An Arctic Monkeys tribute band have spoken to NME about how “pretty special” it felt to perform the band’s new song ‘Opening Night’ live before Arctic Monkeys themselves. You can watch footage of the moment below.
The Sheffield indie favourites surprised listeners last month by releasing the lead track from the forthcoming charity compilation ‘Help(2)’, which has been put together in support of War Child. With the song currently standing alone and the band not active on the touring front or planning live shows, long running tribute act Antarctic Monkeys ended up giving ‘Opening Night’ its first taste of a live setting when they headlined the O2 Academy in Leeds.
“It feels pretty special to be the first band to play the track live,” frontman Dean Reynolds told NME. “Obviously Arctic Monkeys came together to record it for a great cause with War Child and the ‘Help(2)’ album, however I think it could be some time before they take to the stage with it.
“In a way it was inevitable that we would be the first band to play it to a live audience.”
Reynolds went on to explain how the moment unfolded on the night. “We played it midway through our set without any announcement. Initially the crowd were a little reserved. I think people are still unsure of the verse lyrics. Once the chorus kicked in though that all changed and they sang along as loudly as they would to any other Monkeys classic.
“It has received great reaction on our socials so hopefully we did a good take on it for its first live performance. I think it’ll be a great live track for us and will be a permanent fixture in our future set lists for sure.”
The Wolverhampton group, who have built a reputation as the leading Arctic Monkeys tribute act over the past two decades, added that they are big fans of the new song and have “had it on repeat pretty much since it came out”.
“We wanted to learn it and get it in the set straight away,” Reynolds added. “Catchy guitar riff, superb harmonies, great sing along chorus! It’s Arctic Monkeys… what’s not to like!”
As speculation and online chatter continued around Arctic Monkeys’ future, drummer Matt Helders recently said the band felt “the itch” to make something following 2022’s ‘The Car’, stressing that they “will always” create music and leaving the door open for more material.
Without sharing any concrete plans, he also played down the likelihood of a live appearance tied to the release of ‘Help(2)’.
Speaking as a devoted fan, Reynolds admitted he is unsure whether ‘Opening Night’ hints at what might come next from Alex Turner and company, or how long fans may be waiting.
“Who can say?” he said. “They’re forever changing with each release and as musicians and music fans ourselves, we really admire the progression and shifts in direction they take on each album.
“As far as them getting back into the studio, I’d like to think that the recording of ‘Opening Night’ has ignited the urge to record more material, however, I think it’ll be a while yet before we see them all back together on a stage.”
With Arctic Monkeys currently away from touring and no immediate return announced, Reynolds said interest in Antarctic Monkeys’ live shows has only continued to grow.
“Over the past year or so we’ve seen a huge increase in attendance at our shows, and the average age of the crowd is getting younger year on year,” he explained. “I can’t see their popularity ever fading and I think there’ll be plenty of demand for Arctic Monkeys music to be heard live for a long time to come.
“As for being in a tribute band, opinions can be divided, especially when a band means as much to people as Arctic Monkeys do. But we’re also fans first and foremost, just like everyone else. We’re incredibly lucky to be able to perform a set of their iconic songs week in, week out to sold out audiences across the UK and even internationally with a tour of Australia scheduled for July.
“We don’t have an album to promote so we tailor our set list to include all the banging tunes and album classics so there’s something for every Arctic Monkeys fan to appreciate.”
Arctic Monkeys tribute band Antarctic Monkeys. Credit: Macauley CullenReynolds added that balance is key when paying tribute. “You can’t take yourselves too seriously in a tribute band, but we take the musicianship and stage show very seriously. Our aim is always to deliver a performance that does the songs justice and keeps fans coming back for more.
“It’s fun and it’s accessible to everybody as we play regular shows in towns and cities all over. And while Arctic Monkeys take time away from touring, we’re happy to keep giving the fans the next best live experience.”
Antarctic Monkeys will be touring across the UK throughout the year, with additional dates in Australia scheduled for July. Their next performance takes place at the O2 Academy in Bournemouth on Saturday February 7. Visit here for tickets, live dates and further details.
War Child’s ‘Help(2)’ is set for release on Friday March 6 via War Child Records and is available to pre order here.
Executive produced by longtime Arctic Monkeys collaborator James Ford, the compilation also includes contributions from Damon Albarn, English Teacher, Young Fathers, Fontaines D.C., Geese frontman Cameron Winter, Depeche Mode, Foals, Olivia Rodrigo, Pulp, The Last Dinner Party, Wet Leg and many others. Full tracklist and release information can be found here.
War Child supports, protects and educates children affected by conflict, while also prioritising their mental health, at a time when wars continue in places including Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria and beyond.
“When James Ford called and asked if we’d contribute to the ‘HELP(2)’ album we set to work on a song idea and assembled in Abbey Road to record it,” Arctic Monkeys said in a statement about the Loren Humphrey produced ‘Opening Night’. “We are proud to support the invaluable work War Child do and hope the record will make a positive difference to the lives of children affected by war.”
‘Help(2)’ arrives more than three decades after the original Brian Eno curated 1995 ‘Help’ album, which featured Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Orbital, Portishead, Massive Attack, Suede, Sinéad O’Connor, Manic Street Preachers, The Boo Radleys and others. That release raised over £1.25million and sold more than 700,000 copies, later followed by charity compilations such as 2002’s ‘1 Love’, 2003’s ‘Hope’, 2005’s ‘Help!: A Day in the Life’ and 2009’s ‘War Child Presents Heroes’.
Reynold
