FIRST AID KIT | LIVE REVIEW
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Tue 6 Nov
Whilst the rain peppers the streets of Cardiff, the Motorpoint Arena burbles as First Aid Kit line up to make their arena debut. With a bizarrely eclectic age range, the type of fanbase backing the Swedish duo is difficult to pin down. What is clear, though, is that said fanbase has expanded massively since the band’s last trip to the capital.
The place is packed even before First Aid Kit take to the stage. Support act The Staves, who have recently announced their impending departure from the tour due to a family bereavement, draw in an impressive crowd themselves. A flurry of singalongs from the punters suggests that The Staves’ billing alone was enough to draw people in, and fans are left exalted after a soulful performance is signed off with a delicate rendition of their most popular track Mexico.
As the lights dim for the headline performance, a familiar guitar riff chimes behind a large curtain. The Soderberg sisters sing out the opening to Distant Star, one of the most popular tracks from latest album Ruins, and the curtain rises. The sisters are revealed, and they are sequined from head to toe, matching the enormous disco ball that looms above a surprisingly energetic crowd. The duo steadily wind through an established catalogue that dates back to 2011; older tracks are received as warmly as the new, despite their latest material being the catalyst for their recent ascent.
After performing the hard-hitting You Are The Problem Here, Klara Soderberg tells the crowd, “This song is about rape culture. We wish we never had to write this song, but we did, because rape culture still exists.” Emmylou, a homage to Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, exhibits the band’s American folk influences whilst demonstrating the intelligence of the Soderbergs as songwriters and performers. Harmonising is no doubt First Aid Kit’s greatest strength, and here it’s seen in all its glory.
The real showstoppers are saved for last. Fireworks, the stand-out track from Ruins, is a beautifully simple ballad that’s done complete justice tonight, with the arena alight as the disco ball glistens. Final song My Silver Lining, as expected, receives the finest reception, as the introductory violin triggers copious squeals from the crowd. Yet whilst they still return to this four-year-old track as the grand finale, they are by no means a one-trick pony. Any reservations about First Aid Kit’s step up to the big league as arena headliners are put to bed this evening.
words CHARLIE COTTRELL photos EMMA LEWIS
