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Bloc Party’s ‘Silent Alarm’ Tour Made Us Wish It Was Still 2005

"A middle-aged man decked in tie-dye climbs his mate's shoulders. Ecstatic, he sings each and every word."

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“G’day, or should I say Good Evening?,” Kele Okereke asks an eager crowd at Sydney’s Hordern Pavillion. “We are Bloc Party, from London, England, and tonight we are going to take you back to 2005.”

We’re one song into Bloc Party’s set, a reverse play-through of their seminal debut album Silent Alarm . They’ve just played ‘Compliments’, a somber closer, which, in this context, slightly throws the crowd: they scream as the four piece arrive on-stage, then fall into a quiet admiration.

It doesn’t last long. Talking to Music Junkee ahead of the tour, guitarist Russell Lissack said the band plays  Silent Alarm in reverse so as to build to a crescendo — and given that the anthemic ‘Luno’ is third on the list, it climbs quick.

As songs slide into one another, sounding as urgent and frenzied as they did at release, the crowd becomes increasingly animated. It is as if they, like me, soon realise it’s likely the only time they’ll hear  Silent Alarm played through live, and strip inhibitions with each song as we climb towards the end.

Full disclosure: in 2005, I was 11. But, thanks to a burnt CD from my sister’s boyfriend, I spent that year (and many others) listening to Silent Alarm on repeat — it was my gateway into a world of indie-rock and ennui (and, thanks to Okereke’s ambiguous lyrics, a latent queerness ).

Four years later, my first proper concert would be Bloc Party, at the same venue they were playing now. On the way home, I’d spot on Instagram that the friend I went with in 2009 was there in 2018 too, dancing and screaming just fifty-or-so people away.

A middle-aged man decked in tie-dye climbs his mate’s shoulders. Ecstatic, he sings each and every word.

Sorry to indulge myself, but it was a night of indulgence. Anniversary or throwback tours like this are sold on nostalgia: the crowd arrives carrying a sense of who and where they were back when. As to be expected, punters leaned late 20s onwards; less expected, they were respectfully going wild, where revisiting glory days wasn’t an excuse to dominate a space.

During ‘Price Of Gasoline’ — an anti-Iraq war anthem dressed down in Indie-rock aggression — a middle-aged man decked in tie-dye climbs his mate’s shoulders. Ecstatic, he sings each and every word.

Mid-way, Okereke promises a “present” before the band launch into ‘This Modern Love’, prompting the first mini-surge to the front of the night. Broad in its brushstrokes, the song is emblematic of early Bloc Party’s appeal — cocky enough to assume they could define a generational malaise, talented enough to allow people to believe it. Confetti explodes as the song does; across the Hordern, punters grab their friends around the shoulders, screaming the lyrics.

The crescendo arrives with Silent Alarm opener ‘Like Eating Glass’, its frantic minute-long intro riling up the crowd. Before the tour began,  critics sneered, doubting  that Bloc Party’s new members — drummer Louise Bartle and keyboardist Justin Harris — could capture the original recording’s intensity. They were wrong.

When the band leaves the stage, there’s a general sense of confusion among the crowd. What’s next? Upon return, Okereke addresses the awkwardness in a way befitting of some of his more endearingly awkward lyrics.

“G’day, again. We’re already played Silent Alarm , and we’re not going to play it again,” he laughs. “So we’re going to play some songs for the real fans.”

While the ‘real fans’ taunt was definitely tongue-in-cheek, it turns out that playing a trio of songs from their first EP was possibly a little too indulgent. Pockets of the crowd went off, but mostly, the crescendo fell flat — though A Weekend In The Cit y highlight ‘The Prayer’ livened things again, as did two recent hits.

It echoes the same, somewhat unfair question that Bloc Party’s faced since releasing perfunctory albums  Four and  Hymns : where to from here? As the punters pooled out of the Hordern and order Ubers, 2005 becomes distant again.

Bloc Party’s ‘Silent Alarm’ tour continues in Sydney (sold out) and Brisbane this weekend. 

