Win a pair of tickets to Bloc Party tonight at Zitadelle Spandau!

by | indieBerlin

One of the UK’s iconic indie bands of the early 2000s, Bloc Party are up there in acclaim alongside Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, to name but a few.

They stand out with their unique blend of rock and blues inspiration, rooted in indie music, and their influential mixture of house and electronica. Bloc Party was formed in 1999 by frontman Kele Okereke and lead guitarist and keyboardist Russell Lissack (other current members include multi-instrumentalist Justin Harris and percussionist Louise Bartle).

It was after sharing their demo “She’s Hearing Voices” with prominent Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and Franz Ferdinand’s lead singer Alex Kapranos that the band received initial recognition. By 2005, they had released their first official album, Silent Alarm – a defining record, which won multiple awards (including indie album of the year) back in the UK. It contains tracks such as Banquet, Helicopter, Blue Light, and This Modern Love – each with Bloc Party’s incredibly unique sound of emotive and clear lyrics, sharp and equally intriguing heavy guitar riffs backed by fast-paced drumming. Bloc Party has a way of communicating sadness and angst in their style of indie music, even in more upbeat songs, as Silent Alarm proved.

The band’s talent and success were confirmed with their follow up album A Weekend in the City, so acclaimed that it reached number two in the UK Albums Charts and number twelve in Billboard 200. The iconic front cover by German photographer Rut Blees Luxemburg features London’s Westway overpass, a celebration of both the capital city and their unmistakable British musical identity. The album has their familiar aggression and angst, particularly heard in hit song Hunting for Witches, but also contain softer tracks such as their homage to Berlin, Kreuzberg, and their melancholic and experimental track, On, illustrates.

Not only are Bloc Party a standout band of their generation but an endearing one too, having released further albums and EPs including Intimacy, Four and The Nextwave Sessions. With a just the occasional hiatus over the years, the band has been consistent in their creativity and touring and even now, fourteen years after their debut, are deeply loved by fans the world over.

indieBerlin are offering two free tickets in a raffle to those who send an email to win(at)indieberlin.de. Even if you aren’t one of the lucky winners, tickets are still available for their show on Friday the 21st at Zitadelle Spandau. If you’re able to, we highly recommended you witness this band in person.

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