Despite a shaky start, the four-piece ultimately found their footing at the sold-out reunion show - their first gig in London since 2014.
It’s clear upon arrival at the O2 Forum Kentish Town that it’s been a while since Hard-Fi’s heyday - 2020 saw the 15th anniversary of their number one album, Stars of CCTV. News of their return to London drew many punters to the capital that, as frontman Richard Archer later quips, haven’t ‘lived for the weekend’ in a long time. The sense of nostalgia was palpable, ramping up the pressure on the Staines band to deliver.
Supporting them was DJ and long-time friend of the band, Wrongtom, for whom the Forum’s crowd showed a notable lack of interest. Certain tracks were received well, such as New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’, but the audience was clearly counting down the seconds before Richard Archer, Kai Stephens, Ross Phillips, and Steve Kemp made their return to the London stage. Understandable, considering many (myself included) had waited almost a decade.
Ella's own images.
Hard-Fi have always exuded chaos - I overheard a man in the queue discussing how he last saw them live when they were booed off stage supporting Green Day at the Milton Keynes Bowl. As the band emerged in the same outfits they’ve worn since 2005, it was clear this hasn’t changed. However, launching into ‘Middle Eastern Holiday’, Archer and crew seemed oddly nervous. He recently spoke about his excitement at playing live again without the pressure of the old days, but the band’s stiffness hinted at a fear of allowing themselves to relax. By the middle of the set, I couldn’t help feeling that the band should have just played Stars of CCTV from start to finish, as other material isn’t received quite so well. A notable moment from the first half was the cover of ‘Seven Nation Army’, received well as the group began to loosen up, but the energy in the room remained stiff - thunder without the lightning.
However, when the band launched into ‘Better Do Better’, something clicked. It was as if they finally found their footing again and the crowd felt it too, passionately bellowing the entire song and signalling to the group that they were allowed to let go. From then on, their crowd interaction increased tenfold, and a charismatic ‘Cash Machine’ confirmed that Hard-Fi are still as cohesive as they always were. They were the soundtrack to countless 2000s nights out, and when Archer points at the crowd and declares ‘you made it’, it feels like a reunion with an old friend.
The highlight of the night was the encore. The band had completely found their rhythm, and Archer’s emotional ‘Move on Now’ is sung back to him at an ear-splitting volume as strangers in the crowd linked arms, singing to the ceiling like it’s 2005 again and their only worry is the price of a pint. The penultimate tune, ‘Stars of CCTV’, elicits a similar response. The crowd continue to chant the chorus after the song finishes, causing a beaming Archer to shout ‘you lot should be up here, not us!’ The closing number, ‘Living For The Weekend’, transformed the entire crowd into a mosh pit. I have never seen a song elicit such a passionate reaction.
Further shows have been hinted at, which isn’t a surprise considering the Forum sold out in 10 minutes. Hopefully Hard-Fi will be able to hold on to their rediscovered momentum. I don’t think I can wait another decade to see that final tune one more time.