Feature image by Mark See, via Secret Sounds Facebook page .

Jared Richards is a staff writer at Junkee, and co-host of Sleepless In Sydney on FBi Radio. Follow him on Twitter .

Bloc Party Playing Full ‘Silent Alarm’ LP on Fall U.S. Tour

By Ryan Reed

Bloc Party will perform their acclaimed debut LP, 2005’s Silent Alarm , in its entirety on an upcoming U.S. tour. The six-date fall trek launches September 16th in Washington D.C. and wraps November 20th in San Francisco, California.

All shows go on sale Friday, March 29th at 10 a.m. local time via the band’s website .

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The indie-rock band previously played the full album during an October 2018 show in London, England. That concert and several others on their European trek were recorded for an upcoming live edition of Silent Alarm , out April 12th on 12-inch vinyl, CD, digital download and special edition bundles. The British quartet will kick off a new leg of European dates on June 20th in Cologne, Germany.

In 2016, Bloc Party issued their fifth LP, Hymns , along with the stand-alone single “Stunt Queen.” Only frontman Kele Okereke and lead guitarist Russell Lissack remain from the Silent Alarm era, with bassist Justin Harris and drummer Louise Bartle currently rounding out the line-up.

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Bloc Party (formed in 2003) is a hard-hitting British indie-rock band known for straying into the realms of electronica, house and post-punk music, hailing from London, England, UK.

Having formed at the 1999 Reading Festival, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Kele Okereke and lead guitarist Russel Lissack had performed under the monikers Angel Range and Union before settling on Bloc Party in 2003. The pair then advertised for a bassist in the music publication NME to which Gordon Moakes responded, and subsequently drummer Matt Tong was invited to complete the lineup. The band’s debut recording was the single “The Marshals Are Dead”, which landed on Angular Recording Corporation’s “The New Cross” compilation in November 2003. Having released the subsequent single “She’s Hearing Voices” on Trash Aesthetics, lead singer Okereke gave the recording to Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand and BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq. The single was ultimately played on national radio and earned the group a substantial following in a remarkably short time.

Bloc Party’s next single was “Banquet/Staying Fat” released on Moshi Moshi, after which the group signed with Wichita Recordings in April 2004. The band’s debut full length “Silent Alarm” was issued by Wichita in February 2005 earning widespread critical acclaim. The record debuted at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart led by the singles “So Here We Are/Positive Tension”, “Banquet”, and “Pioneers”. By August 2005 “Silent Alarm Remixed”, an album of remixed “Silent Alarm” songs by the likes of Ladtytron, M83, Four Tet, and Mogwai had been released. After which the band embarked on an 18-month world tour, which would see Bloc Party reach their considerable fan base in the U.S.

Produced by Garret “Jacknife” Lee, Bloc Party’s sophomore full-length “A Weekend in the City” was released in February 2007. Charting at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and No. 12 on the Billboard 200, the album spawned the singles “The Prayer”, “I Still Remember”, and “Flux”. Once again the record earned rave reviews and was supported by their most extensive tour to date, including shows at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Austin City Limits, and BBC Electric Proms. The band’s third full-length “Intimacy” arrived in August 2008 led by the singles “Mercury” and “Talons”. Like “Silent Alarm”, a remix album followed in May 2009 entitled “Intimacy Remixed”, after which Bloc Party released the single “One More Chance” and discussed their longevity.

Lead singer Okereke released the solo album “The Boxer” in June 2010, and an EP “The Hunter” in November 2011. Fans had to wait until August 2012 for the release of new Bloc Party material, which surfaced in the form of the album “Four”. Drummer Matt Tong left the band shortly after the release in 2012, as did bass player Gordon Moakes in March 2015.

Live reviews

Bloc Party have been on and off again for over 10 years now. They released their critically acclaimed 'Silent Alarm' debut album in 2005 and have evolved their sound from post punk driven twisting riffs to electronic, to almost nirvana style rock and back again!

