Easy Life put on a memorable and entertaining show that stood to prove their energy as a band, Music Critic Emma Walker reviews
As the packed-out O2 Institute demonstrated, Easy Life are extremely popular amongst Birmingham’s student and general population. When they came on stage with a confidence and charm far exceeding that expected of a band so early in their career, it was easy to see why. Their appearance was preceded by a pre-flight safety announcement – a nod to the theme of their debut album life’s a beach, which hit Number two in the UK Album Chart upon its release in May, creating an excited atmosphere amongst the crowd.
Arriving on stage, Easy Life began their set with their crowd-pleasing 2017 debut single ‘pockets.’ This was followed by one of their most recent singles, ‘have a great day.’ From the offset, they were accompanied by a brass band that added a polished feel to the laidback vocals of frontman Murray Matravers. He claimed, after the third song ‘sunday,’ that the night would be more relaxed than his previous one, where he ‘woke up on a toilet seat lying in his own vomit.’ The set was characterised by these amusing remarks and interactions, which were well received and encouraged by the crowd.
They only serve to make the atmosphere more memorable and enjoyable
After effortlessly making his way through singles such as ‘earth’ and ‘dead celebrities,’ a song exposing the highs and lows of Hollywood fame, Matravers came into the crowd during ‘peanut butter.’ This wouldn’t be the last time he found himself amongst the audience, again crowd-surfing his way through ‘ojpl,’ before losing and swiftly being handed back his microphone from the floor. For those who aren’t familiar with Easy Life gigs, these antics may seem out of place with the relaxed indie sound of their music, but they only serve to make the atmosphere more memorable and enjoyable.
Although the reception to subsequent songs ‘houseplants’ and parts one and two of ‘temporary love’ was admittedly quieter, it says a lot about the quality of Easy Life’s music that early releases such as these do not sound out of place in their packed setlist. The crowd picked up once more for ‘sangria,’ filling in for Arlo Parks, the band’s Mercury Prize-winning collaborator on this song.
A highlight of the evening happened towards the end, in a run of songs that included early single ‘frank.’ Throughout the gig, Matravers continuously mentioned how he had seen another singer jump off the balcony into the audience and wanted to do the same, something he finally made happen during their recent single ‘skeletons.’ Whilst the venue security may not have been impressed by his behaviour, the crowd certainly were, with a sea of iPhones capturing the moment he jumped into their arms.
It would be a disservice not to mention the superb instrumental ability of the rest of the band
Despite the crowd’s attention being commanded by the frontman for the majority of the show, it would be a disservice not to mention the superb instrumental ability of the rest of the band. To say Easy Life only formed four years ago is really surprising considering how cohesively they perform on stage.
Finally, after a 20-song-strong setlist, Easy Life walked off the stage. However, following sustained crowd chants of ‘easy, easy,’ they returned once more for an encore with fan-favourite ‘nightmares’ and an ad-libbed version of life’s a beach closer ‘music to walk home to’ that was vaguely reminiscent of The Streets, finishing a thoroughly entertaining evening on a high note.
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