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by Gemma Brosnan Bloc Party chose the London Olympia as the venue for their Easter special last week as they wrapped up their UK tour with a spectacular, memorable set. The Grand Hall provided a perfect warehouse themed backdrop with concrete and steel in abundance, evoking the spirit and ambience of the Chemical Brothers, who took over the space last summer. The band kicked off their show with 'Halo' from their third album 'Intimacy', continuing with a mammoth 19-track set featuring tracks from all three of their albums and inspiring audience participation for anthematic classics such as 'Banquet', 'Mercury' and ‘Helicopter’. The show continuously gathered momentum with stunning visuals and energy blending seamlessly with beats as lyrics were given new vigour and a fresh, dynamic approach. Later in the show singer, Kele Okereke delighted the crowd when he appeared onstage dressed as the Easter bunny and praised fans for giving the group such a warm reception every time they play in the capital: "Whenever we go somewhere in the world and we talk to other bands they say playing in London is really hard. But not for us, we love playing here". They may have continued to nurture their art-rock formula and intellectual aspirations, but Bloc Party proved they can still rock with ruthless determination and big beats building up to a sensational climax with dance-driven 'Flux’ and showering the ecstatically hyped crowd in a sea of green lasers.
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