Until last week, it had been four years since Arctic Monkeys had all been together on one stage. Those dark days are over, and NME was in Los Angeles for the Sheffield band’s show at the iconic Hollywood Forever cemetery. You can read our review of the night over here, but, below, check out some stunning pics from the night by photographer Andy DeLuca, and then get very excited for a summer of Arctic Monkeys mania.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
Arctic Monkeys made their return to Alex Turner and Matt Helders’ adopted hometown of Los Angeles this weekend (May 5). At a special show at Hollywood Forever cemetery, the band previewed a handful of tracks from their upcoming sixth album, ‘Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino’.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
Opening with ‘Four Out Of Five’, Alex spent half the song sat behind a keyboard – a necessity since ‘TBHC”s beginnings came from the frontman being gifted a piano for his 30th birthday.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
The gig, which was only the band’s third since 2014, saw them playing with their new, expanded band. Mini Mansions’ Tyler Parkford appeared on keys, while long-running touring member Tom Rowley is still a fixture of the live shows. Support act Cam Avery joined Arctic Monkeys on songs from the new album, too.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
Elsewhere, they shared two other new songs – ‘She Looks Like Fun”s dramatic piano stabs, and encore opener ‘One Point Perspective’. The latter opens with Alex narrating: “Dancing in my underpants/I’m gonna run for government/I’m gonna start a covers band and all.”
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
The set drew heavily from 2013 album ‘AM’, with the likes of ‘Arabella’, ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’, and ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ all making early appearances.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
The Sheffield group also dusted off ‘AM’ era b-side ‘You’re So Dark’ for only its second live airing, having given it its debut in San Diego three days earlier.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
“A song about a search for a lover,” Alex introduced ‘Cornerstone’ at one point. “Here we go, open the sky,” he said later, as guitarist Jamie Cook delivered a soft solo.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
Only two songs from the four-piece’s first album, ‘Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not’, made it into the Hollywood Forever performance – ‘The View From The Afternoon’, and ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
“Knock it in, Helders,” Alex instructed the drummer ahead of penultimate track ‘One For The Road’, having ended the previous song stood on the drum riser.
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
“I’ve only got one question left to ask you, ‘Ollywood,” the frontman told the crowd as the night began to wrap up, with his bandmates launching into finale ‘R U Mine?’
Arctic Monkeys at Hollywood Forever
The band continue their comeback tour on Wednesday (May 9) in New York. They’ll play ‘Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino’ in the UK for the first time in September.
