The Year is 2023: Arctic Monkeys Continue to Captivate Fans
The year is 2023, and if you consider yourself an Arctic Monkeys fan, chances are you fall into one of two categories. You may be a smart-mouthed punk who was drawn to the band’s quick wit and licks from their 2006 debut. Alternatively, you might be a former AM-obsessed Tumblr teen, known for blaring “Knee Socks” while wearing knee socks and short skirts. Both eras are now old enough to be featured on a decade-themed “best of” list.
But whether you identify with the band’s early or later work, you’re likely wondering what Arctic Monkeys sound like these days. You might be curious about lead vocalist and songwriter Alex Turner’s onstage presence, especially now that his songwriting style has shifted to the wending ballads of “The Car” and “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.”
If the band’s recent show in Boston is any indication, Turner won’t provide a direct answer. Instead, he will leave fans pondering, much like the concept of musical Inception. While Arctic Monkeys’ dramatic flair has evolved into cinematic soliloquies in recent years, their status as rock’s entrancing trendsetters remains intact, largely thanks to Turner’s transfixing faux-conducting skills.
The show started with Turner taking the wheel of 2022’s “The Car,” warming up the band’s engine not with a dance number, but the sweeping drone of “Sculptures of Anything Goes.” Without a guitar in hand, his deft hand gestures directed the ominous preamble. Each flick of the wrist propelled the synths forward or brought them to a halt. A quick toss of his sunglasses unleashed a surge of excitement from the crowd.
“That’s my idea of a good time,” he crooned, already impressing fans with new material from the album. Although Arctic Monkeys released “The Car” nearly a year ago, this fall marks the first time the band has been able to showcase the record in the United States. Coming five years after their previous tour for “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino,” this tour has Turner playing the role of a car salesman, introducing newer songs as swoonsome interludes that demonstrate the band’s evolution while still reflecting the moody shimmer of Sheffield.
The setlist featured a simple ratio: start the car, “The Car,” for a brief moment before tuning the radio dial to “AM.” The band heavily relied on their 2013 album for this performance in Boston, balancing slower moments like “Body Paint” and “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” with crowd-pleasers such as “Arabella” and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?”
However, it’s crucial not to underestimate Turner’s unassuming charisma when evaluating the equation. During “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?,” he sang slightly off the melody line, as if narrating a story instead of engaging in prolonged crowd interaction. In the instrumental portion of “Pretty Visitors,” he held the microphone stand high above his head and lightly treaded across the stage in his heeled dress shoes, performing a two-step that others might find pompous. His reserved demeanor made every adjustment to his hair seem genuine, adding to his allure rather than detracting from it.
The airtight set concluded with “R U Mine?” – a somewhat rhetorical question given how clearly the crowd had been enthralled by Turner for the past 90 minutes. Ironically, they were even more captivated when singing along to “Snap Out Of It.”
Regardless of any initial hesitations, Sunday night’s show made it abundantly clear that the admiration between Arctic Monkeys and their fans is mutual. It’s high time for both parties to cease second-guessing.
In the words of Turner on a track from “Favourite Worst Nightmar,” “Do me a favor and stop asking questions.”