Biffy Clyro's return to Glasgow after stopping a gig to get support for fan feared seriously hurt

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ONE of Scotland's biggest modern rock exports Biffy Clyro arrived in Glasgow on Sunday night after being praised for stopping a gig after a fan was feared seriously injured in the crowd.

The Simon Neil-fronted Kilmarnock-formed rockers immediately stopped playing after a fan had to be taken to hospital after a collapse in the mosh pit at their Bonfire Night gig at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

Some fans had been trying to get the gig stopped after the fan fell to the ground.

Eventually the fan was wheeled out of the arena after dislocating his knee.

And a friend has paid tribute to the Scots, saying he wanted to give a "shout out to Biffy Clyro".

He said: "It is not how we wanted to end our gig, but as he was being wheeled out, he still said 'Mon the Biff'."

One of the fans at the gig said: "Biffy Clyro stopping was utter class."

Another fan, Coleen Gates said: "So glad he's OK, we were really worried as it took ages to get him out. Sucks that you missed the show but hope he's on the mend soon."

The band, whose core are a trio, have come a long way since their first incarnation of what would eventually become Biffy Clyro was formed in 1995, when fifteen-year-old Ayr-based guitarist Simon Neil started playing his songs with friend Kilmarnock-born Ben Johnston.

Ben's twin brother, James Johnston was soon brought in, and the three have now notched up nine studio albums, six of which - Puzzle, Only Revolutions, Opposites, Ellipsis, A Celebration of Endings and The Myth of the Happily Ever After - reached the top five in the UK Albums Chart, with their sixth studio album, Opposites claiming their first UK Number One album.

It is curious to realised that as of 2021, in total, the band spent 165 weeks in the top seventy-five of the UK Album Charts, with three of those weeks being at the top position at number one and 76 weeks within the main top forty of the albums charts.

The band's singles spent a total of 79 weeks in the UK Singles Charts, with six weeks in the top ten and 42 in the top forty.

Their biggest UK hits have been Mountains in 2008 and Many of Horror which reached number 8 in 2010.

Both would have pride of place as they returned to home ground at the OVO Hydro.

It comes at a time when the whole idea of a future for guitar-led rock has, perhaps become questionable, with the hit radio stations seemingly looking elsewhere.

Biffy in Glasgow show just how difficult it is to pin down what their thing actually is, as it moulds together everything from pop rock, soft metal, grunge, post-hardcore and even whorey old progressive rock. And sometimes a combination of some or all of those.

What they don't tend to do is become too extreme and consequently, if Glasgow is anything to by, have wide appeal right across the age ranges, with teenagers, twentysomethings, thirtysomethings, fortysomethings and older all present here.

This is not to say that Neil and co cannot wail with the best of them.

It helps, too that Neil is, shall we say, presentable, or as the guy behind me screamed, "Simon is sexy," in an almost mock Glaswegian voice reminiscent of Mike Myers' Fat Bastard character from the Austin Powers series.

With only his mosaic patterned red and white shorts for clothing half way through, and with dark long curly locks and a messianic beard, he comes across as a cross between AC/DC's Angus Young and Jesus Christ.

It stars with a bang, and the anthemic, ultimate pomp rocker with its "this is how we f***ed it from the start" chant along that is underpinned by a film kaleidoscope of angular shapes and lights from what is to become a breathtaking live screen accompaniment that takes the visual experience of arena shows to a new level.

At times it is like you have been placed in a CT scanner along with 14,000 other fans with white lights making your senses spin. No serious illnesses will, of course, be detected.

Before a raucous fourth song, Who's Got A Match, Neil swings a lantern and in his first words to the crowd says: "We are Biffy F***ing Clyro, can I hear you?"

Black Chandelier comes next and its breast-beating chorus and animated theatrics really ignite this crowd and Neil announces: "Glasgow, it is good to be back."

Instant History sounds epic, Mountains gets a spin and Neil remarks: "It is special to be here this evening with you so thank you so much so thank you for coming. We have missed you so very very very very much."

Where it sags is in the middle, where some of Biffy's more inspid, less killer tracks are spun until the pop rocker Biblical gets the crowd going with mass whoah oah oahs.

Cop Syrup, the final song on A Celebration of Endings from 2020 is an ear-opener with its crashing guitars which shows that Biffy are more than capable of the delightfully crazed with Neil letting rip, barking like possessed by a dead punk madman before it segues into spacey prog rock. It is delightfully atypical and unconventional and even metalheads may approve.

The predictable encore starts quietly and acoustically but it is the final song that brings the house down.

Before that Neil proclaims: "We are so proud to be from the west of Scotland. Thanks for making us proud."

And the anthemic Many of Horror is the arms aloft showstopper of the night - and a genuine shivers down the spine moment as the thousands collectively sing: "When we collide we come together. If we don't we'll always be apart."

As Neil exits he yells: "We are Biffy F***ing Clyro" and the near two hour power rock, light and film show spectacle is over - this time without major incident.