Tom Meighan at the O2 Academy Edinburgh, Kasabian’s fallen hero looks for redemption with a high energy night in Scotland’s capital.
The crowd in Edinburgh’s O2 Academy were ready for fallen hero Tom Meighan, the question they were all asking was he ready for them. As his band hammered out Shout It Out from the yet to be released The Reckoning album, Tom strode out like a matador, stepped onto the front raiser and let them know. ‘I’m Tom Meighan, and I back from the fucking dead!’
Meighan was the iconic frontman of the mighty Kasabian but personal and legal complications led to his sacking from the band. Having paid his dues and acknowledged his failings, he has started back on the journey to fame and is mid-way through his ‘comeback’ tour. It’s obvious that this Edinburgh crowd hasn’t forgotten him with the second song of the night being Kasabian’s fan favourite, Underdog.
Every word is belted out, hands are in the air, all directed by Tom, who welcomes the audience in with open arms beckoning them forward.
His band is loud, aggressive and super tight. Rather than pull together session musicians, Tom has assembled a group temporarily pinched from other gigging bands. The result is extraordinary, an exceptional band who appear to be having the time of their lives. The band consists of wild man Keyboardist/guitarist Bnann Infidel (The Infadels), guitarist Chris Haddon (Willie and the Bandits), stunning bassist Ele Lucas (Taunts), guitarist Brodie Maguire (Mother Vulture) and drummer and producer Gareth Young.
The night provided a mix of Meighan’s new material from his singles and tracks from The Reckoning, and Kasabian tracks from his time with them. With eight Kasabian tracks in the set, we were only ever one song away from a favourite. Initially the reception was a bit of a roller coaster for the crowd whose involvement was slightly less with the new songs but Tom pulled them along and soon they were invested. Song writing is a new experience for him and the quality of his songs stood up well beside the Kasabian tracks. His songs show him to be a musical magpie, shape-shifting through genres including hellraising rock, Americana and ballads.
The stand out song of the night was his passionate, first single as a solo artist, Would You Mind, described by Tom as a gift to his fans who had supported him. The chorus feels like a brutally honest visit to his dark time Would you mind if I told you honestly what’s really been happening to me? Would you reach out or will you let me fall? It doesn’t matter ’cause I’ll never risk that call. A proper goose bumps moment and the crowd’s reaction left Tom in tears.
There’s no getting away from it, the O2 Academy is a small room, but watching this consummate frontman, a strutting peacock, flirting, cajoling and challenging the crowd, Tom could have been playing to tens of thousands on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.
With the excitement building, the crowd went wild for the classic LSF (Lost Souls Forever) and it felt like the night was coming to the climax. The crowd were belting out the lyrics with Meighan leaving it to them to do the singing. Amazing, what could top that? Club Foot did! Lucas thumped out the distinctive distorted bass riff and the band and crowd went nuts.
The encore of single Moving On and the classic Fire provided a passionate end to the night and the band left the stage to the echo.
Tom Meighan is on his way, maybe still in the foothills but his this was a special experience. Next stop Glasto? He’s Tom Meighan and he’s back from the fucking dead!
Words; Graeme White @head_in_the_bass_bin
Pictures: Gemma Leigh Laming @gemmaleighphotos