
Placebo + The Mirror Trap @ o2 Academy, 18th March 2015
Currently promoting the ‘Loud Like Love’ album (even though it was released over twelve months ago), Placebo are on quite an extensive UK tour, and tonight they play Birmingham at the o2 Academy, which really does seem a small venue for them. It’s sold out, as you’d expect, and by the time Mr Molko et al enter the stage the venue does seem over-crowded, but more of that later.
Support tonight is The Mirror Trap, a six piece band from Dundee, who remind me of a cross between Crazyhead and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin (which is no bad thing). They are very easy to listen to, melodic, fast and heavy at times and they finish what is an excellent half-hour support slot. An ep is available and they are ones to watch for the future.
However, the audience tonight (largely clad in black) are here for Placebo, who given their huge back-catalogue it’s hard to believe they’ve only been going just short of twenty years. Tonight’s set draws heavily on the current album, but there are some classic songs mixed in, notably “For What it’s Worth” second song in. This is a superb track and for me always evokes an image of Steve Forrest powering the drums, his bare torso rising above the drum kit, and me struggling just to try and work out what his ink shows, but I learn (just before Placebo take to that stage) that he’s left the band (despite appearing on promotional tour posters) earlier this year to concentrate on other musical avenues. His replacement is entirely capable of the job, albeit wearing a top and being less tattooed.
This tour sees a stripped back band, previously they have had a full string quartet on stage but tonight only one violinist joins them for a couple of songs, and the stage also seems back to basics, yes there’s a huge rear wall digital visual going on but the lighting is in the main from the back of the stage and heavily reliant on strobes. Tonight is more about the music and on that point Placebo can’t be faulted. There are numerous highlights, as the set-list will attest, and whilst some singles or ‘key’ songs were not played, to include them would mean a three hour set. As it is we get a good coverage of their output and a great push for the ‘….Love’ album.
It’s hard not to like them and in Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal they have two of the most visually striking musicians, both seem opposites yet also interconnect perfectly. Brian generally seems in good spirits (bar his rant at a photographer on the mixing desk who is taking photographs constantly). She is dispatched when he asks the mixing guy to remove her “as she’s pissing me off”.
A four song encore is a perfect end to send all away happy and Placebo continue to tour ending with a two night stint at the Hammersmith Apollo.
As previously mentioned this gig was exceptionally full, and the heat (and lack of air-conditioning) led to it being unbearable in terms of heat. Also, as I’ve said before, the location of the mixing desk, bars, merchandise stand and exit to the toilets really does need rethinking and the constant flow of punters led to ridiculous crushes. Had there been a need for an emergency egress then, well let’s not dwell on that but personally the gig did seem over-full.
2016 sees the twentieth anniversary for Placebo, and fingers crossed a ‘hits’ tour may be in the offing, that really will be special from what is a unique band. There is a rumour that the next tour could also be the bands last, I really hope that’s not the case.
Set-list
B3
For What it’s Worth
Loud Like Love
Every You Every Me
Scene of the Crime
A Million Little Pieces
Rob the Bank
Purify
Special Needs
Too Many Friends
Space Monkey
Exit Wounds
I Know
Meds
Song to say Goodbye
Special K
The Bitter End
Begin the End
Running Up That Hill
Post-Blue
Infra-Red
Review: Glenn Raybone
Photographs: Stephanie Colledge