“All The New York Rockers…All In One Place:” Arctic Monkeys at Forest Hills Stadium, September 8 & 9, 2023

The E train was packed with black mini skirts, fishnet tights, and Doc Martens. It was undeniable that everyone was headed to the same place. British indie rock band Arctic Monkeys played two shows at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens as a stop on their North American leg of The Car tour. Their seven albums over sixteen years put them on the map as a staple of the indie rock scene with their distinct, clever songwriting style and experimental development as a group. Most popularly, 2013’s iconic polygraph-adorned AM album, and the soft grunge revival that its aesthetics accompanied on social media websites like Tumblr, is a release that I always come back to with a sense of nostalgia. The unofficial dress code of the group walking to the stadium seemed to reflect that the feeling among the crowd was mutual.

Opening was Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. of Dublin. Their sound, reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys’ early days and first album release Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, made for an electric prequel to the night ahead. Though I had, admittedly, never listened to the group’s music, their performance changed that for good. Frontman Grian Chatten’s expressive dancing and chest-thumping tambourine grabbed the attention of me and everyone slowly trickling into the GA pit. “Jackie Down The Line,” the top-streamed song on the band’s Spotify stats, closed out the set to booming applause. The group was nominated for a Grammy in 2017, and although their sophomore album, A Hero’s Death, didn’t take home the win for Best Rock Album, their support on this tour will undoubtedly boost their luck for their next nomination. 

The mere twenty minutes between an opener and main act feels like hours, especially after having tickets to a show for nearly a year. As the lights dimmed and a CD image appeared on the three screens (two rectangular, one elliptical), the anticipatory screams that surrounded me made my stomach twist with the same excitement. An enormous disco ball (a clear reference to the track “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” from 2022’s The Car) with “MONKEYS” written on it hung over the stage and set the tone for the space. The lights dimmed, and from stage right walked out the band. Alex Turner, the band’s frontman, donned his staple white button-down and pointed-toe black boots for the shows. After listening to the band for what feels like forever, my sister (who introduced me to the group when she downloaded AM in middle school) and I stood speechless as the first chords of the night were played, going up on our tiptoes to get a better view. Whatever expectations I had of the set list from my quick browse of the fan-made playlists from previous shows were completely blown away. The range of songs from their first release, to 2009’s Humbug, to the hits of AM and new favorites from the tour’s eponymous album, was perfectly balanced for new and old fans alike. Halfway through, the opening riff of “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” (my favorite song by the band) caught me by complete surprise. My jaw dramatically dropped the second I heard “stop making the eyes at me, I’ll stop making the eyes at you.” I could not have made a better setlist if I tried.

When we arrived at Forest Hills for the second night, the excitement had not worn off but my eager expectations had been eased. Fontaines D.C. delivered another incredible opening set, and we waited in buzzing anticipation for the night to begin. Right when I was convinced that I knew what the night ahead would hold, a surprise guest took the stage. Before the band came out, John Cooper Clarke, renowned English poet known for performing alongside punk bands beginning in the 1970s, walked into the spotlight. Clarke’s poem “I Wanna Be Yours,” released on his 1982 album, was made popular by Arctic Monkeys’ interpretation and use of the lines for their 2013 song of the same name. He recited his original version to an awestruck audience and left the stage after a perfect introduction to the night. The song, one that the band did not play the night prior, would be a part of the night’s encore.

The setlist was mostly the same as the night before, but it did not make the experience any less exciting. Turner walked on stage and greeted the crowd: “All the New York rockers, all in one place.” The inside joke of his note changes (a behavior that’s convinced fans is a tool to make it hard for anyone to sing along with him) and a rearrangement of the songs from night one made the experience worth seeing twice. The star of both shows, the massive disco ball that hung above the stage, dropped and spun for two songs only. During the slow ballad of “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball,” the song broke, the lights hit the mirrored surface, and the audience roared with excitement. The moody, atmospheric opening of “505” from 2007’s Favorite Worst Nightmare cut the applause and the stomping of Doc Martens and Converse from the crowd jumping in sync took over. “But I crumble completely when you cry,” we screamed. Though the same two songs accompanied the mirrorball drop on the first night, this duo was easily a highlight of both days.

After an encore of “I Wanna Be Yours,” a special setlist addition to accompany the appearance of John Cooper Clarke, the lights came on and the pre-show playlist resumed. We trudged out of the pit, and the post-concert rite of passage of looking through videos over takeout, with “GENERAL ADMISSION” wristbands and merch t-shirts on, still awaited us at home. We boarded the E again, among all-black outfits that I would have died for at age eleven (and now, honestly). The buzz had still hardly worn off once we got home. Inner-tween healing and a reminder that they were going nowhere, Arctic Monkeys delivered two nights of perfectly crafted nostalgia and thrill. I’m counting down the days to their next tour, and will do whatever it takes to be there–whether it’s a seven-hour flight or a forty-five minute drive.