Line-up

Headliner
Biffy Clyro Last time in Barcelona: 3 years ago

Venue

Av. Marquès de Comillas, 13, 08038, Barcelona, Spain

Biffy Clyro biography

Hailing from Kilmarnock, Scotland, Biffy Clyro are a power-rock trio who, through many years of hard work and determination, have broken into the mainstream with their hugely anthemic sound.

Comprising of Simon Neil (guitar/vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals) and Ben Johnston (drums/vocals), Biffy Clyro have slowly developed and progressed their sound, moving from a frenetic post-hardcore tinged rock reminiscent of Fugazi with prog influences, towards a more melodic, dynamic and expansive sound that has seen them headline major festivals and play at arena-sized venues.

After forming in their hometown of Kilmarnock, they moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where they began performing frequently to enthusiastic reactions form the crowd. They soon caught the attention of those in the music business, releasing their first single, "Iname" in 1999 on Aereogramme's Baby Yaga label. They then released a record on Elecric Honey, titled "thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow" which received airplay on BBC Radio Scotland. Following these releases and a successful performance at T in the Park in 2000, Beggars Banquet signed them to their label.

Their debut album was released in 2002, titled "Blackened Sky," to positive critical responses, touring extensively after its release. This was followed by "The Vertigo of Bliss" in 2003, which pushed their music to more experimental levels and to further positive reviews. "infinity Land" was to be their third album, again pushing the band to more success and attention, developing a strong and loyal fan base across the UK.

However, it was with their next album that Biffy Clyro would burst across the radio and the world of mainstream music, leaving behind their dissonant, chaotic sound for a more refined, melodic and dynamic record that would go on to reach number two in the UK charts the first week of its release and be certified Platinum in the UK. 2006's "Puzzle" was released on 14th Floor records, featuring the hit single, "Saturday Superhouse" which went to number 13 in the Singles Chart. The album's success led to many high profile support slots with the likes of Muse, The Who, The Rolling Stones and many more.

In 2008, "Mountains" was released, which went to number five in the UK Singles Chart. A year later, their fifth album, "Only Revolutions" came out, which featured a number of hit singles including "Mountains," "The Captain"and "The Golden Rule" which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.

Biffy Clyro became one of the biggest rock bands in the world, supporting Foo Fighters in front of 135,000 fans at the Milton Keynes Bowl in 2011. With their 2013 album "Opposites," Biffy Clyro secured their first number one album, topping the UK charts. Following this success, they were invited to headline at Reading and Leeds Festival, as well as Radio 1's Big Weekend festival, cementing their position as one of rock's powerhouses in this modern age.

Live reviews

Scotland's brightest, boldest and most inventive rock export are a devilishly daring trio in every capacity. On their recent records, such as Only Revolutions and Opposites, they're smashed down preconceptions of stadium rock, bellowing ginormous choruses and shredding riffs with aplomb, with apocalyptic set design, fireworks, confetti cannons and flamethrowers. Simon Neil, Ben and James Johnston are also known for their dour Gaelic wit, as profane as it is acutely biting, and being a pretty fantastic bunch of guys – don't expect rock'n'roll arrogance of yore.
When it comes to exploring their music in a live arena (literally, nowadays), the three-piece are simply a cut above. Although there's only three of them, and occasionally some session musicians, they craft exquisite loudness, flicking through dynamic shifts like Pixies at their most eccentric, and toting axe licks to rival Sabbath, Maiden and other classic metal lords. These days – especially in festival sets – they tend to err towards more recent material (Puzzle onwards), blasting out anthems like “Saturday Superhouse”, “Bubbles”, “Living Is A Problem...”, “The Captain” and “Stingin' Belle (and the occasional acoustic interlude courtesy of Neil), but the band's earlier LPs are represented too, although much more rarely. Those with keen ears may glimpse their jagged, spiketacular raucousness in the form of “57” or “Glitter and Trauma”. Tape your faces to your skull, Biffy will try and melt them off from every angle.

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