Opening with the majestic ‘Living is a Problem’ it was clear from the start that this was going to be quite a gig. It’s not that Dunfermline fans don’t get many live gigs, indeed ITM? itself has been resident there for many a month. It’s just that when bands do make the effort to cross that little bridge to Fife-land and when they choose stunning venues like the Alhambra, then the crowd just can’t help but act that little bit grateful. Bouncing like loons and making the creaky balcony sag on every beat, it was certainly an opener the crowd won’t forget in a hurry. Heart in your mouth with every bass note, it did cross my mind that this was likely the loudest gig this venue had heard in over 40 years at least.
‘Less the Product’ eased us back into a false sense of security as did ‘Joy.Discovery.Invention’ with all its intricacies. Proving they did some hard graft for their ‘Puzzle’ album, and stretching themselves in their search for the highest quality they could produce, they have shown they can give just that. Sure, the die hard fans of yore from the good old days will look in vain for the stop-start shouts and the heavy metal endings, but when the string quartet stride onstage and sit alongside Ben like they were his secret weapon, the audience sit back and relax with admiration as the band manage to weave their magic whether fast or slow. In what turned out to be rather a lengthy show, with only a smattering of technical hitches, the crowd were treated to a good dose of acoustic tunes too, highlight of which was ‘Folding Stars’ – poignant and perfect as was their classic ‘Machines’. So beautiful in fact it prompted the couple in front to get engaged much to the delight of a whole balcony of well-wishers. Finishing the night with ‘Hope for an Angel’ Biffy remind us all how despite appearance and all new melodics and cuddles, they stick true to their guns (well, Simon’s at least) and their rock. Rounding off with a very impressive launch into the crowd much to the distress of the already distressed security, Simon is quite a force to be reckoned with. Much love Biff.