As you'd expect, their live show changes just as much. But one thing you can guarantee is that a Bloc Party show will be one of the best you have ever seen. They have the danceability of a pop band, which is bound to get the room moving whatever the size. Throughout the world, they have been known to play the odd arena show and are capable of headlining festivals. They seem most comfortable playing at the large venue stage but have become very well known for playing tiny club shows playing old songs and new songs alike. These often come in the form as sideshows and warm up shows, also rewarding fans for buying their album. In August 2012 they played the tiny Birthdays club in London as a reward for making the no.1 slot on the midweek itunes chart.

The light shows, also you can guarantee will be a spectacle at a Bloc Party shows, pulsing strobes, lasers, the lot. Kele Okereke, lead singer and guitarist, is also a fine one for getting the crowd going. Sing alongs are a standard for any Bloc Party show so prepare for a sore throat in the morning!

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Cited as the forefathers of the indie boom in the UK, indie/alt-dance outfit Bloc Party led by vocalist Kele Okereke have built an esteemed reputation through a career that spans just over a decade. Playing countless prolific venues, some of the UK's most esteemed festivals including a stop off headlining the Other Stage it would seem Bloc Party are more prepared than most to entertain their audiences.

Following the departure of Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong the future looks a little uncertain, their last tour was such a triumph it would be a shame to see the band come to an end. The crowds were excited and enthusiastic before the band had even entered the stage and as the trippy circular visual began to spin and move the cheers threatened to take the roof straight off. The quartet enters the venue to the sound of 'So Here We Are' which is followed closely by 'Hunting For Witches'. The energy levels are frantic as they run through a set punctuated heavily by hits such as 'The Prayer' and 'Helicopter'. The future looks doubtful right now but it is fair to say if Bloc Party do choose to part ways the UK will have lost one of its best pillars of indie.

I've only seen Bloc Party once before. That was in 2008 after the release of their second album. Back then their catalogue was incredible but they were still maturing as a live act. I missed their 2012 tour of Australia and made this time a must-see.

This concert was very different to the last time I saw them. With the band's new album due out in a matter of weeks, heavy promotion was to be the theme for this gig. Six of the 18 songs played were from the new album.

Some might think this would be good, hearing their new content before it arrives on the shelves. Truth is, some of it was a bit lackluster and unlike the Bloc Party many of us have to love.

Having said that, their performance was electric. Kele has matured into a fantastic frontman for the band and he was supported well by both his instrumentalists and an incredibly hot crowd all night.

They played all of their classics but a few more would have been nice in exchange for some of their new stuff.

Would I recommend going to see them? Absolutely. But maybe wait until they drop a new, more familiar album.

They put on an amazing show, the newer members of the band were on point. I was worried they would solely be promoting newer stuff as their new album was a week old at the time, however they did a great mix of old and new. However, the new stuff did steel feel slightly forced many of us would have happily seen just one or two newer songs swapped for classics. In all fairness they are still a current and relevant band trying to make new music, they cannot survive on decade old tracks forever.

Ignoring the setlist, the tracks themselves were stunning, especially Octopus and Helicopter.

But most of all they had an outstanding stage presence and Kele wasn't afraid to have a bit of a fun chatting with the audience in between songs. I would definitely recommend going to see them.

We saw Bloc Party at the Southampton Guildhall as part is the NME tour. They were supported by Ratboy and Drenge. The sound engineering was a bit off for the support acts and it was very hard to hear the singers and we were worried that this may ruin the Bloc Party performance. We needn't of worried though, once the support acts were finished there were new sound engineers and different desks etc...

Bloc Party were on great form and played a good mix of old and new material. They still look like they're loving it, and this makes a big difference to the atmosphere in the room.

To sum up, great sound, great songs and great performance. You can't ask for much more than that, Bloc Party rocked it!!!

It's been a while and the line up has changed a little but they came out fighting.

For what was essentialy their home town concert they gave it all and bought in the mellower tracks to allow the sweat to dry and Matt to get the drinks in!

The big tunes kept coming though and as a band they are solid and dependable with awesome sound and awesome show.

Being at the Roundhouse also helped as the venue is awesome, but the sound can be lost if you're right at the front hanging over the barrier.

