Artic Monkeys - Sheffield Arena

It is nearly over 7 years since Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys released their debut album. It was hailed as a classic and subsequent albums have justified the media hype, in fact, their new album AM is even better than what has gone before.

What distinguishes them from their peers who first appeared on the music scene at the sane time as the Arctic's is that the Sheffield band's sound has progressed. It is rare to go to a gig and want the band to play all the tracks of their new album such is the greatness of their new release. The band oblige with the set list mainly consisting of new material.

The stage set is minimal, only huge neon AM lettering decorates the back of the stage. It is not one of your regular pop shows with dancers and walkways that go from one end of the arena to another, this is a band still in transition, still continuing to grow and not rest of their laurels, tonight they let the music do the talking.

Do I Wanna Know, the first track off the new album, opens the gig. Lead singer Alex Turner's voice now on form after this gig had to be re-arranged due to a bout of laryngitis. Dancing Shoes and Teddy Picker re-visits their older work.

Turner asks his hometown audience "What do you think of our new album?" as he receives a triumphant cheer. Fireside, One for the Road and Arabella continue the quality of song writing evident tonight, the latter track having a Black Sabbath influence.

I Wanna Be Yours closes the gig as cannons firing confetti shower the audience. It is not long before the band is welcomed back on stage for Snap out of It.

It was a brilliant homecoming for the band. Sheffield born Joe Cocker's cover of the Beatles With a Little Help From My Friends plays over the PA as the crowd disperse.

Tonight the Arctic's performed one of the gigs of the year - with more than a little help from their fellow Yorkshire friends.