Up first and playing to a half vacant arena is New Jersey band, The Front Bottoms. A thirty-minute set is enough to portray their direction as frontman, Brian Sella recites his way through emotionally wrought themes about heartbreak, love and being misunderstood. If this band was a person it would probably be an emo kid.
When supports were announced it was hard to tell if Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls would be a good choice. However, as songs that ooze punk flood the venue, the uncertainty turns to delight. Tonight is about having a good time, looking out for each other, (Google ‘safe gigs for women’) and positivity – this band provides all of that and more.
Turner really is everything you want in a frontman – energetic, charismatic and obviously has a profound love for what he does. What kind of man brings someone who has never heard of him or played harmonica up on stage for a solo? Who dives into a human pit and still delivers every lyric so clearly? Frank Turner does. Renowned for being on tour non-stop, this band know what they’re doing. If there’s one thing for certain it’s that Turner really is the epitome of the word ‘cool’.
The moment everyone has been waiting for arrives, as the theme to Stranger Things blares out the PA system. The flag adorned with the bands logo drops unveiling the trio. It's been a good three years since pop punk veterans, Blink - 182 graced the UK with their presence. After mixed reviews from 2014's Leeds & Reading sets and a change to the lineup, there's some high expectations. Opener, Feeling This is unexpected, yet well received.
With a discography that dates back twenty- two years; it’s clear there wouldn't be a huge amount of interaction. however, Mark Hoppus, the bands main de facto frontman makes sure he introduces the band and makes way for none other than Matt Skiba.
It takes guts being the person to fills the boots of predecessor Tom Delonge, who notoriously departed the band in 2015. Replacement guitarist and joint frontman Skiba is no doubt going to get mixed reviews - but tonight, receives a relatively warm reception and holds his own. A few songs in confirms the replacement was a more than worthy choice.Granted, Delonge's distinctive vocals throughout classics such as I Miss You are absent and in some ways will remain a distant memory. However, hearing classic tracks in a new way is refreshing and in order to help cultivate a new fanbase perhaps, necessary.
Despite being just over a year old, this is the first time the band has done a UK tour promoting their seventh studio album California. The latest songs, to an extent, contain more mature themes - which are in many ways a tribute to their hometown California, cue Skiba's time to shine. Overall, song choices are varied and cater to an audience of all ages. Absent, are any tracks from 2011's Neighbourhoods, perhaps an appropriate choice. However, just when you thought Blink peaked too soon playing ridiculous tracks such as Dysentary Gary and Family Reunion, they close with none other than All the Small Things and Dammit.Combine this with bursts of pyrotechnics, slick lighting with vibrant background videos accompanying every song, you have yourself a stellar rock show.
It’s challenging to say what the best part of the show is. The fact music can still be about just three guys on stage without a bunch of session musicians shows that in some cases less really is more. Extremely notable is drummer, Travis Barker. He is the glue that holds the songs together, the guy who steals the show playing intricate rhythms so effortlessly as if every gig is his last. It seems Travis Junior – only 12 years old is keen to follow in his dad’s footsteps as he launches into solo during the bands finale.
Now in their 40’s, it’s safe to hazard a guess that Blink-182 are past their prime. In some ways perhaps that could true, a classic Blink -182 gig would have been the dream. It still doesn't feel quite like 'The Blink -182 show.' Despite that, they are too experienced and profound as a band to really mess anything up. They are definitely progressing in the right direction and if there’s anyone who can still pull off khaki shorts, toilet humour and catchy riffs– its them.
14th December 2014
Blackburn King George's Hall
Support: Verses, Lonely the Brave.
Formed in 2005 in Norfolk, Deaf Havana have had a whirlwind few years that have seen them release three studio albums, open for none other than Bruce Springsteen and play sold out headline tours. The band have had their downsides such as the cancellation of this year’s European tour. Nevertheless this has not held them back from doing what they do best - thriving in the UK rock scene.
Towards the last leg of the 2014 UK tour, I found myself in Blackburn’s King Georges Hall for the evening. There, I spoke to Matthew Veck-Gilodi (backing vocals and guitar) and Chris Pennells (guitar) about their biggest gigs, songwriting and Deaf Havana’s future.
