What happens when you put two of the hottest US exports on one bill in London? You get a sold out, milestone show. That is the easiest way to describe the night that Citizen and Turnover came to London together. The show has been long sold out, and both bands are riding a wave of success after releasing two of 2015âs most talked about and revered albums. They each showed a progression in sound, and both have seen a huge growth in popularity and acclaim since. Understandably, expectation is riding high for tonightâs show, and the queue that has formed outside The Dome despite the near Baltic temperature is evident that people are chomping at the bit.
With a lot of todayâs younger, up and coming bands drawing influence from the 90s, tonightâs openers Fade are no exception. Whereas many of their peers are borrowing from shoegaze and grunge, the Leeds quartet have a more classic post-hardcore feel. Big riffs, in the vein of Quicksand and Handsome are Fadeâs forte, and they sound huge. Perhaps a cover of âFade Awayâ by Oasis could have been left out, but then thatâs only because this reviewer is a die-hard fan of Manchesterâs finest, but the crowd still lap it up. They are far more than just a forgettable support band tonight, and this will surely be the first of many times we will be writing about Fade this year.
Turnover share a very similar crowd to Citizen, so for many, this is a dream bill, and either band could have headlined. From the moment âNew Screamâ echoes from the stage and fills the room, it is impossible to not pay attention to the band. The hazy, lackadaisical vibe of last years stunning âPeripheral Visionâ album transposes perfectly in a live setting. âDizzy On The Comedownâ and âHello Euphoriaâ draw every bit of emotion out you, just as much as they do on record.
Eschewing any of their earlier material, they opt to play two new tracks from a forthcoming 7â. These once again, build on the direction of âPeripheral Visionâ. While more than a few people perhaps would have liked to have heard âSashaâ or âMost Of The Timeâ, Turnover are a band all about progression, which has been clear with each release. With songs as strong as the glorious âHummingâ, and the mass sing along that âCutting My Fingers Offâ evokes, they clearly donât need to regress.
Citizen have a far more powerful delivery than Turnover, at least in the conventional sense of the word. Their songs twist and turn from serene and sullen passages to heavier, more chaotic sections in the blink of an eye. Within seconds of them launching into âThe Summerâ, near pandemonium erupts on the floor before them. A hail of stage-dives, and arms aloft carries on through their entire performance tonight, bringing out a different level of passion from the audience.
They play a varied set from both of their full-length albums, but it is during the tracks from âEverybody Is Going To Heavenâ that Citizen really shine. âCementâ is crushing, âStainâ is suffocating, and âYellow Loveâ is nothing short of mesmerising tonight. Thatâs not to say that the older material from âYouthâ doesnât still stand up. âRoam The Roomâ is clearly a favourite with the crowd and feels just as big as the newer songs, and of course âThe Night I Drove Aloneâ will always be one of this bands defining anthems.
With the upward trajectory of both Citizen and Turnover, and a post-show glance upon social media, tonight will go down in our sceneâs history as one of the most memorable shows. It will be one that people talk about, and where people will say âDo you remember the night Citizen and Turnover played at The Dome?â. If you answer anything other than âyesâ, then you will be told, in no uncertain terms, exactly what you missed out on.
GLEN BUSHELL