PVRIS - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, 04/05/17

Originally Fickle Friends were the support for this show, but Scottish duo Prides took their place after they pulled out.
The last time I saw Prides they were playing a triumphant set at Reading festival. Since then, they've started work on their second full-length album and have parted ways with drummer Lewis Gardiner. Their synth-filled, upbeat indie-pop doesn't make them the most obvious choice to support a band like PVRIS, but they certainly warmed the crowd up. Playing two brand new tracks - 'Say' and 'Are You Ready?' - taken from their upcoming second album, the band showed that they're heading in a more understated direction while still keeping their unique style alive, and they're aiming to be playing bigger venues. The "oh oh oh" singalong at the end of 'Are You Ready?' is evidence of that: it's built for arenas.
Vocalist Stewart Brock seemed pleased with the crowd response, grinning from ear to ear when fans scattered throughout the crowd started singing along to 'Rome' and 'Higher Love'. Not many people in the venue were familiar with them before the show - some still expecting to see Fickle Friends and encountering disappointment - but there was love for them in the room before their set, and they definitely converted more members of the audience into fans by the end.
Closer 'Messiah' was an explosive end to the set, the repetitive "So say it, say it, say you'll be my Messiah" getting everyone in the room chanting along as Stewart jumped across the stage in a frenzy, encouraging people to raise their voices and shout the line back at him. He's certainly a charismatic frontman, and that, combined with the fact that they're releasing songs that are impossible to compare to anyone else, makes Prides impossible to ignore.

Setlist:
Away With The Night
Rome
Higher Love
Out of the Blue
Say
The Way Back Up
Just Say It
Are You Ready?
Messiah

Over the past couple of weeks, PVRIS have been teasing fans with the knowledge that news of their second album was coming soon. After posting an intense promo clip, new single 'Heaven' was released on Daniel P. Carter's Radio 1 Rock Show on Sunday - a mere four days before this show - ushering in the 'All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell' era with a bang.
This was my second time seeing the band play a headline show, and it was absolutely faultless. I don't say that lightly - there literally isn't a bad thing I can say about this show.
From the moment the house lights dropped, the atmosphere was electric. An intense intro tape echoed throughout the venue, almost inaudible beneath the bloodcurdling screams of anticipation emanating from everyone in attendance. Taking the show to the next level, the band had four Victorian-style street lamps standing at the back of the stage, which began to flash furiously from behind a thick cloud of smoke as the band walked out and dived straight into 'You and I'.
It was impossible to find a person in the venue who wasn't singing along to every word of every song (except for brand new, previously unheard track 'Half', which I'll get to in a moment!). The roaring voices equalled the volume of vocalist Lynn Gunn, almost overshadowing her during the explosive choruses of both 'You and I' and 'Fire'.
Considering this is their first time back in the UK since they supported Bring Me The Horizon at the Royal Albert Hall, fans have been waiting for a while to get their chance to see the band again. More than that, it seems the band have been excited to return to our stages: all of the members - Lynn, guitarist/keyboardist Alex Babinski, bassist/keyboardist Brian MacDonald, even touring drummer Justin Nace - looked happier to be on stage than I've ever seen them before, beaming at multiple moments throughout the night at the impassioned crowd response. The time away has reinvigorated them, and while it seemed possible that they could burn out (not many bands experience such a vast amount of success from just a debut album!) their second album has brought them back to life - even if the video for 'Heaven' does show their deaths.
I can't express my love for their new material in words. It proves that Lynn's vocal isn't the only talent she has: she demonstrates her piano playing skills during 'Heaven', and closed the debut of 'Half' with an epic, musically intense session of drumming alongside Justin. She's always been a great frontwoman, but she's developed into a more confident performer: she's at ease while communicating the crowd, and has no hesitation when swapping her guitar for the other instruments. It's not often that you find a vocalist who's also a multi-instrumentalist, and it'll be exciting to discover whether she has any more tricks up her sleeve in the eight currently unheard tracks that will comprise the rest of the album.
Despite the fact that 'Heaven' was released less than a week ago, it's obvious that it's already become a fan favourite. From the first note the crowd were singing along to every word, having listened to the track so many times at home that it was already burned into their memories. It's impossible not to play it on repeat: the video is compelling in a cinematographic way, but the song is so catchy that you can't get it out of your head once you've listened to it and you can't stop yourself clicking replay over and over again. It worked perfectly as the first song in the two song encore: preceded by an ominous recording of a heartbeat and garbled, static voices, it points towards their upcoming (yet to be announced) fall tour having a far creepier aesthetic than the 'White Noise' era. They're not afraid to admit that the UK is one of their favourite places, Lynn even going so far to say that "London is [her] favourite city", so it was only right that they played their new material for the first time in the place that they love the most.
I was mildly surprised that there wasn't a more overtly political theme to the evening, as the band have been openly political on social media in the past few months. There was a brief moment after a fan threw a bra on the stage, to which Lynn joked "Set those puppies free! Free the nipple!", but there wasn't time for much more of a discussion: the set was stuffed with material, because as well as the two new songs the band almost performed 'White Noise' in full (merely omitting 'Let Them In'), playing alternative, stripped back version of 'Ghosts' and 'White Noise' with just Lynn and Alex on the stage. It'll be interesting to see whether the band spark more debate on stage at shows in the future, but that's the only thing that's missing.
A lot has changed, that much is obvious, but the band still have 'Hooked on a Feeling' by Blue Suede as their outro tape when they leave the stage at the end of the night. It's a nice throwback for people who've seen the band before, and shows that they're still the same, despite the level of attention that their new music is attracting.
PVRIS are back, and PVRIS are better than ever.

Setlist:
You and I
Fire
Mirrors
Holy
White Noise (stripped)
Ghosts (stripped)
Smoke
Half (live debut)
Eyelids
St. Patrick
-
Heaven (live debut)
My House

You Me At Six - Alexandra Palace, 15/04/17

Bands like black foxxes don't often get to play Alexandra Palace. 

Having released their debut album, 'I'm Not Well', back in August, their star has risen to stratospheric heights in just three years as a band. Supported by Radio 1 Rock Show host Daniel P Carter (who designed the album), and with appearances at Radio 1's Big Weekend and Reading and Leeds festivals and opening slots for Taking Back Sunday under their belts, it's no surprise that they're already gracing the stages of legendary venues.

Vocalist Mark Holley was humbled by the amount of people who were watching their set, saying "thank you for coming down this early, it honestly means the world to us" before offering a "huge fucking thank you to You Me At Six. They didn't have to take a band like ours out and that means a lot to us, so when we come back and we headline we'll do the same thing."
It wouldn't be too surprising if black foxxes find themselves at this level after a couple of albums. At this early stage in their career a few of their songs sounded the same, but when they have a few releases under their belt that will cease to be a problem.
That being said, they still had a nice range of styles weaved throughout their set, from 'Waking Up' with its Royal Blood-esque vibe and strong vocal performance, to 'Whatever Lets You Cope' which started off stripped back but quickly kicked itself up to high gear.
New song 'Saela' was the highlight of the set, and points towards impressive things in their future. It's atmospheric, well-suited to the grand halls of Alexandra Palace, and will work perfectly on the festival circuit (making them ones to watch at Slam Dunk festival next month).
The only song that didn't seem to fit in their set was 'River', the first song that the band wrote together "in a scout hut in Plymouth, which is a shithole". With an echoing vocal reminiscent of Deftones is should have been hauntingly beautiful, but instead just sounded bland.
Closing with the title track of the album, they made the most of their last few minutes on stage by playing around with feedback, Mark swaggering across stage oozing the confidence that will one day make them the perfect headline band. Despite the disinterest in the start of their set, the crowd were screaming for them by the end: black foxxes definitely made their mark at this show.

Setlist:

Husk

Waking Up

Whatever Lets You Cope

Saela

River

I'm Not Well

Tonight Alive haven't been back to the UK since their appearance at Reading and Leeds festival last year, but they've been busy. Having recently been signed to Hopeless Records, the Australian five-piece are writing the songs that will make their fourth full-length album, the first of which - 'World Away' - received its live debut on this tour.
Introducing the song with a piece of powerful spoken word poetry ("We are easier to manipulate if we believe that we are weak. It's easier to sell us things if our lives are incomplete") which changed the vibe of the proceedings, it's obvious that Tonight Alive are not toning down the outspoken and inspirational attitude they honed while touring third album 'Limitless'. As for the song itself, 'World Away' isn't just catchy as heck - it's a battle cry. If this had been a headline show it would have received a better reaction, but a surprisingly large chunk of the crowd already knew every word despite the fact that it was released just over a week before this show.
Vocalist Jenna McDougall isn't afraid to make a statement, whether by wearing wings on stage (at earlier shows on the tour) or announcing that Tonight Alive "stand for personal power and emotional freedom". She made the most of every moment, making people throw their horns in the air if they'd seen Tonight Alive before, then closing the set by encouraging everyone in the room to put their middle fingers up. With a cheeky grin on her face, she paraded up and down the stage looking over the crowd with pride: a moment I'm sure she's never going to forget.
Tonight Alive always put on a hell of a show. Their choice of setlist was unconvincing (some of the songs are similar, so wouldn't appeal to someone brand new to the band) but their passion for performing is a delight to watch, and it's impossible not to have fun with them. The band return to the UK at the end of May to headline a stage at Slam Dunk festival: I think they're going to be a highlight of the day.  

Setlist:

How Does It Feel?

