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Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
Entertainment
Simon Meechan

'People want to hear Silent Alarm as they remember it' Bloc Party prepare for Newcastle gig

Back in 2005 indie rock ruled the UK music scene - but only a select few of the NME's mid-decade favourites had staying power.

Of which, Bloc Party are certainly one.

The London band scored four top-10 albums with their first four LPs, from Silent Alarm in 2005 to 2012's Four. Their most recent record, Hymns, peaked at 12 in the charts.

In that time, the band's sound developed to embrace more electronic influences, before a return back to a more guitar-based sound on Four.

For fans, it was Silent Alarm which started a 15-year love affair with Bloc Party.

Which should make Friday's Bloc Party gig unmissable.

The band are set to play Silent Alarm in its entirety on an outdoor stage as they top the Friday bill at held in Spillers Wharf, Newcastle.

ChronicleLive spoke to guitarist Russell Lissack, who has been in Bloc Party since day one along with frontman Kele Okereke.

He's looking forward to a weekend in our city, where the band will play the album in order, with a few 'bangers' from their other records thrown in to close the set.

Russell said: "We've played Newcastle quite a few times over the years. It's always an up for it crowd. It's a Friday night, and it's a really strong bill, and hopefully the weather will still be good!

"Everything is coming together for a really fun show."

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So why did Bloc Party decide to take Silent Alarm back on the road last year?

"Someone suggested if we'd be up for it, and everyone was into the idea," explained Russell, speaking on the phone from an M4 service station as Bloc Party make their way around the country.

"We we're on down time between records, and it just seemed like a nice thing to do."

While some hits have never left Bloc Party's live sets, there are some Silent Alarm songs which the band have had to revisit.

"Some songs we've been playing continuously, like Helicopter and Banquet, but a few songs we hadn't played for 10 years, we had to re-learn things again - and obviously we [Russell and Kele] are now playing with two different members," said Russell.

He added: "We haven't really re-worked anything drastically, we've done that sometimes before with other stuff, but with playing an album in its entirety, people want to hear the album as they remember it, rather than adjusted. It's a faithful rendition."

Imogen, Mystery Jets and Circa Waves will support Bloc Party at .

Tickets are on sale priced from £37.50 plus booking fee

Frank Turner headlines on the Saturday, with Verve legend Richard Ashcroft performing on Sunday.

Bloc Party release Silent Alarm Live on Friday, July 12. The live album can be pre-ordered, here .

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