Two years late and a member down, but Foals still showed up to Edinburgh’s Usher Hall with their usual outrageous energy, now armed with a new, unreleased album.
Within two songs they had the crowd intrinsically throwing themselves from wall to wall.
Behind them, an enormous screen and a horizon of LED lights – as if the six musicians on stage weren’t animated enough. Continuous, chameleon-like psychedelic pictures pulsed to the music so perfectly it was hard to remember who the main attraction was.
Foals introduced four new tracks, their newer sound now gently toeing the waters of funk and pop. Despite the slight genre detour, the indie-rock trio kept the crowd firmly on their side. They gifted a set full of all era’s of Foals, playing tracks off of their 2008 debut album Antidotes to yet to be released tracks. Frontman, Yannis Philippakis, although perhaps not quite as eccentric as his younger self, still had the hall wrapped around his finger. He had the thousands obey his every request, filling the room with a spectacular buzz.
This summer will host the drop of the latest Foals album, Life is Yours, coming June 17th. Presenting it as “an ode to nights out”, Foals have their fanbase waiting and curious.
Words: Carron Miller
Pictures: Calum Mackintosh @ayecandyphotography