The Edge

To Be Free

The Fire

The Ocean

Hell and Back

Waves

The Other Side

World Away

Lonely Girl

The last time You Me At Six played Alexandra Palace, the show was underwhelming. They couldn't compete with the boisterous boys in Don Broco, the songs from 'Cavalier Youth' were too safe to make an impact, and it felt like they just weren't ready to move into a venue of this size.
Everything has changed with the arrival of new album 'Night People'.
The power that they lost during their adventure into indie territory has been rediscovered. Impressive tracks 'Spell It Out' and 'Swear' are both filled with vitriolic lyrics only rivaled in their back catalogue by the ferocity of 'Bite My Tongue', embodying the passion that the new album has imbued them with.
The follow-up to a number one album is always going to be a make-or-break one, and it's obvious just by watching the boys up on stage that they've been reinvigorated in the last three years. They no longer seem bored and complacent: they're fighting to impress.
With vocalist Josh Franceschi roaring the repetitive bridge of 'Spell It Out' in the lead up to the crashing crescendo - the closest thing to a breakdown the band have released so far - it perfectly demonstrates how far they've come. It's more developed than any of their other songs: instead of relying on Josh's vocal and a catchy singalong, it's all about the music. If there were ever any doubts about their credibility as an arena rock band, they're all quashed in just four minutes.
Despite this being the Night People tour, they didn't neglect their old albums. They took risks with the setlist, including old favourites 'The Swarm' and 'Save It For The Bedroom' and making this tour one of the first times they've represented all of their previous releases. With Josh introducing 'Save It For The Bedroom' by screaming "if you want a high five, let's go back to 2005 right now!", it was no surprise that they had a surge of crowdsurfers fighting to get closer to him and showing that there's still so much love for their debut album despite it being almost ten years old.
With this tour the five lads from Surrey have torn up the rulebook, choosing instead to do what they want to do. Yes, all of their set staples still appeared: it wouldn't be a You Me At Six show without 'Underdog', 'Loverboy' and 'Reckless', but this was the least predictable the band have ever been. With multi-coloured fire sparking up throughout the night and Easter jokes galore, this night was utterly unforgettable. Main set closer 'Take On the World' was a particular highlight: Josh took a moment to express his disgust for current US President Donald Trump, encouraging the crowd, "Don't ever judge somebody you don't know. Period." before imploring, "Love who you want, endlessly. Enjoy it. Breathe it in. Think every day, 'Fuck me, I'm lucky', like I do when I look at my fianceé." It was a tender moment and a beautiful tribute, and with the echoing "oh, oh, oh" chant being sang back by every person in the room as confetti rained down upon them, it was concrete proof that You Me At Six are exactly where they should be.
By the end of the set Josh was hardly able to speak to the crowd - a thirty-date tour around the UK and Europe will put a strain on even the most experienced of singers - but he shared that "this was like an injection of adrenaline". Even though he was quite obviously struggling, he pushed himself to finish the show with a bang: 'Room To Breathe' has never sounded so good.
Just before headlining Wembley Arena for 'The Final Night of Sin' back in 2012, bassist Matt Barnes said

"Are we a pop-punk band, a pop-rock band, emo-pop-rockers? We want to be a rock band." 

It might have taken them five years, but they've finally nailed it.
You Me At Six are headlining the NME stage at Reading and Leeds festival this year, but it won't be long until their name sits at the very top of the bill.

Setlist:

Night People

Underdog

Loverboy

Stay With Me

The Swarm

Spell It Out

Bite My Tongue

Swear

Fresh Start Fever 

Heavy Soul

Reckless

Save It For The Bedroom

No One Does It Better

Cold Night

Brand New

Take On The World

-

Lived A Lie

Give

Room To Breathe

Real Friends - Thekla, Bristol, 13/04/17

This show was originally scheduled to take place on the 16th of December, with support from With Confidence and Knuckle Puck. Unfortunately it was postponed due to Dan Lambton - frontman of Real Friends - struggling with mental health issues and seeking help, and the original support acts were unavailable to perform the rescheduled dates.
I'm actually quite grateful that this show was pushed back. Instead of seeing With Confidence playing a short opening set I was able to attend the Bristol date of their headline tour, and I discovered Microwave and Can't Swim: two bands that I'd heard of before, but hadn't really listened to.

Microwave were the perfect replacement for With Confidence. Their expertly blended pop-punk sits on the heavier end of the spectrum, and when vocalist Nathan Hardy began verging on screaming in the middle of 'Trash Stains' he effortlessly grabbed the attention of every person in the room.
This was their first UK tour, but it's definitely not going to be their last. A remarkable amount of people were singing along to every word, pushing to get closer to the band and moshing without restraint despite their early stage time.
They're obviously comfortable in front of a crowd, easily joking around and making the entire room chuckle when Nathan said that "Can't Swim almost had to drop this show, because they were a little bit afraid of being on the boat!".
Closing song 'Vomit' was the highlight of their set. As the climax of the song approached, the band split the vocal duties, roaring into the microphone on the repetitive "There's nowhere else, nobody else, nothing", the emotive performance so powerful that it sent chills down my spine.
If Microwave can perform a set like that on their first UK tour, I can't wait until they announce some headline shows and return to our shores. Until then, I'm going to be playing debut album 'Stovall' on repeat. 

Setlist:

Trash Stains
Busy
Drown
Lighterless
Dull
But Not Often
Stovall
Vomit

Can't Swim were the only band on the line-up that I couldn't connect with. Frontman Chris LoPorto's vocal was so gravelly that it sounded like he needed to clear his throat, and it grated on my nerves during most of their eight-song set.
There were a couple of exceptions, the most notable being 'Stranger'. It's catchy "Oh god, I always felt like you were such a stranger" chorus sparked the interest of the previously passive audience members and a few people started dancing along, but for the majority of the set the crowd were standing in polite indifference. When comparing their set with the response that Microwave received it would have made more sense if they'd been the main support for this tour, but closer 'Your Clothes' ended with a bang worthy of a headliner. If the entire set had been as strong as those two songs, it would have been hard to beat their performance.
Can't Swim have only been a band for two years, so it's impressive that they've already landed themselves such a lucrative support slot. It'll be a while until they can headline a venue of this size, but hopefully they'll get better with experience.

Setlist:
What's Your Big Idea
Come Home
$50,000,000
Stranger
Right Choice
Hey Amy
We Won't Sleep
Your Clothes

This was Real Friends first time playing a show on a boat, and they were a tad excited about it.
After screaming about nautical circle pits and recommending The Lonely Island's 'I'm On a Boat', vocalist Dan Lambton asked the audience "How many bands do you see here that make it a point of saying they're on a boat?", grinning proudly at the exasperated groan he got in return. "Well, I don't give a fuck what anyone else says, this is our first time on a boat!"
It must have been a first for the boat, too, because there aren't often shows this raucous on Thekla. You couldn't keep track of the amount of crowd surfers sailing over people's heads, coming to a stop on the stage to sing a few lines with Dan before diving back into the action. This is a band that matters deeply to their fans, and with relatable songs such as 'Summer' and 'I Don't Love You Anymore' it's impossible not to yell the words and let your emotions loose.
'Mokena' was a particularly powerful moment. It may be one of their most stripped back songs, but the "I'm fucking up, and getting over it/I'm over it" chant had every person in the room shouting the lyrics back at the top of their lungs. Yes, it's simple, but it's bloody effective.
Last year's 'The Home Inside My Head' showed a huge development for Real Friends, both musically and lyrically, but every song seemed equally adored by the energetic audience at this sold out show. It doesn't matter if they appeared on one of the various EPs that the band released at the start of their career, or their debut album 'Maybe This Place Is The Same And We're Just Changing' - they were all received enthusiastically, and there wasn't a moment in this set that fell flat. It'll be exciting to see what Real Friends do next: they have upcoming tours in the US and Mexico, and then will presumably start work on their third full-length.

As I mentioned earlier, this show was meant to have happened back in December. Dan bravely opened up when the show was originally rescheduled, and he wasn't afraid to continue the conversation about mental health during the show. "I want you to know mental health is not a fucking joke," he began, just before the band started their two song encore. He shared that he's "not 100% there, but [he's] working on it", before telling the crowd "Please, go get help. I implore you. [...] Take a chance. Because if you stay where you are now, it's not going to plateau. It's going to get lower and lower, and I want you to get higher and higher." With the crowd cheering throughout his speech and applauding furiously, it's obvious that they appreciate Dan's advice and his honesty: he's an inspirational man.

Setlist:
Empty Picture Frames
Colder Quicker
Loose Ends
Floorboards
Late Nights In My Car
Mokena
Lost Boy
Old Book
...And We're Just Changing
Stay In One Place
...Maybe This Place Is The Same
I Don't Love You Anymore
Dead
Keep Lying To Me
Anchor Down
Mess
-
I've Given Up On You
Summer

Mallory Knox - Oxford O2 Academy, 04/04/17

Fatherson's atmospheric brand of festival-ready rock was the perfect start to the night. The Scottish rock trio have been taking the world by storm since the release of last year's 'Open Book', and what's not to like about their catchy yet chilled out songs?
Vocalist Ross Leighton seemed humbled by the amount of people in the audience, repeatedly thanking everyone for getting down to the venue early and giving them a chance. But they were fighting a losing battle at times, struggling to be heard over disrespectful chattering scattered throughout the crowd.
The band were playing their hearts out, putting on an impassioned performance the likes of which you rarely see from an opening band. Ross' vocal is haunting, the emotion he pours into every lyric inducing goosebumps at multiple points throughout their set. 'I Like Not Knowing' was a particular highlight: the split "oh no" vocal echoing, grabbing the attention of every person in the room and finally shutting the crowd up.
There's something special about Fatherson. If they keep putting this much energy and effort into their performances, it won't be long until they're standing on their own two feet and headlining shows across the country. It's going to be exciting to see where this trio goes next, because it looks like the only way is up. 

