Maximo Park

Maximo Park @  Birmingham Town Hall,  23 October 2024

Formed in 2000 in the North East, Maximo Park were a mainstay of the British Indie scene in the mid 2000’s and have continued to build a successful and credible career whilst many of their contemporaries fell to the wayside.

Currently touring in support of their eighth studio album ‘Stream Of Life’, Wednesday evening saw the band take to the stage at Birmingham’s Town Hall supported by The Research. Opening with new track ‘Your Own Worst Enemy’, the tone was set for the evening that this was a chance to showcase the new record, with eight songs in total making the setlist.

Highlights from the new record included ‘Favourite Songs’ and ‘Dormant Till Explosion’, with lead vocalist Paul Smith providing the energy needed to convey these songs as he bounced around the large cavernous stage and consistently made an effort to connect with the expansive audience.

In terms of older cuts, the band made it clear that the setlist is an ever-evolving beast and they change up what tracks they play to make it more interesting both for themselves and for the audience, many it’s presumed have seen the band before. ‘Questing, Not Coasting’ and ‘The National Health’ get airings early on in proceedings, whilst ‘Postcards Of A Painting’ provides the first real sing along of the evening.

Once the hits come towards the latter end of the set, you find yourself transported into a more innocent time with ‘Our Velocity’, ‘Books From Boxes’ and ‘Apply Some Pressure’ forming the soundtrack to many a student union evening dancing on cider soaked floors. 

In terms of stage show, a black backdrop is accented by simple lighting that perhaps feels a little sparse for a venue of the Town Hall’s size and grandeur, however this allowed the music to take centre stage.  Returning for an encore of a personally unexpected ‘Nosebleed’, the band finished the evening with a rousing rendition of ‘Graffiti’ that saw the audience with hands in the air, lungs exhaling tune and a smile on the faces of all that left.

 It doesn’t need to be groundbreaking, complex or life changing. Sometimes it just needs to make you feel. 

Review: Dan Earl

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