Will be looking to get tickets earlier next time!

What makes a perfect gig? In my humble opinion there is a lot of factors to this answer. Firstly you need a good band with good songs, a good venue, a very good sound quality and a good audience. Bingo! The Bloc Party gig at the Alexandra Palace have all this elements. Everything was singing along and jumping. Also hugging. Yes I said “bugging”. It’s was like a religious experience. A night I will never forget.

War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick! War dick!

Also war dick glaub ich.

I finicking loved the concert, from beginning to the very end. The openers, Middle Kids, were also pretty good, even though they didn't play a lot. About Bloc Party I am just speechless. They are just awesome. This concert is on my top 3, doubtlessly.

Fuckin' sick. Tracks from their new album are awesome, as well as the old classics. Atmosphere in the front of the mosh pit was mental, I got crushed more than a few times. 10/10 would go again. On a side note, drenge had some tunes

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Bloc Party Announce Silent Alarm Tour

Bloc Party will play their debut LP, 2005’s Silent Alarm , in full at a string of European shows in October. Find the dates below and on their website . The tour kicks off in Amsterdam, with stops in Paris, Berlin, Brussels, and Dublin, before it closes out at London’s Alexandra Palace. In the absence of founding members Gordon Moakes and Matt Tong, the band will include its current rhythm section of Justin Harris and Louise Bartle. Their last LP was 2016’s Hymns .

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Bloc Party – ‘Alpha Games’ review: a viciously modern love letter to indie-rock

This sixth album sees the band's 2.0 line-up tear through political discontent with a banging soundtrack as they find out exactly where they sit in 2022

Inspired by the anniversary tour for their epochal 2005 debut ‘ Silent Alarm ’, Bloc Party ’s sixth record sees the indie legends return to their roots. Avoiding both landfill and sleaze , ‘Alpha Games’ is a love letter to their genre – but it’s one that’s viciously up to date.

• READ MORE: Bloc Party on ‘Alpha Games’: “We’re not the same band now. The chemistry is different”

Opener ‘Day Drinker’ starts with an actual drum roll before launching into duelling guitars and acrobatic vocals, while the uptempo ‘Traps’ has all the snarling energy of 2007’s indie-disco staple ‘Flux’. It’s distinctly Bloc Party, capturing the energy and the attitude that made them one of the most exciting groups to come out of that crowded ‘00s scene.

However, Alpha Games also represents the first time that this new iteration of the band have recorded an album together, with founding members Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack joined by bassist Justin Harris and drummer Louise Bartle. Okereke recently told NME : “We’re not the same band. There might be aspects of this sound that are familiar, but the chemistry is different.”

You can hear that in the grubby, synth-led ‘The Girls Are Fighting’, with its direct storytelling of a night on the lash gone wrong, while the hypnotic ‘Sex Magik’ is a euphoric, joyful anthem about a youthful summer fling. The band haven’t sounded this inspired in over a decade. Other politicised tracks, such as the jangly, guitar-led ‘You Deserve The Truth’ and the aching ‘Of Things Yet To Come’, find them working out exactly where they sit in 2022.

Influenced by the past few years of constant deceit and political turmoil (“Boris Johnson has been proved to lie and nothing has happened” Okereke said in that NME interview), there’s tangible anger across the record. ‘Callum Is A Snake’ is a venomous punk track that burns with fury, ‘Rough Justice’ indulges in character play and the swaggering ‘By Any Means Necessary’ is about attaining success at any price. Moody one moment, playful the next, it shows off the chemistry and personality of Bloc Party 2.0 perfectly.

Then there’s the tender ‘If We Get Caught’, which sees them soundtrack a good old piss-up in dark times. Striking a balance between their legacy and what comes next, it might be one of the best songs they’ve ever written. ‘Alpha Games’ sees Bloc Party still championing the ’00s scene that they came up in, but there’s not a hint of nostalgia in sight. With a renewed vigour and the desire to keep things moving, this sixth album could soundtrack a new generation of indie discos.

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Release date: April 29

Record label: BMG

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