Biffy have had a big year. Their double album Opposites hit the number one spot, they’ve had a sold arena tour of the UK – popping into the 20,000 dome of The O2 here in London – and have been announced as main stage headliners at this summer’s Reading festival. It is a moment that sees their three album aim (Puzzle and Only Revolutions) of becoming the biggest band on the planet, come to fruition. And for three bare-chested Scottish lads, it’s no small achievement.
Their 23-song set tonight is loaded with cuts from their latest album. Different People opens, followed by That Golden Rule and Sounds Like Balloons with barely a pause for thought. The new material is meant for rooms this size, for crowds this size, and to be sung from the terraces, as next single Biblical’s anthemic reception here testifies. It’s a new role for the band but one Biffy handle well.
While new material dominates, their earlier albums are less well served tonight – early career representative Justboy is but the only offering from the Blackened Sky, There’s No Such Thing As Jaggy Snake, is perhaps the most angular and bizarre cut from their earlier trio of albums to make an appearance tonight. And it stands out.
Biffy are no longer the emo-tinged indie rockers of old, they are now an arena filling act – albeit it one that plays with a noted tightness that comes only from three lads hitting the road together for over the course of six albums and more than a decade together.
For some of their older fans, this new found but wholly deserved fame will wrangle. They will view with suspicion the gigantic stage that has separate runways for bassist James Johnston and frontman Simon Neil with drummer Ben Johnston powering away at the back under a spinal column stage set, with all manner of laser and confetti flying around too. But by the time The Captain closes out the main set, and Stingin’ Belle and Mountains the encore, it’s clear Biffy are headed for even bigger things. Arenas today – next they’ll be smashing the stadiums.