Biffy Clyro/Rolo Tomassi
Empress Ballroom, Blackpool
01/05/2010

Blackpool isn’t the hub of music at the best of times – least of all on a miserable May Day, with none other than the salubrious Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown performing in the same building. As the diminutive figure of Rolo Tomassi front-woman Eva Spence takes to the stage, resplendent in a Little Black Dress, some of the gathered stag-do louts start to wolf-whistle and cat-call. Somewhat amusingly, their heckles are silenced the instant the small figure unleashes a mighty roar.

Appearances can be deceptive, and in their leading lady Rolo Tomassi have a veritable powerhouse, alternately flitting between screaming siren and serene femininity. The only possible criticism that could be levelled at the band is that for the majority of the screaming, not a single lyric is decipherable. Allow us to understand what you’re singing about and you could be onto a winner.

One band who have no worries about winning are Biffy Clyro. The boys done good, and from the second they arrive on stage and rip into ‘Golden Rule’ to the moment they depart a stonking 21 songs later, the place is absolute carnage. With an additional guitarist to fill out the enormous stage and an impressive lighting rig, it’s worlds away from the tiny venues of old. Tonight’s sold out show sees the full capacity screaming every word- and surprisingly it’s not just to the obvious choices such us ‘Many Of Horror’ and ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’, even the lesser known tracks receive a raucous reception. Half-dressed front-man Simon revels in the attention, hardly speaking a word between songs and sprawling across the floor in front of his amp. The Biffy bubbles’ handed out after the dying notes of ‘The Captain’ to promote the new single says it all – Biffy are reaching the mainstream consciousness, and it’s about time.

Jen Thomas