How is it going touring with Lonely the Brave and Verses so far?
Matthew: Really good. They’re a great bunch of people as well as great bands so it is always a good laugh to have them around. We are all really enjoying it actually.
Chris: It’s very fun.
Matthew: It is, everyone gets on and there are no big egos about.
I saw that you had the set list competition just before you set out on your current tour. Was it hard to put the control of the set list into someone else’s hands, even though they’re your fans?
Chris: Yeah, I guess. When we first put it out we were obviously quite worried that we would get some suggestions that wouldn’t fit in or flow well and that we could do logistically.
Matthew: And craft a show out of it as well. That’s the thing, I mean; we don’t just specifically play the songs that we want to play. Normally you get a feel for it and you learn how some songs go together really well and that can create something that would be an hour and twenty minutes long.
Chris: But luckily enough we did find a few that worked quite well.
Matthew: Yes, we had some really good suggestions actually. I mean, some people had produced some amazing ones, looks wise as well. People had made them against great art work and stuff like that.
Chris: Oliver Beresford’s set list was the best, we felt. So we picked that.
Did you have any weird requests or people not taking it seriously?
Chris: We had a lot of strange cover suggestions.
Why did you decide to do the competition and has the set list been receiving good feedback so far on tour?
Chris: I think it was more that we’ve always just picked sets for us essentially. It was nice to have a change. The whole point in us doing this tour was the fact we have always stuck to major cities. The whole point in the tour was, rather than expecting people to come to the music, taking the music to the people. At the same time, in keeping with that ethos it was about getting a fan to choose our set list for it as well.
You mention in your documentary English Hearts that you started off playing such small venues around the local areas and sleeping in your van. Now that you are playing on a larger scale have there been any moments where it has sunk in that you have really made it?
Matthew: There have been a couple of surreal ones. For me, one was when we supported Muse in Germany. That was a band that I loved as a kid. So, that was just a really odd one. Like ‘oh shit.’
The other was with Bruce Springsteen as well because the guy is like sixty odd and has been doing music for such a long time and so consistently at such a high level. To share the same stage as him, that was a moment when I was like ‘Christ yeah, this is going somewhere.’
Can you see yourselves doing that for the rest of your life? Do you want to be doing music until you’re about sixty odd?
Both: Yeah.
Matthew: If I look as half as good as he does at thirty, but as he does at sixty, I’ll be impressed.
Chris: I feel sixty.
Matthew: I think I am (laughs).
Chris: Logically, your innards probably are.
How do you feel about the British rock scene becoming more accessible and entering the mainstream scene? A few years ago I would never hear bands like Yma6, Deaf Havana or Bring Me the Horizon being played on Radio One, let alone appearing high up in the charts. Chris: I think it is great, especially with Radio 1 playing such a varied stuff.
Mathew: I mean radio stations do still play a lot of bollocks.
Chris: Yeah there’s been a lot of EDM lately. It’s not even music really.
Matthew: Disclosure are alright but that’s clever house music. The problem is with house music, you hear a bit that’s pretty good and then there’s just five minutes that is just noise for people on ketamine.
Chris: But yeah, obviously it is not only just our kind of music, there has been an uprising in music like indie as well on Radio One and other stations. I think it is good.
Matthew: It’s healthy to have diversity. You don’t get people turning on the radio and just hearing the same song over and over again. Are there any plans to reschedule the European tour that you cancelled or is it too early to tell?
Chris: It is still too early to tell.
Matthew: We haven’t made any solid plans yet.
Chris: Yeah, it needs to make sense when we go back.
Matthew: We will be back; it should be next year as well. It’s just such a shame that we couldn’t do it. We were all gutted about it because it sold really well in some of the venues. It’s always good to go around Europe. Everyone has been very understanding, so that’s one thing I’m really pleased about because it’s easy to become bitter and jaded and be like, ‘fuck this band.’
How do you feel about the future of touring for bands and do you have any advice for people wanting to start bands?
