Last night (October 13), Kasabian played their first gig since the departure of former vocalist Tom Meighan – see footage, reaction, photos and setlist from the Glasgow gig below.
Meighan parted ways with the band last year after he was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend, saying he was leaving the band in order to “concentrate all his energies on getting his life back on track,” before appearing at Leicester Magistrates Court to face a charge of assault against his partner Vikki Ager. He pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work.
Back in May, Kasabian confirmed that they would continue as a band in Meighan’s absence, announcing an intimate run of UK tour dates. Those dates began last night at the O2 Academy Glasgow, and saw Serge Pizzorno take up frontman duties for the first time.
See footage from the gig, which saw the band play a host of classics including ‘L.S.F.’, ‘Club Foot’ and ‘Underdog’, below.
The return of #Kasabian!! pic.twitter.com/YX306JtP16
— Ryan Mac (@RMcC_92) October 13, 2021
Don't wanty ever hear that Serge can't hold a crowd. pic.twitter.com/eYVVXLvvrc
— Ryan Mac (@RMcC_92) October 13, 2021
@kasabian @02academyglasgow great night pic.twitter.com/8eWEqW1qF1
— @NC
(@thebaldyfenian7) October 13, 2021
(@thebaldyfenian7) Kasabian singing Club Foot in Glasgow tonight. Serge absolutely bossing it
— Mainly Oasis (@mainlyoasis) October 13, 2021
Many on social media are also reporting that the gig saw Kasabian joined by The Music‘s Rob Harvey on backing vocals, which Harvey then confirmed on Instagram.
Rob Harvey doing bits for kasabian https://t.co/23Mz70auL4
— Tom Butler (@TomButler_) October 14, 2021
Definitely pic.twitter.com/IgDboDLmwy
— Ryan Day (@RyanJDay) October 13, 2021
Kasabian played:
‘Club Foot’
‘Ill Ray (The King)’
‘Underdog’
‘You’re in Love With a Psycho’
‘Bumblebeee’
‘Stevie’
‘Fast Fuse’
‘I.D.’
‘Ladies and Gentlemen (Roll the Dice)’
‘Pinch Roller’
‘Treat’
‘Empire’
‘Switchblade Smiles’
‘Vlad the Impaler’
Encore:
‘Bless This Acid House’
‘Happiness’
‘L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)’
‘Fire’
See Kasabian’s remaining UK tour dates below:
OCTOBER 2021
14 – Liverpool, O2 University (Mountford Hall)
15 – Cardiff, Great Hall
17 – Leeds, O2 Academy
18 – Lincoln, The Engine Shed
20 – Nottingham, Rock City
21 – Sheffield, O2 Academy
22 – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
24 – Norwich, UEA
26 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
27 – Leicester, De Montfort Hall
28 – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
30 – Southampton, O2 Guildhall
31 – Bristol, O2 Academy
NOVEMBER 2021
2 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
Meighan, meanwhile, discussed his assault conviction for the first time in an interview last year. He said he took “full responsibility” for the incident. He is now working on his debut solo album and teased the song ‘Would You Mind‘ this week, telling fans that “music is my therapy”.
In a new blog post last month, Meighan opened up about his mental health, experience in rehab and “consequence culture”.
To open the piece, the musician explained that – despite having “all the bravado that you need as a lead singer of a rock band” – he had been a “ticking time bomb” since the start of Kasabian’s career in the early ’00s.
“It feels like the great adventure and you live for it. But no one talks about what’s really going on emotionally,” Meighan wrote, going on to say that he’s “always struggled” with his mental health and anxiety.
“I did something I will never forgive myself for: I physically assaulted my now wife Vikki in [a] row fulled by alcohol. It was totally unacceptable,” he wrote. “In fact, it makes me feel sick every time I think about it.”
Meighan later went to rehab to tackle his alcoholism, which had been unsuccessful in the past. “But this time it clicked. I got sober,” he said. “With the support of my family and friends, every day clean and sober is a victory.”
He added: “It’s important to suffer consequences because of your actions. To be given the chance to look deep within yourself and learn how to make changes and to become a better person for yourself and your family has to be a good thing.”
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