Biffy Clyro, Birmingham Barclaycard Arena - review

After a painful silence, Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro are back – toting brand new album Ellipsis and a promise of extensive tours and no more breaks.

Supported by emo-grunge overlord's Brand New, Biffy Clyro's headline tour promised to pack one hell of a punch. Birmingham's Barclaycard Arena had no idea what was about to hit it.

In the past I have spent hundreds on watching Brand New live, to me they're one of the best live bands in the world, but their set left me feeling overall slightly under-whelmed.

Their set started strong with a single moody spotlight focusing on vocalist Jesse Lacey and the first raw chords of Sowing Season reverberating across the room. Flashing strobe lights and caustic imagery on the backdrop soon followed to create the brooding, dark atmosphere Brand New are known for.

They bowled through hit songs Okay I Believe You, but my Tommy Gun Don't and Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades with ease – though at times it felt like the enthusiasm for these fan-favourites wasn't there with sloppy timings and vocals screamed effortlessly. I had high expectations, but at times I felt flat.

A lot of time has gone into their onstage look, but their performance felt overlooked when it should have stolen the show.

Songs such as Degausser and set closer You Won't Know redeemed disappointing blips with raw, passionate lyrics executed with soaring vocals, thrashing guitars, thumping bass and a heart-beat drum line that kept the songs alive.

Spine-tingling, hair-raising choral music filled the Barclaycard arena and chants of "mon the Biff!" battled for space in the airwaves – Biffy Clyro had arrived.

Biffy Clyro can utilise a small venue and a packed out arena to the best of their abilities over and over, and last night was no different. As they blasted into Wolves of Winter luminescent cubes burst into life, lasers sparked across the crowd and the band were projected in black and white on their backdrop.

Their pyrotechnics didn't detract away from their sound, with radio-perfect renditions of hit sings Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies, Bubbles, That Golden Rule and more whipping the crowd up into a storm.

Biffy Clyro's sound has changed so much from album to album, the set at times felt disjointed as they swept through their back catalogue and at times the crowd didn't know how to react, being a mix of old and new fans.

The diversity of their setlist – switching from crushing classics like Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave to hit new single Rearrange – highlighted the fact that Biffy can hone whatever sound they want and mould it into something fantastic.

They're not just heavy song after heavy song however; I felt a tear roll down my face as the whole crowd raised their arms and lighters to belt out the chorus of Many of Horror as the band simply watched, not playing a single note.

Their monster two hour set came to a heady finish with The Captain, People and Stingin' Belle – a fifteen minute spectacular of strobe lights, videos switching styles as fast as the eye could blink, the band bouncing across the stage like rubber balls.

The sudden announcement from sweaty vocalist Simon Neil that they are "Biffy f****** Clyro, and thank you Birmingham" before the venue was plunged into sudden, silent darkness marked the end of the heart-racing live show – and what a show it had been.

Despite a lengthy break, Biffy Clyro have still got what it takes to leave a crowd breathless and baying for more.

By Becci Stanley