Chris: I’d say just play as many shows as you can. I think that’s where and certainly how we’ve got to where we are today and where the main bulk of the work is. It is put into touring and playing your music on the road. There’s obviously a lot of other stuff that happens doesn’t include that but the bulk of it lies in working your arse off on tour.
Is that due to album sales nowadays?
Both: Yes
Matthew: To earn money and be viable business it’s horrible to have to talk about music like that but yeah, you draw it in from touring and merchandise.
Chris: Bands did used to see more money out of records. They used to tour to support an album release but it’s almost like now that you’re releasing an album just for an excuse to be able to go and tour. So it has completely flipped on its head over the past few years.
Matthew: Yeah, I mean, look at 1975. They have rocketed right up and they have played 195 shows this year or something like that. It’s mad.
You are a band well known for your personal lyrics across your albums, be it about growing up, losing friends and alcohol fuelled touring. What song is most sentimental to you and why?
Matthew: Well mine will always be 'Mildred' because I wrote that one with James but all the lyrics are mine. It is about my best friend and when I thought I was never going to see him again, for various reasons. Luckily we are all still best mates now and hang out all the time. So, that song will always be very special to me.
Chris: One that always hits home for me is ‘Times Change’, which we actually play on this tour. It’s about Ryan leaving the band.
The band has changed its sound quite a bit since Ryan Mellor left post ‘Meet Me Halfway, At Least’. Was it hard to change the live sound when performing at gigs? Why did you decide to make the decision to not get another singer?
Chris: When it happened we could have easily gone one way and we did have a discussion with another guy about him joining the band.
Matthew: We had some professional photos done as well with him.
Chris: James had written a couple of songs that we just put out as demos. We decided it would probably be a better way to go forward. The song writing was a lot better that way. The lyric that James was coming out with…it was just a no brainer really. We do still play a couple of the old songs.
Matthew: I think it took a while to get to that point. Once I and Max got added to the band I think that helped a bit. We could just flesh out songs where there would have been little gaps. We just took a different approach to it all.
In 2013 you did an unplugged acoustic tour. In terms of live performances and atmosphere is there much difference between electric sets and acoustic sets? Do you have a preference?
Matthew: There’s a huge difference yeah. They’re so different I don’t know if I can choose. Actually I definitely prefer when we play full electric sets because there’s more energy.
Chris: It was REALLY good to change it up.
Matthew: I loved it because it was so quiet and everyone was so respectful. It was really nice to do something that different actually. Can we expect any new music from the band in the near future? Are there any new projects on the horizon?
Chris: James and Max have got their tour in January and then we are just writing.
Matthew: Yes, solidly working on writing. We probably won’t tour again until this time next year.
Chris: This is basically it for now for ‘Old Souls.’
Matthew: Fans probably have a long time to wait unfortunately. But, I mean once we have things in place we will get singles out as soon as we can.
Support: Ryland Steen, Zebrahead. Manchester Academy 3/02/14
It is no surprise that Manchester’s gig sold out in a flash with a co-headline tour consisting of ska punk legends Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake.
There is a sense of nostalgia as the crowd, ranging from aged 20- something fans to middle-aged punks, enter the venue anticipating the lively night ahead. They are in for an energetic Monday night of skanking and puerile humour. Once more, a friendly ska community returns in hope of an amazing performance. It really is one of the best line-ups for lovers of ska, punk and entertainment.
Support surprisingly comes from RBF’s very own Ryland Steen, who takes an interval away from his drum sticks to perform an acoustic set. He is followed by fun-loving Zebrahead, who don’t hesitate to get the crowd chanting songs about beer.
Recognized for their bold sideburns and wacky attire, Reel Big Fish take no time at all to get the crowd enticed. They delve into classics such as ‘I Want Your Girlfriend to Be My Girlfriend’ and ‘Everything Sucks’ within ten minutes of the set. RBF’s live sets are all you would expect to witness and more. The guys on brass succeed in entertaining the crowd with synchronised dance moves whilst frontman Aaron Barrett gives it his all with his tongue-in-cheek lyrics. New trombonist Billy Kottage fits in perfectly and proves a great addition playing animated solos. By this point, the set is well and truly on its way and the crowd are a mass of jumping beans waiting to be let lose.
