Kaiser Chiefs, Wolverhampton Racecourse - review with pictures

Following a day of racing, the Leeds quartet took to the outdoor stage to deliver an hour-and-a-half set packed full of scorching hits and electric energy.

From the opening notes of 2005 hit Everyday I Love You Less And Less, the crowd was a sea of flailing arms and plastic pint cups under the warm evening sun.

Through hits such as Everything Is Average Nowadays, Modern Way and the infectious Ruby, the entire audience sang along to the anthemic choruses, and danced to the soaring guitar hooks and rolling drum beats.

At the centre of this energy was enigmatic frontman Ricky Wilson, who is the sheer definition of a showman.

From starting funny chants to exchanging anecdotes with the crowd, the 40-year-old rocker had the full attention of the entire audience.

"That's a good start Wolverhampton, but we can do better than that," The Voice judge shouted, urging the crowd to raise their arms and clap - which they did with heaps of enthusiasm.

Ricky is known for his chaotic stage presence, and he wasted no time before clambering onto the drum kit and furiously headbanged.

His passion for the music spilled over into the audience, creating an electric atmosphere with a hungry crowd always begging for more.

This showmanship didn't deter away from their musical ability however - rather, it simply added an extra layer of brilliance to the lively performance.

The band's eclectic set featured a variety of songs from their back catalogue, from early hits such as Modern Way and The Angry Mob through to newer hits Ruffians On Parade and Misery Company.

One thing that united them all however was the zealous way in which they were delivered.

Outdoor venues can sometimes cause sound to become lost as wind flows past the speakers, yet for the entire set the band sounded pitch perfect.

Ricky's vocals always remained strong, Andrew White's powerful guitar hooks and solos sounded razor sharp, and Nick Baine's smooth keyboard interludes were always precise.

They were carried by Vijay Mistry's imposing drum beats and Simon Rix's lofty bass lines to create a polished and engaging set.

The band treated fans to a raging cover of The Who's Pinball Wizard, before playing brand new track People Know How To Love Each Other.

Kaiser Chiefs have been entertaining the masses for more than fifteen years, and they are still as passionate and committed as ever to making sure they deliver a high-quality show.

Ending on Na Na Na Na Naa and smash hit Oh My God; the guitars wailed, drums bellowed, the bass chugged and Ricky's voice belted out the lyrics with punchy perfection that closed the show on a vibrant high.

As Ricky threw streamers over the crowd, revellers in suits and posh frocks began to leave the venue with smiles from ear to ear.

"We were driving to Wolverhampton when we found out Ruby had gone to number one, so this city is lucky to us," Ricky told the crowd during one anecdote, yet last night I felt lucky to have witnessed such a stellar live performance.

Oh my god I can believe it, there's no band that can put on a live show quite like the Kaiser Chiefs.