Setlist:

Open Book

Hometown

Forest 

Mine For Me

Always

I Like Not Knowing

Lost Little Boys

Lonely the Brave have been a band for almost ten years. That should mean it's high time they started headlining venues of this size rather than being relegated to support act constantly, but they seem to be struggling to stand out from the crowd.
The songs from their second album - last year's 'Things Will Matter' - feel like a huge step backwards when performed in a live environment. They're draining. The set flounders under the oppressive weight of new material which should be reinvigorating the crowd, not sending them to sleep.
David Jakes' vocal deepens the introspective atmosphere: his mumbling vocal make their lyrics completely indecipherable.
The three tracks from 'The Day's War' that remain in the setlist could have won the band new fans. They have a universal appeal which is missing from the newer songs. 'Backroads' and 'The Green, the Blue' are both particularly effective, closing the set by leaving the crowd wondering what might have been. Sadly, what we got was a bland and completely forgettable set.
When people look back on the Wired tour, they're not going to be thinking about Lonely the Bore.

Setlist:

Black Mire

Dust and Bones

Deserter

Radar

Jaws of Hell

Backroads

The Green, the Blue

The last time Mallory Knox headlined the Oxford O2 Academy they were supported by frnkiero andthe cellabration. Thanks to the famous name supporting them the show quickly sold out, but it meant a large portion of the crowd were disinterested in the headliners.
Thankfully, things were different this time around.
Every person in the room was there for Mallory, and though the crowd was smaller (the low amount of tickets sold caused the venue to shut the seating area at the back of the room) they were actively involved during almost every song in the set. Vocalist Mikey Chapman said it best himself at the end of 'Dying To Survive': "You guys are fucking in the mood for a Tuesday!".
Having only released new album 'Wired' last month, the Cambridge quintet used this opportunity to showcase as much of their new material as possible. The fifteen song set included seven of their brand new tracks, and judging by the crowd's reaction the album has been received astonishingly well. It would be impossible to guess just how recently the album hit the shelves based on the energetic singalongs accompanying every song.
From the moment the opening strains of 'Giving It Up' echoed through the venue the crowd were in constant movement, pushing towards the stage before exploding in a frenzy of movement as they moshed and dance throughout the entire hour and a quarter stage time. Old favourites 'Ghost in the Mirror', 'Beggars' and 'Wake Up' were particular highlights: pints were thrown in the air as more people flooded to the front of the room, desperate to get in on the action, throwing caution to the wind as they threw their bodies into the mass of movement.
The only song in the entire set that didn't get a mosh pit was the melancholy 'Falling In Love'. Cleverly placed in the middle of the set, it allowed people to sneak back to the bar and refuel before 'Lucky Me' kicked things back into high gear - the crouch down, jump up move that Mikey encouraged involving nearly every person in the venue.
Choosing to play new song 'Saviour' to close the main bulk of the set was a risky move, but one that paid off. Mikey introduced the song by sharing that he was "struggling with the words [...] quite a lot, because it's quite important to [him]", calling out Theresa May and Donald Trump before saying "one day, our collective generation is going to have to pick up all of the pieces that they're smashing down right now" to rapturous applause and a cheer from a crowd who are similarly disenfranchised with the current state of the world. Mallory Knox are becoming political, and it'll be interesting to see whether this attitude persists.
Closing with 'Better Off Without You' was another powerful choice, but it's impossible to say that the UK rock scene would be better off without Mallory Knox. With each album they release they push themselves further, taking a lot of risks which always pay off. They're going to be headlining much bigger venues by the end of this album cycle.

Setlist:

Giving It Up

Ghost in the Mirror

Wired

Dying To Survive

Getaway

California

Beggars

Falling In Love

Lucky Me

When Are We Waking  Up?

Wake Up

Shout at the Moon

Saviour

-

Lighthouse

Better Off Without You

All Time Low - Eventim Apollo, London, 10/03/17

The last time Waterparks performed in the UK they hadn't even released the first single from their debut album, but since the release of 'Double Dare' back in November they've been working non-stop.
Having just finished a huge co-headline tour with Too Close To Touch, the band seem to be suffering from their hectic touring schedule. Frontman Awsten Knight shared that he's "more sick than [he's] ever been in [his] life", and that resulted in him hardly being able to speak at this show, let alone sing.
Drummer Otto Wood attempted to take over vocal duties, but with technical issues plaguing their set his microphone refused to work throughout the majority of the songs. He has a powerful voice which was impressive when it was audible, but the fluctuating sound levels left most of their songs sounding like extended instrumental jams without lyrics.
Geoff Wigington, guitarist and co-vocalist, was the only member of the band who seemed completely unaffected by the technical problems. His backing vocal during 'Mad All The Time' and lead vocal verse in 'Crave' both went off without a hitch. It would have made far more sense if he'd sung the main vocal line to compensate for the struggles of the other members, unless he was unaware of the problems assailing them.
Awsten's vocal is the unique selling point for this band, and they flounder with him unable to lead them. He made a half-hearted attempt to interact with the crowd, before trying to lead 'Crave' and 'Mad All The Time', but had to abandon his microphone less than halfway through each song due to struggling. Hook-driven songs such as 'Stupid For You' and 'Royal' should have made them an instant hit with All Time Low's fans, but instead they crashed and burned. As a huge fan of the band, this was a painful show to experience.
Waterparks are supporting All Time Low on their tours in both the UK and America, so hopefully Awsten will be feeling better soon: it's a shame that what should have been a triumphant show ended up being an utter disaster.

Setlist:
Made In America
Hawaii (Stay Awake)
Crave
Stupid For You
Mad All The Time
Royal

SWMRS set was another tale of missed potential.
With an atmospheric intro tape, imposing backdrop and impressive light show, all signs pointed towards it being SWMRS night to shine. They've received the least amount of mainstream media attention (despite drummer Joey Armstrong's famous father) so were the band on the bill with the most to prove.
The audience were thrumming with anticipation, eager to see just how these four young lads from California found themselves as main support on such a lucrative tour. The adrenaline spiked as they sauntered out on to the stage, not allowing themselves to look nervous as they plunged in to opening track 'Palm Trees'.
Playing pop-punk with a grunge twist, their songs were the heaviest performed in the night. The contrast between their music and the other two bands on the bill was refreshing, but it made them feel oddly out of place: they definitely had the biggest challenge to impress the crowd.
Sadly, they didn't swim - they sunk. Vocalist Cole Becker mumbled through the first three songs of their set, making it impossible to understand any of their lyrics and deflating the crowd. The members of the audience who were already familiar with their music were obviously having fun, throwing their arms in the air and shouting along to the words, but most of the people in the room stood with arms folded, politely waiting for their half an hour stage time to come to an end.
Attempting to get political, Cole said "I know it's easy to get distracted by all the bullshit going on in the world today" but "the best way to beat fascism and hatred is to think of yourself, to not be a fucking follower". Rousing the crowd with this passionate speech, he continued by announcing "This song is about Miley Cyrus"... Promptly losing everyone's attention once again.
Things picked up with 'Lose It' and 'Turn Up', the two tracks that had Cole's brother Max performing lead vocal. His voice is far more appealing, and he makes for a much more charismatic frontman. The catchy singalong chorus of "Why'd you have to have such a damn good taste in music/If all my favourite songs make me think of you I'm gonna lose it" got the crowd interested again, and people were finally clapping along and getting involved when Max encouraged them to.
Overall, the set was bland and repetitive, but it certainly improved towards the end. If you haven't checked out SWMRS before, definitely start by listening to 'Lose It': it's a song that's going to be stuck in my head for days.

Setlist:
Palm Trees
Brb
Silver Bullet
Miley
D'You Have A Car?
Lose It
Turn Up
Figuring It Out

Performing a sprinkling of rarities they've never played live before, this set reminded me just why I keep going to see All Time Low live.
Starting their set with 'Kicking and Screaming', they kicked the crowd into high gear instantly. Whereas the majority of the audience had been disinterested and lethargic through both of the support acts, you could hardly see the stage for the amount of people bouncing up and down, hands in the air as they yelled every word back to frontman Alex Gaskarth. The huge skull and crossbone-shaped lighting rig behind them span and twisted in every direction, putting on a light show that was impossible to rival and bringing the arena atmosphere to a venue that's an intimate size compared to the stages they normally headline.
Following last month's announcement that they'd been signed to Fueled by Ramen, All Time Low are taking bigger risks than they have in years, and one of those was playing hit song 'Weightless' second in their set. Normally held back towards the end, it's a fan favourite that always garners an explosive response, and by moving it to the start of their set it shows All Time Low's confidence in all of their material. They don't need to keep songs in reserve to hold their crowd's attention.
The aforementioned rarities that they surprised the crowd with were 'Canals' and 'Take Cover'. 'Canals' was a bonus track on their 'Don't Panic: It's Longer Now!' re-release, while 'Take Cover' comes from last year's 'Straight To DVD II: Past, Present, and Future Hearts'. Both songs debuted at their "secret" warm-up show as the Young Renegades, but based off of the excited cheers of the fans, people have been waiting a long time to see these two songs played live. 'Canals' in particular was a highlight, the narrative weaving throughout the lyrics reminding everyone in the room that All Time Low aren't just catchy musically, they're brilliant at storytelling too.
Newest single 'Dirty Laundry' received the best response of any song performed in the evening. Verging on electronica, a style that they've never touched upon in their older music, but it's a powerful and necessary step forward for a band who've been together for over a decade. Instead of relaxing, relying on the brand of pop-punk that they've perfected to sell more records, they're taking risks and making relevant changes to stay at the front of the crowd. Despite being released less than a month ago, the audience already knew every single word, and the band seemed blown away by the enthusiastic response.
2017 is going to be All Time Low's biggest year yet. If the rest of 'Last Young Renegade' is as risky as 'Dirty Laundry', they might finally make the leap from headlining arenas to headlining stadiums, and it's about time.
If you were on the fence as to whether to get tickets to a date on this tour, don't delay. Not only is this the most interesting setlist the band have played in years, they're also sounding better than ever before.