Manchester hosts privilege to a ‘special guest appearance’ in the form of hybrid act, Sonic Boom Six. They perform ‘Hiding in My Headphones,’ a song from the band’s hottest record, and reappear prior to the encore for ‘She Has a Girlfriend Now.’
A predictable, yet nostalgic encore comes in the form of ‘Beer,’ combined with a quirky take on rock band The Offspring’s, very own, ‘Self Esteem’. RBF end on a high with the inevitable cover that is Aha’s ‘Take On Me’, leaving the drenched crowd eagerly awaiting Less Than Jake.
RBF smash through 13 songs in all. It’s a shame they don’t play the 20 songs they have performed during previous UK dates. Still, after 23 years in music, their live sets still remain a joy to witness and are the reason fans keep returning for more.
Finally, joint-headliners Less Than Jake appear on stage at 9:50, resorting to a later curfew of 11pm. With a catalogue as ongoing as theirs, it is hard to predict which songs they will perform. They play fan favourites ‘Look What Happened’ and ‘History of a Boring Town’ and soon give it their all, playing their strongest tracks; something you’re bound to see during a smaller set.
Notorious for getting enthusiasts on stage to perform acts such as ‘fat dance offs’, LTJ waste no time persuading the only female bouncer in the room to get up and skank. Further into the set, they attempt to get two teenagers from the crowd to kiss for a whole song. It seems people are party pooping on fun tonight, as all three participants do a half arsed dance before hastily getting off stage.
There’s never a dull moment at a LTJ show. It’s so great to see that after years of touring, they still know how to throw a party. They bring the set to an end with an encore of established, dance-worthy tracks, ‘All My Best Friends Are Metalheads,’ ‘Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sellouts’ and ‘Gainsville Rock City.’
Throughout LTJ’s set, there isn’t a single moment the crowd have their feet on the floor. Fans have nothing but grins on their faces as they leave drenched in sweat and out of breath. The set-list remains short but displays an upbeat, varied and taut show. A Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake headlining act is probably one of the finest ska line-ups fans could ask for. The memories will stay with devotees for a long time.
Formed in 1991, Reel Big Fish are renowned for their sarcastic lyrics, wacky outfits and let’s not forget skanking. The band are currently in the UK on a joint headline tour with fellow ska punk band Less Than Jake with support from Zebrahead.
Fans were left shocked in October 2013 when long time trombone player Dan Regan left the band in order to spend more time with his wife and children. After 23 years in the ska music scene, frontman Aaron Barrett remains the only founding member.
I joined Barrett and trombonist Billy Kottage for twenty minutes prior to their gig at the Manchester Academy. There, we covered a range of topics including songwriting, tour life and crazy fans.
How do you go about writing music and who generally takes the lead when it comes to writing new material?
Aaron Barrett: I started the band, so I’ve always written the songs, at least 90% of them. Sometimes I’ll be stuck on a horn line or something, or some other part. I guess I bring in the skeleton of the song to the band and say, “Hey, this is the idea, do your thing.” I don’t just sit down and write songs, I just come up with ideas. They pop into my head, a little tune, some words here and there, and then I just wait to put it together as a whole song. I don’t sit down and noodle on guitar if anything. It’s all in my head; I’m always in my own head.
Despite line-up changes, RBF has been going as a band since 1991. In your experience how much has the industry changed over time?
Aaron Barrett: Oh my God, I compare the way things have changed in the last twenty years to how it must have been when cars were invented. People were riding around in horse and carriages, and then suddenly there were cars.
Billy Kottage: Then there was the internet.
Aaron Barrett: We had radio, recorded music, aeroplanes and spaceships too. I know that it was over a long period of time, all those things I just mentioned. The internet coming along was that important and life-changing for everyone I think. Being there before and after in the music industry and watching the internet just turn everything upside down, that’s crazy.
How did you manage to promote all your work before the internet?
