Music’s not a competition - but tonight the Kaiser Chiefs proved they are still winning with a raucous, nostalgic and foot-stomping gig at Newmarket Nights.
"Newmarket, we are the Kaiser Chiefs," boomed the voice of eccentric frontman Ricky Wilson - whose star turn on The Voice put the band firmly back in the hearts and minds of music fans nationwide - as the final race of the day ended.
"Apparently we didn't entertain you enough last time - so this is our second chance to do that", he hollered at the crowd - and that's exactly what they did - opening the second hit of the night, Never Miss A Beat.
It may be nearly two decades since the Leeds five-piece had their loyal mob of fans hooked with their catchy, devil-may-care approach to indie rock and Brit pop - but with a much-anticipated arena tour booked for 2020, I predict they won't be slowing down any time soon.
Wilson and co certainly know how to put on a show - Ricky himself sparkles and effortlessly puts the audience under his spell - and it wasn't long before everyone at the racecourse was singing and dancing along to heyday hits Na Na Na Na Naa and Everyday I Love You Less and Less.
This was my first time seeing The Kaisers live and my co-worker told me I was in for a real treat. He wasn't wrong - their seemingly immortal renditions of Ruby and I Predict A Riot sent me on a trip down memory lane, back to car journeys in my early teens (where my dad and I proudly belted out every word).
Wilson's showmanship and boundless energy is captivating - it's something that has won the rockers a near-permanent slot on the live circuit - but for me, the highlight of tonight's performance was how well the band's newer hits complemented their classics.
From the angsty but crowd-pleasing anthem (and unlikely concert opener) People Know How to Love One Another - to the brighter and bolder Record Collection which harks back to their timeless 2000s classics, The Kaisers' faith in 2019 album Duck shines through.
Cranking their set up a gear, the stage erupted in colour - and was adorned with rubber ducks - as the new songs were played to a live audience for the first time.
But no Kaiser Chiefs gig would be complete without a memento of the sheer volume of songs the band has released in the last 20 years.
Wrapping up the set were reminders of just how good The Angry Mob and the eagerly-awaited encore hit Pinball Wizard were way back when.
Ricky rounded off the set by throwing an unsuspecting rubber duck into the crowd - giving the audience permission to scream as loud as they liked - before belting out the last song of the night, Oh My God.
If this performance was anything to go by, the band has a bright future ahead of them. I don't know about you, but I'll definitely be downloading their new album on July 26!
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