The band hasn’t performed the song as recorded on their debut since 2007, and only in slightly altered formats since 2013
Arctic Monkeys kicked off their concert in Bristol, England, with a deep-cut fan favorite they haven’t properly performed in over 10 years: “Mardy Bum,” off their 2006 debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.
An illustration of the bouts of trivial bickering and prickly moods that punctuate any relationship, “Mardy Bum” has barely been part of the Arctic Monkeys’ live repertoire since the mid-2000s. They performed it regularly while supporting Whatever People Say I Am in 2006 and 2007 (per Setlist.fm), then brought it back — in a slightly altered, semi-acoustic form — in 2013. Since then, though, the song has only popped up occasionally, with frontman Alex Turner often truncating the verses and performing it with minimal instrumental backing.
So that all makes Arctic Monkeys’ no-nonsense, back-to-basics rendition of “Mardy Bum” at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol Monday, May 29, a momentous occasion. It was effectively the first time since 2007 the band had performed the song as it was recorded and the first time since 2013 they’d even performed it — in some form or another — in full.
And, obviously, everyone in the crowd was clearly loving it — singing along to not only every word but the melody of every guitar lick and solo.
Arctic Monkeys’ Bristol show marked the start of the band’s tour of the U.K. and Ireland, which will continue through June. After that, they’ll head to Europe before kicking off a North American tour in August. Arctic Monkeys released their most recent album, The Car, last year.