracks performed tug at heartstrings, ‘Everybody’s Changing’ feels even more universal as the O2 erupts in harmony for the chorus, the piano layering over the top of their voices creating a truly euphoric atmosphere. Sounding so youthful for a song released in 2004, it’s evident that the classic anthem still holds meaning today. With an arena ranging between all ages, not a single page is left unturned in terms of people singing the track word for word. This is what Keane came for, this is what they’re all about - uniting people through their music and giving them something to sing about.
When the band aren’t singing, giving their audience something to find solace in, they’re giving them light-hearted, quick-witted interactions. Cheekily playing on the fact people believed them to be a one-hit-wonder, Chaplin takes the mic. “Right! Somewhere Only We Know? No, I’m joking. We’re not going to play that now,” he laughs before continuing the show, moving on to tease them that they’re not singing loud enough. It’s such intimate invitations for this type of crowd interaction that make the show feel more special. It’s the personal touches that people crave from their favourite bands and Keane are giving it to theirs.
“Who can sing the loudest and most flamboyant?” he questions. “Cardiff have been the best so far. I’m sure you can beat them London,” he exclaims as the crowd meet his enthusiasm with a wave of booing. “Don’t boo Cardiff! I hope you sing this better than me. I can’t hear a thing down here,” he adds before heading into the long-awaited finale of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ and ‘Bedshaped’ yet again. As Keane begin to play, they’re met with the crowd screaming at the top of their lungs, rounding the night off the best way they know how; the existential question of “what do I know?” repeated in the lyrics, is both searching and profound. You could say it’s a fitting closing note to both the show and the band’s journey.