It has been over ten years since Bloc Party’s debut album Silent Alarm and ten years from when I found out that Bloc Party didn’t mean a fun weekend with Lego. Since then they have gone from strength to strength releasing spiky, indie classics and playing memorable sets at Reading & Leeds festivals. By 2009 the band had released three albums and managed to alienate most of their fanbase with Intimacy where they introduced rap and electro into their sound. Kele Okereke then went solo and released some EP’s and his debut dance-orientated album The Boxer. Whilst guitarist Russell Lisack briefly joined Ash, bassist Gordon Moaks formed Young Legionaire and drummer Matt Tongs.. did whatever he did.
Rumours in the press gathered momentum about the band’s fall-out and it seemed that the four-piece was doomed until a sighting of the band in New York in late 2011. Rumours spread like wildfire that they may have some life left, though 2012’s Four wasn’t the album that everyone hoped it would be. It seemed to be a confusing tale of compromise, part electro, part heavy rock and the occasional flash back to the traditional Bloc Party sound of old.
Skip to 2015 and three years have passed since their last album and with the new line-up, sans the charismatic drummer Tongs and bassist Moaks, now replaced by unknowns, bassist Justin Harris and Louise Bartle on drums respectively. But does anyone still care for Bloc Party ten years on or will their return and line up change be as exciting as ..Razorlight?!
Here are five of their greatest moments over the last decade to remind everyone why they should be buzzing about Bloc Party!
1. ‘Little Thoughts’
Their second single ‘Little Thoughts’ was strangely omitted from Silent Alarm. But surely this has to be the band’s most instantly catchy singles and it still sounds glorious today.
2. ‘Two More Years’
Probably the quartet’s best single. The stand alone single is the perfect showcase for how they can mix the post-punk anx with the pop skills of Stock Aiken and Waterman.
3. ‘Flux’
Possibly the last time Bloc Party achieved greatness. The video alone is a reason for this being one of the band’s finest moments. Fight robots fight!
4.Reading Festival 2007
When the band truly arrived having one of the biggest crowds of the day, rumour has it the energy from the crowd was enough to power Kanye West’s Glastonbury lighting rig for about ten minutes. That rig does have a lot of lights guys ..
5. ‘Truth’
One of the more reflective and quieter moments from Four sounds even more incredible in this acoustic setting. Kele is a rare case in the indie music world , where his live voice is actually better than on the recording.
If these have whet your appetite for some Bloc Party live action then the good news is they are playing a handful of European dates starting on November 27th in Amsterdam and ending in London on December 4th. Most of the tickets are sold out but there are still some left here.
Full tour dates below:
Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands November 27th
Live Music Hall, Cologne, Germany November 28th
Astra Kulturhaus, Berlin, Germany November 29th
Alhambra, Paris, France December 1st
Cirque Royale, Brussels, Belgium December 2nd
Royal Albert Hall, London December 3rd
St John’s Church, London December 4th
