Of Monsters & Men head to Manchester for the first time in a good while, and they are greeted like returning heroes. Support comes from Arny Margret.

PERFECT PARTNERS

Albert Hall has long been one of Manchester’s most enchanting venues. There is something about Icelandic artists, the music they are able to create and produce, especially Of Monsters and Men and Arny Margret, that feels warm and comforting.

Both Of Monsters and Men and Arny Margaret were able to make Albert Hall feel warmer after a cold rainy day in the city. This Manchester show is part of their European tour, The Mouse Parade Tour. Having them back in Manchester feels special, they haven’t toured in Manchester for the past seven years, with their last visit being in 2019.

ARNY MARGRET

Arny Margret came out on stage armed with her guitar and a calm soothing presence. It felt like she had the whole room under her control the moment she began singing. Watching her perform you could not help but feel drawn in, by having a nice simple, no dramatic lighting, and no forced crowd work set you felt connected to the music. It was an honest and raw performance from an artist who seemed genuinely grateful to be there.

You could feel the audience warming up to her in real time. I imagine it was the first time the majority of these audience members were listening to her. Her presence had this grounding effect. She had the ability to draw you into her world, her set, and make you forget about everything that was going on around you. You would have
never known that she had been sick earlier in the day, the morning of the show she had come close to losing her voice, which you would have never known from the way she sang that night. By the time she finished singing on stage, the atmosphere in the room was different. Arny Margret had the ability to make Albert Hall her own and showed why she belonged to be on that stage.

OF MONSTERS & MEN

When Of Monsters and Men finally emerged on the stage, the shift in the energy is immediate. They have a talent of being able to jump between something intimate to something that is explosive in a heartbeat. Nanna and Ragnar’s vocals have that signature push and pull and were as magnetic as ever for their Manchester show. There is a chemistry between them and the whole bad that does not feel rehearsed and feels lived in.

You can sense how many people have grown up and been touched by these songs and how many of these songs have carried them through breakups, moves, friendships, and so many more life experiences. What stood out the most was the connection. The connection this band has been able to form with their fans is well and truly magical. Throughout the show people stood and sang back to the band with emotion and appreciation, taking in the songs fully.

The build up for the last few songs was something special. For the majority of the show the audience was taking in the songs, singing along but mostly listening and taking in the music. But for the last few songs something in the air changed, maybe it was the nostalgia of the last few songs but it felt so electric being present.

UNFORGETTABLE ENERGY

People sing at the top of their lungs and dance with the people close to them. Watching the audience and the band bounce off one another, feeding each others energy, is truly unforgettable. Towards the last couple songs, especially for Little Talks. it feels like there are points where the audience were almost louder then Of Monsters and Men. It felt truly magical being able to witness a show like this.

The lighting and the stage design worked so well with the band and the music. It was simple but really helped to enhance the performance and really helped emphasise the music. You could feel the love the audience have for Of Monsters and Men and vice versa, as the set started drawing to an end you could feel no one wanted to let go of this moment.

Stepping out onto the cold streets of Manchester, it felt impossible to feel the same. The is the thing about Of Monsters and Men, they don’t just play songs, they build worlds and tell stories. And for one night in Manchester, they invited everyone inside. The gig they performed is one of those gigs you won’t forget anytime soon if ever. It felt like such a privilege to have been able to go this gig and to be with people who are so passionate about Of Monsters and Men and of their music.

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Of Monsters & Men: Website

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