Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Manchester Apollo. 5th June 2022

It’s nearly 20 years since I saw the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and nearly a decade since they released anything. That is until the new single ‘Spitting Off the Edge of the World’ that they kick off with tonight. It’s in the be vein of those big expansive songs that build beautifully, but it’s when songs like the punky ‘Pin’ that the Apollo really goes ballistic. It’s still the first album that does it for me, but there’s no denying they’ve more great songs than I thought. ‘Down Boy’ with its lazy driving rhythm is fantastic. The stage bathed in white spots and strobes. There’s a couple more new songs peppered in the set too, all sounding great and pretty huge, strings, horns, general epic bombast. Sadly it’s mostly on a backing track as they keep it simple on stage with just the three of them for much of the set, plus an additional guitar near the start and some fancy minimalist lights. Who needs fancy lights though, when you’ve got two giant inflatable eyeballs that get released into the crowd during a raccous ‘Zero’. Karen O is responsible for most of the stage craft, the rest all look effortlessly cool in black as she spins and jumps in an outfit that’s more cape and tassels than anything else. Shout out for Brian on the drums though, the dude’s got rhythm. Bouncing around in his seat, out of it, he’s a ball of infectious energy. Some of the slower songs do make me drift a little. Not because I’m bored, but I’m very tired and Karen’s voice is so soothing. You can’t drift for long though. ‘Gold Lion’ will see to that, especially with that siren blare. Although to be honest, they play it so ferociously and the crowd sing back so loud, I can’t even hear if the siren is there! ‘Maps’ is an emotional crutch of a song. It too sounds beautiful with hundreds of people singing it back. You can feel it wash through you from bottom to top. I’m here for one song though. When ‘Y Control’ drops, you couldn’t smash the smile off my face with a sledgehammer. This is why I don’t just enjoy live music. I need it. It’s songs like this sung like this that lift me up. As we bar the end, ‘Heads Will Roll’ pronounces itself a disco punk floor filler that sees the Apollo covered in confetti as we all “dance til we’re dead”! It would fittingly close any set, but I forgot about ‘Date With the Night’ which really does set it off. Karen swallowing the mic before slamming it repeatedly to the floor, before trying to thank us and say good night, realising that the mic is long gone, she’s mouths the words, arms aloft, they take a bow and as they make their way off stage, I’m left thinking, I really mustn’t leave it so long next time.