After a name change, fresh lick of paint, and five year run, never has Camden’s Black Heart felt as hot as it did when The Xcerts took to the stage during their July headline tour. Hailing from Aberdeen and Exeter, the rockers were met by a sea of sweaty bodies that did more than raise the temperature of the busy and overcrowded room.
Formed in 2001, the band’s set proved practice really does make perfect with effortless riffs and a vitality that was dominated by brotherly energy.
Standing out as a well-oiled unit, the three-piece allowed fans to delve into the past, with classics such as ‘Do You Feel Safe?’ as well as relish in the future with recent material from their upcoming release due out this October.
Despite only making it’s video-debut a few hours previous, new single ‘Shaking In The Water’ has developed a name for itself as a signature staple in The Xcerts’ headline sets. The band have been playing it live for quite some time now, with it being a clear fan-favourite amongst both older and younger members of the audience. Tonight was no different.
The crowd was eager to join in with vocalist Murray Macleod, as they effortlessly belted out the catchy chorus and danced along to the upbeat, 60s-style backbone, with the track having the fierce ability to get the crowd moving in a head-bopping, shout-along frenzy.
In midst of the liveliness, at times the three-piece slowed down the pace with softer ballads such as ‘Aberdeen 1987‘. Written about his hometown, Macleod used this as his moment to live out the decadent rock star dream. At one point the vocalist let the crowd takeover completely as he stood center stage and encouraged the audience to sing along to the simple, yet distinctively relatable, lyrics.
Towards the end of the night the set went full circle where the band finished off with their most popular, and well-known, anthem ‘Slackerpop’. Once again, incorporating the crowd into the medley, the band’s stadium-esque take on the night highlighted how self-effacing the trio really is. Clearly humbled by the appreciative fan base they’ve built up over the years, it’s hard to see anything but a promising response to their forthcoming album. Watch this space.