Setlist:
Kicking and Screaming
Weightless
Somewhere In Neverland
Six Feet Under the Stars
Cinderblock Garden
Canals
Something's Gotta Give
Kids in the Dark
Dirty Laundry
Guts
Therapy
Missing You
A Love Like War
Backseat Serenade
Take Cover
-
Lost In Stereo
Dear Maria, Count Me In

Sum 41 - Brixton O2 Academy, 02/03/17

I hadn't heard of Hollerado until they were announced as support and I still feel very conflicted about their set, so it's been hard to put my feelings into words.

Starting the set with their newest single, 'Grief Money' - the video for which was released on Tuesday and is a direct attack at President Donald Trump - I was instantly put off by the vocal effect. You could hardly understand a word that Menno Versteeg was singing, and it added a surreal touch to the proceedings: not the strong start that you want for an opening set. Things improved during 'Americanarama' with its "doot doot doo do do doo" chant, but the repetition and the sprawling, overly-lengthy guitar solo made it feel as though it was never going to end. I was bored and disappointed, writing the band off as bland and uninteresting.
Then 'I Got You' began, and my interest was reignited. Menno shared that the song was "about the rich douchebags who're making life a lot harder for the rest of us" (said just after he paused the set to "make it clear that [they] are from Canada and not America", made obvious from his use of "aboot"), and the political lyrics combined with the catchy indie style - sounding quite similar to The Dandy Warhols' 'Bohemian Like You' - brought the fun to a set that had been otherwise dreary.
The bounce continued during 'Eloise', a song Menno wrote for his one-year-old sound, who he said is "really adorable now, but I think she's gonna be a real fuck-up when she's older!". I had the "Eloise, please don't fuck it up like me!" chorus stuck in my head all day yesterday: it's just that catchy! 'Born Yesterday' was also unbelievably fun, and despite most of the people in the room having never heard it before, every was singing along by the time it finished.
Before playing closer 'So It Goes', Menno thanked the crowd, saying "you guys showed up to watch the opening band that you've never seen in your fucking life, and that's pretty fucking cool!". Despite being unconvinced by their first couple of songs, I was solidly hooked by the end of the set, so I'm glad I gave them a chance. It's always fun to discover new music, particularly when a band are playing so many different styles within a six-song set.
Hollerado's new album, 'Born Yesterday', is being released on the 14th of April. Because I love both the title track and 'Eloise', I'm definitely going to be ordering it: I just hope that the rest of the album is as good, because this band could grow on me fast.

Setlist:
Grief Money
Americanarama
I Got You
Eloise
Born Yesterday
- (unknown song, "You're the best woman I've never ever had") 

So It Goes

Sum 41 are legends. That's an unarguable fact.
They've had more than their fair share of issues throughout their twenty year career. The band have experienced more line-up changes than I can count, most notably the departure of long-serving guitarist and fan favourite Dave 'Brownsound' Baksh, who thankfully returned in 2015. Then there were frontman Deryck Whibley's struggles to contend with: he's dealt with a serious back injury and liver and kidney failure due to alcoholism.
But they've always persevered, and now they seem to be in a much better place. 2016's '13 Voices' is the strongest material they've produced in years. Deryck's personal battle to overcome his addictions has made him a better lyricist and a more passionate performer, and the return of Brownsound has strengthened them further. 

I had tickets to see Sum 41 many moons ago, when they were announced as Kerrang! tour 2012 co-headliners with New Found Glory. They had to pull out due to Deryck's aforementioned back injury, so I'd been waiting a long time to see them live.
The room was buzzing with anticipation throughout the night, but from the moment the ominously intense Introduction to Destruction intro tape began piping through the speakers, the energy increased exponentially. A plain white sheet was hanging in front of the stage, obscuring it from the crowd and allowing strobe lights to flash and flicker across it, giving the crowd a show before the band could even set foot on the stage. I don't know who was in control of programming the lighting, but they're a genius: it was so intricate and there was so much attention to detail throughout every song during the night, making it more fun to watch the lighting than the band at points!
Playing a whopping twenty-five songs, this was a set to please Sum 41 fans both old and new. As they're still promoting their new album, there were six songs from '13 Voices' in the set, but they made the effort to include songs from every one of their full-length releases. They even squeezed in two from 'Half Hour of Power', their debut EP! I can't name one other band who continue to perform such a wide variety of material, and I have a lot of respect to the guys for managing to do it. It must be difficult to choose which songs to put into a set when you have two decades of material under your belt.
This is a band who care about their fans, and want to play a memorable show. During 'The Hell Song', Deryck picked three people from the front row and had them pulled up on stage, where they stayed until the end of the main set, disappearing just before the encore. Some bands let members of the audience go on stage for a song, but to have a specific area side stage for them to enjoy the show in such an intimate manner is a next level gesture of appreciation.
Later on, Deryck decided he'd take their place, going down into the crowd to perform the stripped back 'With Me'. Halfway through 'Makes No Difference' he shouted "I've got an idea, I'm gonna come see all you motherfuckers!", racing off of the stage and reappearing at the back of the standing area to finish the song, before picking us his acoustic guitar to play the poignant ballad surrounded by his adoring fans.
Deryck's gratitude towards the Sum 41 family was most apparent when he was introducing recent single 'War'. "This song is an important song," he shared. "It's a special song to me, because it's all about family - which is important! - but it's about the Sum 41 family. You guys helped me through the scariest and most difficult time of my life".
Yes, things got emotional at times, but that didn't subtract from how fun this show was. During 'Underclass Hero', large balloons poured down on the crowd, and Deryck encouraged fans to push them over the barrier towards him so that he could impale them. Then there was Brownsound's metal medley, leading directly into the first song they ever released, 'Grab the Devil By the Horns and Fuck Him Up the Ass'. Yep, this band are so fun they wage war against the devil himself. 

The crowd were shouting along to every word through their entire set. I didn't think their voices could get any louder, but when they started covering Queen's 'We Will Rock You' towards the end of the main set, the energy levels went through the roof. Deryck looked blown away, taking a moment to pause and sharing "The good thing about being sober is that I don't bullshit. It's all true. I am fucking happy to be here".
My highlight of the set was undoubtedly 'Pain For Pleasure', the only song that featured lead vocals by guitarist Tom Thacker. If you've ever seen the video for 'Fat Lip', you'll know why it was so wonderful: at the end of the video the band dress up as a stereotypical glam rock band, playing a tongue-in-cheek heavy metal song.
I hadn't been expecting them to perform it live, and when they went off stage at the end of 'Fat Lip' I genuinely believed it was the end of the show. A whole lot of people thought the same, and a huge portion of the crowd was flooding out of the doors before the opening strains of the guitar riff rang out, causing them to rush back in as quickly as they could. No one was willing to miss the end of this marathon set. It was brief - the shortest song that they played - but it's a moment I'm never going to forget.
Ironically enough, Sum 41 have been announced for Download festival: after waiting five years to see the band once, I'm seeing them twice in a matter of months! It's going to be interesting to see how a festival set compares to this headline performance, because this was a pretty flawless set.

Setlist:

Murder of Crows
Fake My Own Death
The Hell Song
Over My Head (Better Off Dead)
Goddamn I'm Dead Again
Underclass Hero
Screaming Bloody Murder
There Will Be Blood
War
Motivation
Grab the Devil By the Horns and Fuck Him Up the Ass
We're All To Blame
Walking Disaster
Makes No Difference
-
With Me
-
God Save Us All (Death to POP)
No Reason
We Will Rock You cover
Still Waiting
In Too Deep
-
Crash
Pieces
Welcome To Hell
Fat Lip
-
Pain For Pleasure 

With Confidence - The Exchange, Bristol, 26/02/17

In the year since I discovered Milestones, they've come a long way. After being signed to Fearless Records they released their debut EP, 'Equal Measures', and over the next few months they're heading out on tours across the world with legendary bands including Mayday Parade and Simple Plan.
The performance they gave was a more passionate one than I remembered from their Waterparks support slot. Vocalist Matt Clarke was sauntering around the stage displaying utter confidence in his abilities, his unique vocal tone elevating songs that would otherwise struggle to stand out from the rest of the upcoming pop punk crowd. He's a secret weapon, and I think his talent is to thank for their snowballing success.
Playing two new songs, 'Royal Flush' and a song that seems to be called 'Wankless', I was again impressed with the leaps and bounds that Milestones are making. When I saw them last year I touched upon the fact that the new material was more mature and developed, and the same can be said about these as yet unofficially released songs.
Introducing 'Royal Flush', Matt shared that it was "about giving yourself the best possible life" after the group decided to focus on the band and make it their "entire lives" last year. That focus has certainly helped, gaining them attention in a rapid fashion rarely experienced by UK bands taking on the States. Matt shared that they've played Bristol three times before, and that "every single time it's been this room, and this was the most full it's ever been", a growth they definitely deserve. It was the perfect birthday present for guitarist Drew, who also had the whole room singing 'Happy Birthday' to him while Matt showed off the cake they'd been gifted by a fan.
I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this band, because it looks like it's going to be a very bright one: perhaps brighter than the fairy lights that Matt had twined around his microphone for 'Shot in the Dark'...

Setlist:
Hindsight
Nothing Left
Royal Flush (*)
Shot in the Dark
Call Me Disaster
Wankless (*)

(*) song titles credit to @_faithonfire on Twitter!

