Usually, instore gigs are quite fun, but a bit tame - the crowd are divided by stock and shelves, crammed in, and slightly peeved off by an incredibly short set. However, last night's Bloc Party set at Regent Street's Apple store was anything but tame. As part of the iTunes' "Live from London", Bloc Party played a full hour long set, blasting through 13 tracks and sharing banter with a crowd of competition winners and Apple employees.
"So, is everyone enjoying your black Friday?" smirked Bloc Party's Kele Okereke after opener One Month Off, "We certainly are!" It was all the more relevant when you considered that one of Iceland's largest banks have their offices just above Apple's flagship store.
Amazingly small and cozy, somehow Apple managed to fit 600 people into the back of their store, which whilst tight was amazingly special to see a band who has sold out Olympia twice play to such a small crowd, and we knew it. Drummer Matt Tong joked about the "different" surroundings by commenting in perfect in-storetannoy voice: "And next week you can catch Bloc Party in your local BHS!" to much amusement.
Mostly playing their new material from third album 'Intimacy' ("We do have a new album to promote!" joked Kele), many songs hadn't been played live before, as shown by their nervousness before tracks like 'Ares' and 'Ion Square', but made it all the more raw.
As Mercury's chant swept around the gathered hordes, Kele took to the crowd, climbing over the theatre chairs, signing things as he went. Messy and sweaty, he joked "wow... sorry if I inappropriately exposed myself to anyone!"
Closing with old favourite Helicopter, everyone (even security) were bouncing, forgetting about the shiny Apple products laid around the store and relegated the plush stage and surroundings to being another gig venue on the London scene.
Photo is author's own.
