Arctic Monkeys Live: The Evolution of The Band’s Live Shows

The northern indie sensations are one of the best live bands around today. Here are the 5 Arctic Monkeys' live shows that showcase their rise to the top of the greatest live performers list.

When four kids from Sheffield walked on stage for the first time at The Grapes Pub in 2003, nobody knew that they were about to take the music industry by storm and shoot to global superstardom.

Today, the 'Do I Wanna Know’ singers are one of the biggest bands around, selling over 12 million records.

The band also have 7 Brit Awards, 3 British Album of the Year awards, 20 NME Awards and 6 number-one albums, including the UK’s fastest-selling debut album ever with ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I'm Not’.  

Arctic Monkeys are well known as one of the best live bands out there at the moment. Frontman Alex Turner's fantastic vocal range and the band’s overall stage presence and musical ability are lauded by all who attend their shows.  

The band's stage persona and musical sound has evolved over the years, with the Monkeys not being afraid to explore different musical directions. From indie rock to jazz, Alex Turner and co really know how to reinvent themselves across an eclectic mix of genres.

Keep reading to discover the top 5 performances that showcase the band’s journey from fresh-faced indie musicians to suave and charismatic music superstars, as well as how you can get VIP tickets to see them live in 2023.

‘When The Sun Goes Down’ - Arctic Monkeys Live at Glastonbury 2007

Just one year after releasing their debut studio album, Arctic Monkeys truly announced themselves to the world with an all-time headline performance at Glastonbury Festival 2007.

Four northern lads in their early 20s waltzed onto the stage grinning from ear to ear and produced one of the greatest performances that the Pyramid Stage has ever seen.

The band opened the set with an electric performance of ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ and Alex Turner watched on in awe as the 100,000-strong crowd sang his lyrics back to him word for word.

The band then dropped straight into a thundering rendition of ‘Brianstorm’ that whipped the crowd into a frenzy and really set the tone for the rest of the show.

The set featured an amazing light show that lit up the crowd and the stage, where the relaxed Alex Turner simply exuded all the early makings of a rock megastar, powering his way through every song in this raw and incredible performance.  

This show was a classic example of what catapulted Arctic Monkeys right to the top of the industry. The band’s catchy tunes, gritty lyrics and northern charm show why they were so popular with the British working class right from the off.

And it was with the help of their loyal grassroots following that the band skyrocketed right to the top, as the Monkeys found fame through fans sharing their tracks on the internet and were the first independent label band to debut at number one in the UK.

‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ - Arctic Monkeys Live at Reading Festival 2009

The band’s debut headline performance at Reading Festival came just after the release of their third album ‘Humbug’. The album took a darker and more melancholic approach than the band's first two projects and was hailed for its fantastic use of a range of different percussion instruments.

Josh Homme, the frontman of the American hard rock band Queens of The Stone Age, helped produce the album and has since been credited with introducing the record's darker sound.

However, the stand-out performance from this show was ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ from their second album ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’. The song really showed the band's change from 2007.

The performance was dripping with swagger and the band seemed much less eager to power through the songs, instead they were enjoying every note and soaking it all in as their adoring crowd went wild.

Alex Turner’s stage persona was completely different from the Glastonbury performance. He seemed much more relaxed and almost cocky as he crooned his way through the song while the band backed him up with a humming bass riff and soft drum beats.  

Their performance at the festival reflected the change in their musical stylings, as they opted to open the show with the much slower and darker opening track on their third album, ‘My Propeller’, instead of their more upbeat fan favourites.

The band also showcased their ability to cover a range of different genres, with a rendition of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ ‘Red Right Hand’ and Dion’s ‘Only You Know’.

‘Do I Wanna Know’ - Arctic Monkeys Live at Austin City Limits 2013

Hot off the back of their blockbuster platinum fifth album ‘AM’ - when the band was at the peak of their powers - they embarked on a major world tour that included headline sets at Glastonbury, Pinkpop Festival and Austin City Limits Festival.

By this point, Alex Turner had completely transformed from the shy and awkward Sheffield kid into the leather-clad charismatic lothario waltzing around the stage in front of his adoring fans reminiscent of a modern-day Frank Sinatra.