Safe To Say acknowledged that there was a disparity between their sound and the rest of the bands, and they weren't an exaggerating. Whereas Milestones, Broadside and With Confidence are all solidly pop punk, Safe To Say lean towards grunge, making the start of their set seem a little abrasive after the syrupy smoothness of the opening band.
They didn't only sound vastly different from the other acts: their songs all differed from each other. The first two were heavier, with an introspective element that made it hard for the crowd to get involved, while third song 'Tangerine' was emotionally heavy, draining the energy and depressing the previously enthusiastic crowd.
However, everything changed when they played 'Summer Sickness'. Vocalist Brad Garcia told the crowd "If you wanna bang your head and jump around, whatever you do in the UK, you can do that!", but I didn't expect it to get so bouncy so fast.
The songs on 'Down in the Dark' - the full-length album they released in 2016 - seem to be a drastic departure from the songs featured on EP 'Hiding Games', and I'm looking forward to listening to both releases in full to be able to appreciate the development between the two more.
I found the first half of their set a little disconcerting - when you have preconceived notions of a band and they get smashed to the ground, that happens - but after I'd adjusted I thought their set was the best of the evening. They suffered from sound issues, both backing vocalists inaudible for the majority of their set, but they tried their hardest and succeeded despite that.
It wasn't the most fun performance - that award goes to Broadside - but musically they're superior to the other bands. All of their songs are intricate and well-developed, and they deserve more attention: this shouldn't be the first time I was hearing about this band.
Brad thanked the crowd at multiple points during their set (joking "I know I've been saying thank you a lot, maybe that's because we're Canadian!") but took the time to enthuse that "Music is music, and if you connect with it, that's what matters", encouraging people to give new bands a chance whenever possible and personally recommending Milk Teeth. Heralding them as "one of our favourite bands ever", it explained why vocalist Becky Blomfield was Safe To Say's merch girl. Band members need day jobs too!
The end of their closing song was anthemic, sprawling in an impressive manner that would make it perfect for arena performances. It made their set very difficult to beat, and had me hooked - I just wished the moment could have come earlier in their set, because it dissolved any niggling doubts that remained in the back of my mind.

Setlist:
Only Rain
Afterglow
Tangerine
Summer Sickness
-
-

Despite the fact that Broadside played the same amount of songs as the first two supports, their set felt shorter. This is partly because their songs are faster, a brand of frenetically-paced pop punk that has every song timing in at below three minutes.
But the real reason their set passed so quickly was because of the response from the crowd. Those who had been disinterested during Milestones and apathetic towards Safe To Say suddenly kicked into high gear, throwing their arms in the air and shouting every lyric back to frontman Ollie Baxxter, who looked blown away by the reaction.
This was a With Confidence headline show, but the night belonged to Broadside.
If you're looking for a band who are utterly at ease up on stage, Broadside are the ones for you. They joked around with the crowd a lot, interacting in a way that the previous bands hadn't. Ollie quipped, "It's nice to see all you guys... Well, hardly, with all these lights", before mentioning how it was "nice to be away from our shitty ass president", a comment which had cheers erupting around the room, making it feel as though we were watching friends up on stage.
As this was their third trip to the UK, Broadside weren't plagued with nerves. They know how to work the crowd and they know they've already got fans over here, which meant that they were just having fun. It made their set all the more enjoyable, watching the members putting everything they had into their performance and loving every moment.
Closer 'Coffee Talks' was explosive, the crowd throwing themselves into the song and taking the opportunity to make a mini moshpit - the first of an evening which had been otherwise restrained. I was disappointed that it was already the end of their set, as I would have happily listened to another half an hour of Broadside, but it's made me determined to see them again next time they visit our shores.
Ollie asked the crowd to check Broadside out online, "leave a comment and say this band is shit, or this band is not shit. The best thing you can do is talk about something, because records don't sell for bands like us." Well, I'm definitely going to be talking about Broadside a lot in the weeks to come.

Setlist:
The Simple Type
Storyteller
Come & Go
Damaged Kids
Human Machines
Coffee Talks

With Confidence should have returned to the UK back in December as openers for Real Friends, but after the tour was rescheduled they announced these headline dates, playing debut album 'Better Weather' in full. I was over the moon and bought tickets the day they went on sale: seeing them at a headline show was obviously preferable to a short support slot.
Their music leans towards the pop side of pop punk, which is how they've toured with mainstream boy band 5 Seconds of Summer throughout Australia, but it made for a very fun evening. The songs are upbeat, and when guitarist Luke Rockets repeatedly gestured to the crowd to start jumping it didn't take much persuasion. Everyone in the room was there to have a good time, singing along to every word and dancing their hearts out.
It became apparent to me during the show why the boys are often compared with All Time Low. I didn't see enough of their set at Slam Dunk to appreciate just how childish their on-stage banter is, but at multiple times throughout the evening I felt like slapping myself on the forehead from the sheer idiocy of their comments. The sexual jokes about relationships between the band members just made me cringe, especially considering the age of a lot of the people in the room, made even more obvious by the fact that there was a lot of squealing and giggling after every piece of innuendo. It was unnecessary, and detracted from what would have otherwise been a perfect set. When the music is as enjoyable as this, there's no need to say stupid things for attention.
Vocalist Jayden Seeley wasn't on top of his game, admitting "I'm a little bit sick and I'm losing my voice, but fuck you guys are raising my spirits" after the first three songs of their set. It wasn't obvious: if this is what Jayden sounds like on a bad day, I can't wait to see them live when he's feeling 100%. Luke took it as an opportunity to entice the crowd, confiding that "the courteous thing to do tonight would be to help him along with every single fucking word," and it certainly worked: at a few points throughout the evening the crowd were singing louder than the band, not something you often experience in a venue of this size.
There's something about this band that is rapidly getting attention. Their links to 5 Seconds of Summer and All Time Low and being on the Hopeless Records roster don't hurt, but it's more than that: they have a spark. I mean, their music definitely isn't the kind that incites moshing, but they managed to get a circle pit going towards the end of 'London Lights' that involved nearly every person in the room!
It also helps that all of the members bring something to the band. Jayden is a brilliant frontman, trying his hardest to talk to the crowd as much as he could, despite being put on vocal rest the second he left the stage. Luke is the joker, the Jack Barakat/Pete Wentz of the band, romantically cuddling his bottle of Jack Daniels before leaving the stage when Jayden was playing his solo, 'Long Night' (played on guitar instead of the normal piano, as it "[didn't] really fit up there"). Josh Brozzesi is a great drummer, even if he doesn't like being in the limelight: the only thing he said during the entire show was "Hi guys, how we doing?" before waiting an uncomfortably long length of time and mumbling, "Nice chat...".
But I was blown away by guitarist Inigo Del Carmen, and the lead vocal that he performed on 'Keys'. I hadn't heard the song before, and I have no idea how I missed it: it's a beautiful and heart-wrenching ode to his friend who committed suicide, the only song on the album that Inigo both wrote and performs lead vocal on. He acknowledged the meaning of the song before it started, sharing "I like to talk about things that are important. Like... It's a bit of a sad one. If you ever feel like you're down and out and worthless, that's bullshit. [...] Never feel like you're alone. This song is for my best friend". You could feel the raw emotion in his vocal, the passionate performance the highlight of my evening. I actually think I like Inigo's vocal more than Jayden's: whether that's because of the feeling he was pouring into the song or Jayden's illness, I'm unsure. I just hope that he gets a more prominent vocal role on their releases in the future, because his tone is impeccable.
The band themselves don't seem able to believe their success, asking the crowd "Who would have thought we'd be in the UK headlining our own tour?!", but based off of the amount of dates on this tour that sold out, it won't be long before they're returning and playing headline shows in bigger venues.
I have it on good authority that the band will be back in the UK towards the end of May (I'm sure you can guess why!) and I'm already looking forward to seeing them again. It's been a while since I've left a show with a smile that big on my face. With Confidence are fun.

Setlist:
Voldemort
Archers
Tonight
Dinner Bell
Gravity
Keys
Higher
Long Night
Godzilla
We'll Be Okay
Waterfall
-
London Lights
Keeper

Taking Back Sunday - O2 Forum, London, 16/02/17

I missed black foxxes set, but Frank Iero and the Patience took to the stage fifteen minutes later than expected, so I managed to get there for their whole set.
I was apprehensive when the band were announced as support. I saw frnkiero and the cellabration live twice, but didn't know if their new stage name meant they'd no longer be performing material from debut album '.STOMACHACHES.'. My opinions on the other two sets of theirs that I'd experienced were vastly different; I found the first utterly disappointing, but the second was a successful festival set that left me begging for more.
This performance reverted my opinion back to its original state.
Starting the set with three songs from 'Parachutes', my first thought was that it was promising. The music is more developed than the debut album, intricate guitar lines looping over the bass and through the drums, making the band a tight and cohesive machine.
But Frank Iero's vocal was not up to scratch. He was struggling. I could hardly understand a word that he was sing-screaming, and at points his mouth was wide open and you couldn't hear anything coming out. The backing vocalists carried him. Without them, it would have been a complete train wreck.
I hadn't heard the new songs before, so I don't know if that's how they're supposed to sound, but I found myself cringing and wishing that the set would end.
That's the problem with Frank Iero and the Patience: if it wasn't for Frank Iero, they would be nowhere. Thanks to the success of My Chemical Romance, Frank has a ready made fan base that blindly accept anything he releases, regardless of musical prowess or lyrical content. If it was an unknown support band playing music like this, the crowd would be bored and wouldn't participate; there wouldn't be crowdsurfing and moshing throughout almost every song. It's not that kind of music.
It's exasperating. There's an entire genre out there that sounds like this and never really gets off the ground, and because Frank went from a platinum-selling band he has a crowd the size that which other bands playing this style will never be able to achieve.
I'm not innately against the band: if I was I wouldn't enjoy the older material so much. Songs like 'Tragician' and 'Weighted' work perfectly in a room of this size, and are bright moments in an otherwise dull and dreary set. I just wish the second album had been a development in this direction, rather than away from a sound that really suited them.

