Lostprophets/Kids In Glass Houses
Leeds Academy
14/02/2010

The single-stemmed red rose The Fly was given at the beginning of this evening is starting to suffer a little. We’re sheltering it from everyone who pushes past us with a pint but clearly sweaty rock shows are not the place for traditional romantic gestures. That being said, there are still plenty of couples in the crowd tonight and the pop sensibilities of Kids In Glass Houses’ lust-longing anthems make them easy on the ears.  A polished, well-rehearsed performance and smart tailoring also make them easy on the eyes, and a much better live band than we’d remembered them to be. Lostprophets on the other hand announce themselves with searchlight strobes and the grittiest, heaviest tracks in their collection. If Kids In Glass Houses are polished and shiny, Lostprophets are like sandpaper, or having someone throw gravel in your face.  Yet this must make us masochists as we’re loving every exhilarating second of it, leaving us gasping after a very raw and altogether too awesome cover of The Prodigy’s ‘Omen’. 

Just as radio-friendly fans are starting to lose interest, Lostprophets move onto their more melodic hits, interspersed with the good-natured taunting and challenging of each other and the crowd.  Their showmanship makes sure that no one feels completely alienated, and that spark which has always made them so enjoyable to see live is definitely still there. Forget the chocolates and the roses, can we just have Lostprophets wrapped up with a bow?

Justine Trickett