The eccentric frontman had completely dropped his accent and opted for a more American-sounding, almost traditional rock sound as he slowly belted out all of the band's biggest hits from across their five albums.

The Monkeys put on the performance of a band at the absolute top of their game, and the set blew the crowd away with hits like ‘Arabella’ and ‘Knee Socks’, but the stand-out song from the set was the global hit ‘Do I Wanna Know’.

As soon as the iconic drum beat and sharp guitar riff kicks in and Turner begin to croon the opening words over the top, the crowd becomes hypnotised as they sing every word back as the Sheffield superstars.

Turner hits the chorus with absolute perfection as Matt Helders smashes out thundering drum beats as if they're heading into war, in a perfect symphony of rock and roll.      

The band also treated the crowd to a short performance of ‘War Pigs’ by Black Sabbath, once again proving their ability to cover any song from any genre.

‘505’ - Arctic Monkeys Live at TRNSMT Festival 2018

The band underwent a huge change in 2018, ditching their signature guitar riffs and opting for a more serene, floaty, jazz sound on their sixth album ‘Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino’.

The album was a musical masterpiece and featured a fantastically rich psychedelic pop instrumental sound, along with slow and soft vocals and science fiction-based lyrics. However, some fans didn't want to hear it as they felt the band had lost everything that made them great in making this album.

The band’s headline set at TRNSMT Festival 2018 featured a stand-out performance of ‘505’ from the band's second record ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ with a guest appearance from Miles Kane, Turner's bandmate from their power duo The Last Shadow Puppets.

The song started off with its usual slow-paced melodic intro with Alex Turner almost reciting the song as poetry, as the lively Scottish crowd loudly recited every word. As the guitar riff built up to the big chorus the crowd almost fell into complete silence and then switched to absolute bedlam as Turner powered in with the words.  

Their performance at Scotland's TRNSMT Festival in 2018 reminded fans that despite their huge change in musical sound and style, they are still the Arctic Monkeys that everyone knows and loves, playing all their biggest hits and sounding better than ever.

‘Sculptures Of Anything Goes’ - Arctic Monkeys Live at Corona Capital 2022

Arctic Monkeys' performance at Corona Capital Festival comes off the back of their 2022 album ‘The Car’, their latest follow-on from the sounds of the previous album ‘Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino’.

Four years after the release of the band’s jazz-inspired album ‘Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino’, fans had hoped that the Monkeys would revert back to their former indie rock sound on the new album. The band instead went for a continuation of their new style, building upon and evolving the sounds of their previous album.

The album takes influences from jazz, soul, art rock, traditional rock and orchestral. The album has received fantastic critical acclaim, being described as ‘cinematic’ and ' impressive’ by Rolling Stone UK.

The band opened the set with a huge performance of their new song ‘Sculptures of Anything Goes’. The song begins with a slow drum beat played through a synthesiser, before Alex Turner begins almost serenading the crowd with the song's dark and ominous lyrics.

The Mexican crowd watched on in awe as Alex Turner perfectly nailed the high notes of the last few verses and Jamie Cook kicked in with his sharp guitar riffs in a performance that can only be described as musical artistry at its best.      

The band’s performance at Corona Capital 2022 represents everything that the band has become today: a group of well-seasoned and creative rockstars perfectly bouncing between multiple different genders with charisma and swagger in abundance.

How can I see Arctic Monkeys live?

After a four-year hiatus from touring, Arctic Monkeys are finally back with their ‘The Car Tour’ of North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Oceania.

The 2023 leg of the tour includes 15 UK dates, with the band playing some huge shows at the Emirates Stadium, Emirates Old Trafford and The Ageas Bowl. If you’re looking to attend, why not make your Arctic Monkeys concert experience extra special, with a VIP ticket or hospitality package?

With a VIP ticket or hospitality package from Seat Unique you can watch the show from premium padded seating with unrivalled views of the show, dine on a selection of delicious hospitality meals and skip the queues with access to private VIP lounges, plus many more luxury inclusions*.

*Inclusions vary depending on venue and choice of package.

Tickets to see Arctic Monkeys are on sale now, get yours and don't miss out on a truly unmissable night of music.

If you’re a fan of indie rock then Seat Unique also has hospitality packages available for Blur’s huge 2023 London stadium shows.