Setlist:
World Destroyer
Veins! Veins!! Veins!!!
I'm A Mess
Joyriding
Tragician
I'll Let You Down
All I Want Is Nothing
Dear Percocet, I Don't Think We Should See Each Other Anymore
Stage 4 Fear of Trying
Weighted
Oceans

I'm not a huge fan of Taking Back Sunday's new album, but I'm a sucker for their live show.
The songs from 'Tidal Wave' are rather different than anything else they've released - most similar to fourth album 'New Again', which they never play songs from live - so they stand out in the set. I thought that was going to be a bad thing, but it actually breaks things up nicely.
Starting with 'Death Wolf' was a risk that didn't pay off: its "Had a little bit and now we want some more" repetitive chant building to a crescendo could have been a really climactic point in the middle of the set, but as opener it fell flat. It was premature, the crowd failing to warm up in time.
However, after playing the classic 'Timberwolves at New Jersey', the crowd finally kicked up into high gear. I was quite far back in the seats - the problem with getting to the venue late after being stuck in horrendous traffic - and it was impressive to watch a huge amount of the audience surge to their feet moments in to the song, arms waving in the air as they reminisced on old times.
The throwbacks continued to get the best responses throughout: 'What's It Feel Like To Be a Ghost?', 'You're So Last Summer' and 'Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)' all getting explosive reactions. When the crowd is singing louder than the band is playing? That's dedication.
While the people in attendance were more energetic during the old songs, the band seems invigorated by the new material. During 'Death Wolf' vocalist Adam Lazzara was leaping across the stage, furiously roaring into his microphone and shrieking like a banshee, more unrestrained than ever before. He seemed excited to tell the fans about the new songs, introducing 'Call Come Running' by describing the music video they released (and the way he got his father involved) and sharing the story behind 'All Excess' (a song written about Slam Dunk festival, and the way Adam "went on this terrible bender [and] extremely embarrassed [himself]").
They seem to be so proud of the album they've released that they want to showcase it. It's not an obligation, it's an honour. That alone is enough to make me reconsider my verdict on the album, and I'm looking forward to listening to it again with the knowledge of how much it means to the band.
The night was over far too quickly - despite the fact that this was an eighteen song set, it passed in a flash. It's impossible not to have fun at a Taking Back Sunday show, especially when the band seem much more enthusiastic than they ever have before.

Setlist:
Death Wolf
Liar (It Takes One To Know One)
You Can't Look Back
Timberwolves at New Jersey
What's It Feel Like To Be a Ghost?
A Decade Under the Influence
All Excess
Error: Operator
You're So Last Summer
Flicker, Fade
Call Come Running
You Know How I Do
Stood A Chance
Better Homes and Gardens
Tidal Wave
My Blue Heaven
Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team)
MakeDamnSure

Green Day - O2 Arena, 08/02/17

The Interrupters were a fun start to the night, but when you've heard one ska punk band you've heard them all. It has a distinct sound, but the aspects that separate it make it almost impossible to differentiate between the bands that play it.
They're lucky to have Aimee Interrupter at their helm. You don't often find female vocalists in the genre, and that gives them an edge. Her gravelly voice is appealing, similar in tone to the legendary Joan Jett, so she's bound to appeal to Green Day's older fans.
Aimee sings wonderfully and is a blur of overflowing energy during the songs, but it's guitarist and backing vocalist Kevin Bivona who gives the band a heart. Between tracks he filled the silence, chatting to the audience as though they were old friends, not a crowd that needed to be charmed. He begged people not to leave after their set, joking "The band who're on after us are pretty good. I think they might be able to make a career out of this!" and dedicated 'Babylon' to a fan called Adam, who received a parking ticket after they performed an acoustic set at Banquet Records in Kingston the night before.
During 'Babylon' all kinds of madness broke out: various characters dancing across the stage, one of them even brandishing a cowbell. As soon as the song finished Kevin jokingly started shooing the troublemakers off stage, before quipping, "I want the one with the cowbell to stay up here, though. That sounded fresh!". No one was too surprised when one of the stage invaders was revealed to be Billie Joe himself: a simple yet effective end of tour prank.
Before 'Family', the band thanked Green Day for taking them on tour and dedicated the song to friends of theirs who were in attendance (including London indie-pop band SYKES), sharing that they "could not think of a better way to end the tour". If they've been this much fun at all of the dates, they're going to have impressed a significant amount of people. Early in the set Kevin shouted, "I think I can speak for the whole punk rock community when I say there is no room for any racism, or any sexism, or any form of religious bigotry," and I don't think there was room for anything but appreciation from the crowd towards The Interrupters.

Setlist:
A Friend Like Me
By My Side
White Noise
Take Back The Power
She Got Arrested
Haven't Seen The Last Of Me
Easy On You
Babylon
Sound System cover
Family

Despite being a band for over thirty years, 2017 has seen Green Day become more relevant than ever.
It's the only thing we can thank new US president Donald Trump for: his fascist, racist and sexist beliefs have sparked a widespread political interest in the general public. Now the masses are educating themselves on government, they're hungrier than ever for figureheads who aren't afraid to speak out.
Billie Joe Armstrong is one of those people. He penned 'American Idiot' during the time of George Bush, but it's ridiculously easy to apply to the recently elected reality TV star. Trump might not have any direct control over the British public, but that doesn't stop us from disliking the guy: just look at the amount of people throughout the UK who protested and petitioned against him getting a state visit.
If for any reason there were supporters of the 45th president in attendance, they would have walked out after the second song. Billie Joe led the audience in a rousing chant of "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!", effortlessly conducting the voices of thousands to a crescendo.
If they hadn't walked out then, they would have been hard pushed to stay after 'Holiday'. The band were only four songs in to a mammoth 29 song set, but Billie Joe didn't hesitate, whipping the crowd into a frenzy and encouraging everyone to "Stand up and be heard. I wanna hear your voices!" before repeating, "No Trump!" until every person in the room was repeating it back to him. He bode his time until the shout was as loud as possible, before announcing, "The representative of England now has a voice," his vocal as he continued the song almost inaudible over the cheering his statement elicited.
Billie Joe is the quintessential frontman. It's impossible to find someone more suitable for the role. Yes, he's talented - not many singers can perform for nearly three hours, and even less can do it while playing guitar, sprinting up and down a platform projecting into the crowd and being political - but there's so much more to it than that. It comes down to something very simple.
He's human.
Billie Joe Armstrong is a legend, and that's not debatable, but he still feels like an underdog. Introducing 'Letterbomb', he told the crowd, "Tonight is about freedom. [...] I wanna hear from all the weirdos, I wanna hear from all the freaks, I wanna hear from all the people who've had someone tell them that they were a piece of shit." Green Day's policy of acceptance and tolerance is obvious from their complete dismissal of Trump, but when Billie Joe reflected, "Man, I was a fucking weirdo too, when I was a kid," it was a vulnerable moment that comforted anyone in the crowd who'd ever felt like an outsider. He quickly cracked a smile, quipping, "Guess what? I still fucking am!", but that just made him even more endearing.
He practices what he preaches, too. As one of the biggest rock stars on the planet, it would be easy to forget about the little people, but Green Day are a band who appreciate their fans and show them in every way possible. They invited three members of the crowd on stage to perform with them throughout the night, even giving a guitar to the person who went up to jam with them on their cover of Operation Ivy's 'Knowledge' - that's not an inconsiderable gift! The guy who went on stage to sing 'Longview' with them was definitely a highlight: he bounced around the stage in his Superman hoodie, making the most of every second. If he doesn't have a band, he should definitely start one.
This was the Revolution Radio tour, so they played a decent-sized chunk of newer material throughout the night. I still think 'Youngblood' is too repetitive, but the rest of the songs indicate a band back at the top of their game. Green Day were accused of having a crisis of identity following the release of their album trilogy back in 2012 (meaning it wasn't too surprising that no songs from 'Uno!', 'Dos!', or 'Tre!' made it into their set) but they've bounced back sounding better than ever on 'Revolution Radio'. It's a return to form, their polished and political pop-punk perfectly primed to redeem them in their fans eyes and guarantee them chart success.
This was the first time I'd been down in the crowd at an arena show (I'm a big fan of sitting, don't judge me!) so I need to take a moment to talk about how amazing the crowd were. They were actively participating but everyone that I was stood near was so respectful: I didn't experience any unnecessary pushing and shoving, and even during the rowdier songs things didn't get too violent. I'm a pretty nervous person and I've been in some bad crowd situations in the past, so I was really grateful that the crowd was so mature.
Green Day aren't one of my favourite bands - they have a very extensive back catalogue and I still need to take the time to explore it - but this was one of the most fun nights of my life. I was so absorbed in their set that I almost forgot to make notes for this review, and that doesn't happen often! That's the thing with legendary bands: you don't have to know all of their songs to be able to have a great night. It's impossible to not enjoy a Green Day show, especially when they've got a saxophonist performing a solo of George Michael's 'Careless Whisper' and a lengthy medley filled with classics you can't help but dance to mixed in with all of their own material.
The band are coming back to the UK to play British Summer Time in Hyde Park. If you don't already have your tickets I'd recommend buying them soon: I can't imagine it'll be long before the mini festival sells out.

