By Mary J. DiMeglio
DOVER, Delaware — “I’m having a lovely time. Thank you for asking,” Alex Turner shared.
The Arctic Monkeys grooved their way into the Firefly Festival on Friday afternoon with swagger to spare.
Under a blazing sun, Turner led the boys through scorching cuts from their five studio albums.
The long-ago buzz band is establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in the U.S. Last year’s AM was their highest-charting album in the U.S. to date (No. 6 on the Billboard 200); they’re storming across the country with a string of festival appearances (including Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza
); and, their tunes have been covered by everyone from Sam Smith to Miley Cyrus.
With palpable confidence, Turner crooned his way through the slinky, boozy, bluesy stomp of “Do I Wanna Know?” dressing the part of a ’50s greaser in dark shades, slicked back hair and a white button-up. He got his Elvis on — swiveling his hips and pointing off into the distance to everyone and no one.
“Arabella” ushered in the riff from Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” and the sludge continued with “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair.”
“Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” was “dedicated to that booty call you might make later on.”
The Arctic Monkeys went back to their 2006 debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, for the angular, punky “Dancing Shoes” and “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor.”
“Knee Socks” was a hit, and “Fluorescent Adolescent” had fans singing along.
Satisfied that they more than handled their main stage slot, Turner left the audience with a wish and a promise: “Enjoy the Foo Fighters, won’t you? And we’ll enjoy you another time.”
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