Live: Yeah Yeah Yeahs brought ‘Modern Romance’ to the O2 Apollo

Koichi Yamanoha’s intricate musical project Grimm Grimm warmed up the O2 Apollo Manchester ahead of Yeah Yeah Yeahs‘ theatrical yet stripped back live show on a lovely Monday evening.

There’s an artistry in simplicity that Grimm Grimm utilised to their advantage, which seemed to be the theme of the evening. Grimm Grimm touched a heart string that hadn’t been pulled on through music for a while. A soft and emotive, introspective sound that felt very comforting and weirdly familiar warmed up the O2 Apollo ahead of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They utilised multiple instruments with which they created a strong storyline told through their set list, and as soon as a guitar appeared and got accompanied by vocals I was completely sold. A dynamic sound came from the stage, created by just one person that impressed and left us stunned. Musically blending in perfectly with the theatrical alternative sound of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grimm Grimm was the perfect opener for the evening.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs entered the stage to a warm and enthusiastic welcome from their eager UK audience. The band took a deep dive into their back catalogue, stripped it back and performed a few B-sides that hadn’t… Heard? The light of day in a while. Singer Karen O was utterly mesmerising and clearly very excited to be on a stage in Manchester once again, as she floated across the stage in a brightly coloured red and blue, glitter-decorated outfit, jumping and dancing like her life depended on it. Singles ‘Mystery Girl’, ‘Maps’, and ‘Modern Romance’ received particularly warm welcomes but the band’s audience was keen on all they performed. Despite being a seated event, Yeah Yeah Yeahs connected with their fans on a deeper level through dedications, short talks in-between songs, and bringing odes to love and warriors. As Karen said; “I’m a soft warrior with an open heart”.

The soft warrior showed that she is made for the stage and knows how to convince others of that, fans old and new, as well as plus one’s, all seemed to be captivated by the band’s performance. This warm camaraderie they brough to the O2 Apollo can’t be forged nor faked and made it feel like the show was ours and not just theirs. Together we created a show not easy to forget, as the theatrical alternative pop, rock, and folk sounds of Yeah Yeah Yeahs filled the venue, echoing waves of ethereal, musical compositions. There’s nothing quite like seeing a group of talented performers have a wonderful time and taking their audience on a wonderful journey with them, Yeah Yeah Yeahs left quite the impression.