Setlist:
Know Your Enemy (ft. fan)
Bang Bang
Revolution Radio
Holiday
Letterbomb
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Longview (ft. fan)
Youngblood
2000 Light Years Away
Hitchin' a Ride
When I Come Around
Waiting
Christie Road
Burnout
Scattered
Minority
Are We The Waiting
St. Jimmy
Knowledge cover (ft. fan)
Basket Case
She
King For a Day (ft. 'Careless Whisper' saxophone solo)
Shout/Always Look on the Bright Side of Life/Teenage Kicks/(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction/Hey Jude/Shout medley
Still Breathing
Forever Now
-
American Idiot
Jesus of Suburbia
-
Ordinary World
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties - The Dome, Tufnell Park, 02/02/17

Katie Malco fought a losing battle throughout her set. From the first chord she was plagued with terrible feedback from the sound system, her hauntingly soft vocal overpowered by the ceaseless buzzing echoing through the basically empty venue.
The room filled up gradually, but that was another obstacle to overcome: the stage and the bar are in a shared space, so talking and laughing were inescapable. The scattered people around the room had been paying polite attention at the beginning of her set, but after the first couple of songs their attention wandered, and for a while it looked as though Katie had completely lost momentum.
But being no stranger to performing, she has some experience on how to read crowds. Obviously aware that her original material wasn't going down too well, she announced, "I hope you don't mind, I'm going to do a cover because I don't like the song that's on my setlist." Not many artists spontaneously change their set around, so the audience's interest was instantly piqued.
I wasn't familiar with the song that she covered - Ryan Adam's 'This House Is Not For Sale' - but her rendition of it was powerful. She seemed much more confident performing the cover than she did playing her own material, which could have been due to nerves thanks to the crowd's lack of response, but I was blown away by her vocal. The room went completely silent, the people who had been talking over her finally paying attention to the talented singer up on the stage. It finished far too quickly and closing song 'September' paled in comparison, making the cover a bright spot in an otherwise bland set.
I haven't been able to find the three songs that Katie played at the beginning of her set, which makes me wonder if it was new material. However, the songs that she has over on her Bandcamp are beautiful, and I'd recommend giving them a listen.

Setlist:
-
-
-
This House Is Not For Sale cover
September

Thom Weeks doesn't ordinarily show up on stage with an acoustic guitar: he's usually surrounded by the other members of hardcore punk outfit Gnarwolves. I've only seen the boys in action once - a very blurry night in Swindon back in June that I can hardly recall a moment of - but I know for sure that it was one of the sweatiest, most energetic gigs I've ever been to. The crowd didn't stand still for a moment, the normally complacent Swindonians thrumming with adrenaline, and I lost count of how many moshpits broke out and how many people crowdsurfed (as well as how many rum 'n' cokes I was pouring down my throat in excitement... Hence why I never reviewed that show. Whoops.).
Seeing him perform an acoustic set was a complete 180 to anything I'd heard from him before. He's never going to be my favourite vocalist - something in his tone just doesn't appeal to me, and I can't put my finger on why that is - but I can appreciate the effort that he puts into every moment onstage and the passion that he feels for performing.
This was obvious during 'Creeps' and 'Flames'. Both songs feature unhinged maniacal laughter, Thom cackling as though he were a man possessed. The audience was rapt during those moments more out of startling confusion than anything as Thom threw his head back, screeching into the microphone. 'Flames' was the oldest song he played, sharing that he "wrote this song when I was 22 years old, and I'm nearly 30 now...", so I wasn't surprised that that one was a little bit off the wall, but it's a trait shared by almost every song he played. All of his solo material is just a little bit... Weird.
Take, for example, 'Paperdoll Girl', whose chorus is just "Blood, blood, blood" repeated in a disturbing mantra. Then there's 'Benzo Blues', which Thom introduced by explaining that the song was about "when you're in bed and you're lying next to someone you're really, really fond of... And knowing you're not allowed to touch them"... Not the kind of topic Gnarwolves normally focus on.
The highlight of his set is a toss up between his cover of Green Day's 'Pulling Teeth' and a currently unreleased Gnarwolves track. Thom seemed to have the most fun during the cover, beaming as he adlibbed through the instrumental section, encouraging the crowd to get involved. He started the night by saying "Hello everyone, I'm called Thom! I'm really scared... Let's do songs", but towards the end of the set he was completely relaxed and loving every moment on the stage, thanking the crowd at multiple points for being "really lovely".
He featured two Gnarwolves songs in his set - 'Bottle To Bottle' and the aforementioned unreleased which I'm going to refer to a 'One By One' - and I was shocked that they worked acoustically. Gnarwolves are noisy, and I didn't think their songs would translate well, but they sounded wonderful. 'One By One' is catchy, the chorus of "Is this the real world or somewhere in between? I've spent my life chasing American dreams" certain to get a great crowd reaction when they release it, pointing towards more success for the band in the coming year.
Before closing song 'Sick', Thom shared "I've played this room with three different acts now, in three different slots," and it amazes me that a man with so much experience could still be humble and grateful to the crowd. Despite the fact that he's been releasing music for almost ten years, Thom doesn't take it for granted, and that's a refreshing attitude.

Setlist:
Creeps
Bottle To Bottle
Paperdoll Girl
Flames
Rotten Mouth
Pulling Teeth cover
Benzo Blues
New Gnarwolves song (One By One)
Sick

It was a surprise when Rob Lynch took to the stage, because he wasn't supposed to be a support act. "I only came as a punter! I enjoyed my lime and soda and now here I am," he said, quipping "Dreams can come true, kids." He'd been speaking to Dan earlier in the night and he'd been invited to play a short set, and luckily for us he'd agreed.
You wouldn't have known that Rob was a surprise guest. As soon as he started playing 'Feeling Good' the crowd were chanting along, singing louder than he could at moments throughout his brief three song set. He seemed overjoyed by the response, apologetically saying, "I wore my comfy clothes, too. If I'd known I was playing I would have dressed up for you. I've got my Wrestlemania cap on..." getting a big laugh from the crowd.
It didn't matter that Rob wasn't prepared, because he played beautifully. Having supported Deaf Havana in Kingston the night before, he was in the right frame of mind for performing, and though he only had fifteen minutes on stage he made the most of every one of them. 'Whiskey' has always been a fan favourite, so it wasn't surprising that the singalong for that was riotous, and in only a couple of minutes Rob warmed the crowd up more than the previous two supports had managed to.
I was familiar with Rob, having seen him support All Time Low and Recreations. over the last couple of years, but not everyone in the room knew who he was. A girl called Mollie down at the barrier shouted up to ask him what his name was, and he replied "My name's Robert Lynch, what's yours?", causing the crowd to start up a chant of "Robbie, Robbie, Robbie fuckin' Lynch!". When that died down he announced that he had one song left, joking "I'm going to play a new song. To you, Mollie, they're all new songs...".
I've never been to a show where a support has been added during the course of the evening, and it definitely made things more exciting. I'd seen Rob wandering through the crowd throughout the course of the night, but I certainly hadn't expected him to get up on stage!
Thank you, Rob, for deciding to work on your night off. You made this night even more memorable for me.

Setlist:
Feeling Good
Whiskey
We Sang

This was the first Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties full band show in the UK. Up until this point Dan Campbell - sorry, Aaron West - has performed solo acoustic sets of the bands material, playing a 2014 Kingston show in conjunction with Banquet Records and the three Slam Dunk dates back in 2015.
I can't find the words to express how flawless this set was.
Playing debut album 'We Don't Have Each Other' and last year's three track EP 'Bittersweet', the band featured their entire back catalogue during this hour long set, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the best show I've ever been to.
Every single song is strong: musically beautiful, lyrically brilliant, Dan Campbell's genius expressing itself through the story of a man called Aaron West.
It's the worst year of Aaron's life. His father dies and his marriage breaks down after his wife Diane suffers a miscarriage. He takes his dad's old car and drives away to get some space, returning to discover that Diane has sold their house and moved away.
Despite the heavy nature of the songs, they're loved by the fans. From the first note of ''67 Cherry Red' to the last chord of 'You Ain't No Saint', every person in the room sang their hearts out. The atmosphere was electrifying, goosebumps breaking out over my skin at multiple points throughout the evening. It's impossible to be neutral during an Aaron West show: it's an emotional rollercoaster, from the heart-wrenching 'Divorce and the American South' to the lightly optimistic 'Going To Georgia' (the bonus track originally by The Mountain Goats).
This is performance art at its best. From the moment Dan sets foot on the stage, he is Aaron. He talks about his fear of disappointing his mother with the news of his divorce, ruminates on religion, wondering about "what it takes to get into heaven, who says you can and who says you can't [...] what if someone who shouldn't be there got in" and sharing anecdotes of his mother taking him to see the pope when he was younger, when "he's in a goddamned armoured car, so you see him but I don't know... I guess it never really felt like you see him".
The passionate introduction to 'Divorce and the American South' ripped my heart out. It was one of the few songs that Dan performed alone, and when the band left the stage and he was left alone, the sheer emotion emanating from him was astounding. "This is a song about driving in circles," he began. "This is a song about how hard it is to find a payphone. This is a song about why you shouldn't break your cellphone, like a child, when you're upset. This is a song about when I found that payphone, and I clung to it like a drowning man clings to driftwood, and I called the only number that I had memorised again, and again, and again... And how I hoped that someone would pick up." Despite the fact that it was a full band performance there still weren't any trumpet players, so the crowd had to chant the riff back to him at the top of the voices in the most brilliant group singalong I've ever experienced.
There were multiple points throughout the night when Dan let the crowd do the singing, stepping back from the microphone with an amazed look on his face as the audience yelled back his lyrics.
After the first song of the night he took a brief pause and said "I am just a little nervous, and I appreciate your applause," and for a man who's been touring with The Wonder Years for over ten years I thought nervous would no longer be in his vocabulary. Aaron West isn't biographical, so when Dan unveiled the project he shared that he felt out of his comfort zone, and it blows my mind that he's not more confident with a crowd reaction this rapturous.
I think Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties just became my favourite band. I can only hope Dan won't leave it too long before he does a full band UK tour, because I already want to go back and relive this night. 

