Maximo Park at Shepherd's Bush Empire

I saw Maximo Park at Shepherd's Bush Empire as part of their tour to promote their new album, 'The National Health'. They were, obviously, much fab. I quite like Shepherd's Bush as a venue, it has rock'n'roll roots, a bar that sells Guinness and perfect sight-lines from the balcony.

As soon as the lads came on stage to a mass of lights I knew we were in for a treat and a light show to envy. Maximo Park seem to have a 'take no prisoners' mentality when they play live - wind them up and set them free and the power and energy streams from the stage to energise us all. I couldn't help but break out into a big smile when they started playing some of my favourites and I was singing along (my voice thankfully being drowned out by the volume) and giving them solid claps at the end with a few 'wooh's too!

I do like some Maximo at full volume and the new record is perfect fodder for energetic punky pop sung in a Geordie accent and blasted out through the speakers. While the band focused on the music Paul leapt around the stage like a thing possessed, singing his heart out. He kept thanking us for being there - no, Paul, *thank you*.

The Maximos always give good gig and favourites that night were drawn from their four albums over the last ten years.  I always moan that they don't play 'A19' but they played 'Acrobat' from the first album and a song I don't think I've ever seen them play live, so that was good. We also had 'Going Missing', 'Limassol', 'Apply Some Pressure' (of course) and the lovely 'The Coast Is Always Changing'.

Highlights from the second album were 'Our Velocity' (for the encore, naturally), 'Books From Boxes' and 'By The Monument' (and I know which Monument Paul refers to) and, from the third album, 'Questing Not Coasting' and 'The Kids Are Sick Again'.

It was the songs from the latest record that got me excited. I saw the Maximos at Heaven over the summer playing some of the new songs and it was great to see the lads play them again as they've grown into them as live songs. They were all terribly impressive.

I think my favourites were 'The National Health'. 'Hips And Lips', 'The Undercurrents', 'This Is What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted' and 'Wolf Among Men'.  There are so many good songs on the latest record it's difficult to choose just a  few. If you get the chance to see the Maximos play live then grab it with both hands - the waves of sound and energy that flow from the band are astonishing - they're an experience. Thanks lads!