LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: KAISER CHIEFS AT EVENTIM APOLLO, LONDON 20/02/26 (+ CORELLA)
Full photo gallery here
After a summer that reminded everyone exactly why they remain one of Britain’s most electrifying live bands, Kaiser Chiefs are back on the road. The summer included a headline stealing set on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, a triumphant night at Alexandra Palace Park, and a huge hometown celebration at Leeds’ Temple Newsam Park. The band have carried their 20 Years of Employment anniversary into 2026 and with demand showing no signs of slowing, this latest run of dates feels less like a victory lap and more like a statement that they’ve still got what it takes.
That momentum rolled straight into a sold-out night at the Eventim Apollo, where, long before doors opened, fans were already snaking around the block, swapping stories of past gigs and debating which songs outside of Employment would make the setlist. There was a sense of anticipation in the air, unsurprising when a band with this kind of loyal fanbase returns in celebratory mode. Inside, the atmosphere buzzed with restless energy as those who had made it inside early waited for the music to begin.
What’s the best thing about being at a gig early, the good spot at the barrier, the smaller queue at the bar or the chance to soak up the atmosphere? Nope. On this occasion, the best thing about being at the gig early was Corella. Corella were the band handpicked by Kaiser Chiefs to support on the UK tour after Ricky and the guys witnessed their scorching main stage performance at Kendal Calling last year.
Opening their set with the song ‘Do you want it?’, it was obvious the audience did. With a spark of excitement in the crowd from the get-go. ‘Drifting’ and ‘Head Underwater’ followed in quick succession, the band getting onlookers going with their youthful energy. They were undoubtedly excited to be playing on the legendary Apollo stage. “It feels like we should be doing 45 minutes of stand up, but we're gonna be doing 45 minutes of music instead,” said frontman Joel Smith early on in the set.
Corella are definitely no joke and are an act to be taken seriously as they rise up through the ranks of the music scene. Later in their 10-track set, upon playing the unreleased track ‘Rewire’, accurately described as a blistering track sitting somewhere between Royal Blood and Kasabian, everything turned up a notch. The delivery was exceptional, creating a moment that was a strong highlight of the whole performance. The good news is they'll be releasing the song as the lead single of their second album on March 5th.
The Manchester-based quartet delivered a tight set that blends guitar-driven energy with heartfelt, melodic songwriting. Just as heartfelt was Joel sharing with the audience his recollection of listening to the Kaiser Chiefs at 10 years old on the way to school in his dad's car, making opening for them on tour a full circle moment. Finishing with their song ‘Barcelona Girl’, they left the stage and the crowd was rearing to go and well and truly warmed up. The truest sign that Corella had done an amazing job.
When Kaiser Chiefs first announced this tour, fans knew to expect something big. "This summer, we played a load of shows to mark the release of our debut album Employment. It went well. Probably better than our first summer 20 years ago. It was the year after that first year that things really took off..," frontman Ricky Wilson said of the announcement. "So we hope you will join us in February to help celebrate with us the year it really took off.” This is a good point that reminds us that even with a stellar album, things might not actually go from release to hit song instantly.
Bands like the Kaiser Chiefs earned the success they had through touring and hard graft, the live show being their chance to impress, for which they always did. Tonight would be no exception to their reputation for wonderful live shows, before anthems were made with viral moments on social media. Back when music was distributed on CDs and if you were lucky, putting it in your computer would reveal secret content. Back when Top of the Pops reigned TV music shows and being on the show meant you’d made it. Back when majestic dinosaurs walked the earth and… no, wait, what?
Cue a large screen backdrop with video footage of a parody of The Jurassic Park character John Hammond introducing the Kaiser Chiefs as if they were relics from the Jurassic Era, reborn through finding their preserved DNA. Complete with Mr DNA graphic representations of each band member. Then came the moment fans had excitedly awaited as Ricky Wilson came out in his striking blazer, along with the rest of the band. Lining up on the raised back of the stage, they humbly took a bow amidst the raucous applause before heading for their respective places on stage.
Now, as anyone who has owned the debut album Employment at any point in the last 20 years can tell you. It starts with a bang! It goes straight in with the hit ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’ which makes for a great start to the show, the crowd began dancing, even those in the circle seats jumped onto their feet to dance. Following on from one danceable track to the next, there was ‘I Predict a Riot’ as videos from protests, to spitting image politicians flashed up on the backdrop. Ever relevant, the song used the opportunity to portray the message PROTEST IS NOT TERRORISM in the background. A reminder of their activism involvement, when it comes to human rights.
It should also be noted that before the show began, we were encouraged to donate to Amnesty International with messages on that very backdrop screen. Previously, Kaiser Chiefs have partnered with Amnesty on a number of initiatives aimed at highlighting human rights issues, notably producing a short film on the subject that was screened during their 2017 UK tour. By integrating Amnesty’s message into their live shows, they helped carry its work to wider and more diverse audiences through the power of music.
Every fan and audience member in the crowd has one thing in common, they came to see live music, and it's that power of music that joins them together like an invisible thread. They whooped and cheered in unison at every opportunity through ‘Modern Way’, ‘Na Na Na Na Naa’ and ‘You Can Have It All’. By the time we got to ‘Oh My God’, it seemed like they were doing more singing than Ricky. Their singing voices lifted the proverbial rafters as they sang in glee, “And oh my god I can't believe it / I've never been this far away from home,” till the song eventually came to an end. Just like that, the band were halfway through the album and presumably the set.
With most of their memorable hits in the first half of the album, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the second half lagged a little, but it did not. In fact, it went off harder than the first half, perhaps because everyone, band and fans alike, were in high spirits as if the beginning had just been the warm-up. They played through the songs with energised ease, although it was sure to be harder than it looked. The band should be praised for maintaining their signature, riotous, and melodic style, refusing to get even the slightest bit stale over the years, giving fans a must see live experience. As the album came to a close and it went dark, it seemed to be over way too soon.
Rather unsurprisingly, after a short moment to collect themselves, the band returned to play their encore. A 7 song mini set that started with a Ramones cover, ‘Blitzkrieg Bop‘, so lots of “Hey ho, Let’s go” audience participation to keep the crowd engaged. Other songs included ‘Sink That Ship’ and, of course, the massive hit ‘Ruby’. They ended with ‘The Angry Mob’ leaving the crowd anything but that.
The Kaiser Chiefs delivered a high-energy performance at the Eventim Apollo, like the many bands who have graced that legendary stage over the decades. Proving themselves to be a timeless act with a stage presence in top form, the perfect combination of new and old resulted in a nostalgic yet fresh evening that was highly entertaining.
Words by Cat Wiltshire
Photos by Justyna Serafin