Setlist:
'67 Cherry Red
Our Apartment
Grapefruit

Get Me Out Of Here Alive
St. Joe Keeps Us Safe
Divorce and the American South
The Thunderbird Inn
Goodbye, Carolina Blues
Runnin' Scared
Carolina Coast
Green Like The G Train, Green Like Sea Foam
-
Going To Georgia
You Ain't No Saint

A Day To Remember - Wembley Arena, London, 27/01/17

I missed openers Moose Blood due to "lack of staff" causing train delays, but thankfully I made it to my seat moments before Neck Deep took to the stage. 

Neck Deep took over the world in 2016. Starting the year with an international co-headline tour with State Champs, they filled it with festival appearances in more countries than I could count and ended it with a main support slot for Pierce The Veil on a two month tour.
All of that adventuring has caused almost a year to pass since the last time the Wrexham quintet played on UK soil. The moment they bounced out onto the stage it was apparent that a huge chunk of the crowd were there to welcome the boys back home, the roar that erupted for them rivaling the one that the headliners received later in the night.
It's impossible not to have fun during a Neck Deep set. Their music is paint by numbers pop-punk, but their personalities give the band the universal appeal that's helping them break out all over the world. I've missed listening to vocalist Ben Barlow's humorous banter, cheesily asking the crowd "Did Moose Blood make you Blush?" with a proud grin on his face. He almost gave the audience a collective heart attack when he screamed Jeremy McKinnon's name in the middle of 'Serpents', then giggled to himself at the end of the song, asking "Who actually thought Jeremy McKinnon was gonna come out right them? I trolled you all!".
It was a special night for the band, too. Ben shared that they all had family members backstage, joking that he didn't find the crowd scary at all but "somewhere my mum is here, and that scares the shit out of me". Despite his joke it was an emotional moment: Ben's father Terry passed away last year and he was wearing a Terry Barlow Records charity t-shirt at the show, meaning he was at the forefront of every fan's mind.
There's no way he couldn't have been proud of the band for this show, though. Mosh pits broke out during every song - except for the acoustic 'A Part of Me', the only older song that the band played, which had the loudest crowd chant that I've ever experienced - and the audience were constantly surging forward, trying to get closer to the action.
It was obvious that this was going to be a match made in tour heaven: Jeremy actually helped write most of 'Life's Not Out To Get You' (probably the reason the set was so skewed towards tracks from the newer release!) so the bands share a lot of fans. I believe Neck Deep easily could have been main support at this show. 

Setlist:

Gold Steps
Lime St.
Kali Ma
Serpents
Rock Bottom
A Part of Me
December
Can't Kick Up The Roots

New Found Glory are a band that I've rapidly fallen out of love with. Something was off when I saw their set at Reading festival two years ago, and despite the fact that they're legends - they're celebrating their twentieth year as a band, which doesn't happen too often! - they just aren't my cup of tea anymore.
A lot of this comes down to Jordan Pundik's distinctively nasally vocal. It's an acquired taste. I was familiar with most of the songs in their set before the show, but I was struggling to distinguish which was which: their set had an almost psychedelic quality, the songs flowing in together and seeming never-ending, making me wonder when it was going to be time for A Day To Remember.
Based on the lack of crowd participation when he held the microphone out, it seemed as though they were fighting a losing battle. Compared to the explosive reaction that relative newbies Neck Deep received, New Found Glory should have had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand, but it just didn't happen. Their more well-known songs got people moving ('All Downhill From Here', 'Hit or Miss' and 'Kiss Me' in particular, as well as closer 'My Friends Over You' which never disappoints) but the majority of their set fell flat, putting a dampener on the evening.
It pains me to say that, because all four of them were so grateful to be there and so thankful to the crowd for watching their set. Normally Jordan and guitarist/backing vocalist Chad Gilbert (also known as Mr. Hayley Williams) are the only ones who talk on stage, but they forced their microphones on bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Cyrus Bolooki, who both expressed gratitude from the bottom of their hearts.
Chad gave a very impassioned speech regarding following your dreams, announcing "Whenever shit gets hard, don't give up. Success is based on your own terms. You're doings things for yourself and not for people who think they suck or they don't suck. Fuck what everyone thinks apart from yourself and your friends and your family". If the band are powered by this mindset it's no surprise that they're about to release their ninth album, and I genuinely hope there are many more: it's refreshing to see a band fighting against adversity rather than buckling under pressure and calling it a day.
That being said, they did perform 'Making Me Miserable' - the soon to be released first single from their upcoming album 'Makes Me Sick' - and it shows promise. Compared to the ceaseless generic punk sound encompassing the majority of their back catalogue, the new material is more upbeat, with a fresh sound that breaths life into the band. It's reminiscent of their seventh album, 'Radiosurgery', and if the rest of the album has this vibe it'll be very enjoyable.
After this show the band announced that they'd be returning to the UK in October, playing six of their albums in full at various shows across the country. I'm not going to be getting tickets to any of the dates, but if you're a big fan don't sleep on it: these are certainly going to sell fast.

Setlist:
All Downhill From Here

Understatement
Selfless
Hit or Miss
Something I Call Personality
Hold My Hand
Happy Being Miserable
Kiss Me cover
Dressed To Kill
Vicious Love
My Friends Over You

The last time I saw A Day To Remember was at Reading festival back in 2014. Things in camp ADTR went quiet for a couple of years, but that changed back in September with the release of their sixth album, 'Bad Vibrations'.
At the time of release it was labelled their "best album since 'Homesick'", and having experienced the tracks in a live environment I can confirm that's the truth. I resisted listening to the album before the show, only being familiar with 'Paranoid' and 'Naivety' out of the new tracks they played on the night, but I was completely absorbed in the set despite not knowing a large chunk of the material.
That's the sign of a good band. If they can perform the songs you love perfectly and can blow you away with songs you've never heard before, they can do anything.
The lyrics on the new album are overly repetitive - the aforementioned 'Naivety' featuring the line "Where's my naviety?" eight times, and 'We Got This' repeating the entire chorus six times - but musically they show a huge progression. 'Bad Vibrations' is one of the heaviest songs they've released in at least five years, and both 'Exposed' and 'Justified' completely redeem the band after the uninspired 'Common Courtesy'.
It's not better than 'Homesick', but it's certainly a step in the right direction. The band seemed to be losing themselves for a while there - perhaps due to the recently resolved legal battle with Victory Records, a struggle which lasted for over five years - but they're finally back.
This was A Day To Remember's biggest ever London show. They've played Alexandra Palace twice - a surprise acoustic set at Warped UK back in 2013 and a headline show the following year - but the time had come for them to take the step to Wembley Arena.
Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon knows how to control an arena crowd. With the words 'CIRCLE PIT' flashing on the screens behind them before 'Paranoid' started, Jeremy's encouraging screams whipped the crowd up into a frenzy. The reaction was instantaneous, but the energy didn't peak at the start of the set. During 'Right Back At It Again' Jeremy shouted "I wanna see as many people crowd surfing as humanely possible!", taking it one step further towards the end of the night by encouraging people to go "crowd surfing on a crowd surfer" throughout 'Naivety' - a maneuver that involves someone crowd surfing and one of their friends standing on top of them, attempting to use them like a surfboard. Sounds pretty impossible, right? While the majority of people just ended up crowd surfing regularly, I spotted one intrepid fan making the journey across the crowd on top of his friend - they didn't get very far before being helped down, but it looked awesome while it lasted!
It's only been a couple of weeks since the tenth anniversary of 'For Those Who Have Heart', and they celebrated by playing 'Fast Forward To 2012' - a fan favourite from the album, but one that hasn't been regularly included in their live shows for the past few years. This was obviously a show aimed at promoting the new album, but this was a lovely way to say thank you to the fans who've supported them through the past ten years and while continue to follow them in the future.
'Homesick' is my favourite album, so I was overjoyed that they played more from that album than any other in the set. Finally getting to hear 'Have Faith In Me' live was amazing, and based on how loud the audience were chanting the words back to Jeremy it's obvious that the song still resonates deeply despite being almost eight years old.
My personal favourite moment of the set was the start of the encore. The band went off at the end of the main set to allow the crowd to chant for the encore to start, and when guitarist Neil Westfall appeared on stage before Jeremy he quipped "I'll play this goddamn song solo, I swear to god!".
When Jeremy eventually did appear, holding an acoustic guitar, it was obvious that they were going to be opening the encore with 'If It Means A Lot To You', the closing track from 'Homesick' and their most understated song to date. It was a beautiful rendition, the audience singing every word back to the band and lighting up the arena in a memorable and poignant moment. I've been to a lot of shows, but I'm going to remember that experience forever.
Finishing the encore with the stereotypical pop-punk 'All Signs Point To Lauderdale' (I HATE THIS TOWN, IT'S SO WASHED UP!) and riotous 'The Downfall of Us All', they definitely went out with a bang. This was my first time seeing an A Day To Remember headline set, but it's made it impossible to pass up the opportunity in the future. It's also revived my love for a band who I've lost touch with - I'm going to be listening to 'Bad Vibrations' on repeat for the foreseeable future.

Setlist:

Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End
Paranoid
2nd Sucks
Right Back At It Again
I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of
It's Complicated
Fast Forward To 2012
We Got This
Bad Vibrations
My Life For Hire
Exposed
Have Faith In Me
Justified
Homesick
Naivety
All I Want
The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle
-
If It Means A Lot To You
All Signs Point To Lauderdale
The Downfall of Us All