Aaron Barrett: I can’t imagine. We used to have a physical mailing list that we would have at the shows and people would write down their home addresses. I would go to the copy store and make a bunch of little flyers, lick the stamps and write the addresses out because I didn’t have a printer. I would then drive to all the record stores and put flyers in there for the shows. Now it’s just like, Facebook post, we’re playing.
How are things with you Billy, you’ve only been playing with RBF since October haven’t you?
Billy Kottage: Yeah, October-ish.
Aaron Barrett: He has been playing with the band since last January because he’s been playing with one of the bands that have been touring with us.
Billy Kottage: I had been joining them on stage for a year. It has been good. I was with the band Big D for warped tour. When Dan had his baby, I did the first three or four shows just covering for him and doing things for him here and there.
You guys are well known for your cover songs. How do you go about translating a pop song into a ska punk song? How long does the process usually take?
Aaron Barrett: I don’t know, it just kind of makes sense in my head. It’s easy to make any song a ska punk song, for me anyway. That’s my one talent, my gift.
What’s your favourite cover song that you have done? Aaron Barrett: We’ve done some really weird ones. We’ve done a few cover songs. I think my favourite is the Oingo Boingo cover, ‘We Close Our Eyes.’ It has a mash up, a dub sounding piece of shit with all these weird noises and stuff in it. It’s awesome. Then we did a cover of a Poison song with this band called Tat. I think that might be my favourite cover song, but those are not really ska punk songs. Those ones are almost impossible to play live. I think ‘Take On Me’ is one of my favourite songs ever. I always like that one. The fact that it became one of our most popular songs and having an excuse to play it live almost every night… I love it.
So, this is your 4th sold out UK date so far. What are you bringing to the table this time around? Can fans expect many surprises? Aaron Barrett: Well, we don’t really make plans. We just kind of evolve I guess and do different things, maybe play a few different songs. We will play a few of the newer songs that we didn’t do last time.
Billy Kottage: and a couple of old songs that we always play.
Aaron Barrett: I think that’s why people like us because we’re half always the same and you can count on it and half you don’t know what we’re going to do, unexpected, which is nice. You can count on us to play Beer, Take On Me and Sell Out, you know, all the favourites. You can count on us to surprise you. What would a person who is attending a RBF concert for the first time expect to experience? I’m guessing a lot of dancing?
Aaron Barrett: Yes, definitely an outgoing audience, sweaty bodies, writhing, feet flying in the air.
Billy Kottage: Maybe a kick to the head.
Aaron Barrett: Yeah you’ve got to be careful, it gets dangerous. On stage expect a bunch of wacky guys doing wacky things. We’re playing music, jumping around and having a good time. It’s just a party. I think that’s why people like to see us again and again. You can watch the show. We are entertaining if you watch. It’s also fun to dance to. Even if you’re way back at the bar, it’s just good background music for dancing.
How do you feel about people that just watch gigs through their phones? Aaron Barrett: That’s another thing that’s changed because I remember before everyone had a phone in their pocket.
Billy Kottage: It’s not really bad if people are taking pictures, maybe even a short video but when they stand right in front of you, the moment is happening right there, it’s live, it’s real. You’re only going to remember that you looked at shitty little images and that’s all you’re ever going to see. That’s just the way it is now, especially with younger kids. That’s just how they see the world.
Have you got any plans whilst you’re in the UK, What have you been up to so far? Aaron Barrett: I think everybody has terrible jetlag.
Billy Kottage: I woke up at 4 O’clock today.
Aaron Barrett: I think everybody made a mistake. We landed, got on the tour bus and went straight to bed and got onto the worst schedule. We were up all night long.
Billy Kottage: We got on that ferry from Ireland too, where we stayed up till seven in the morning.
Aaron Barrett: Plus everybody has been fighting off a cold for the past month or two, so don’t get too close.
You’ve been on your own record label since 2006. Is there much difference to being signed independently as opposed to a major record label? Do you have to do a lot more for yourself?
Aaron Barrett: Well, when we were on a major label and things were working for us it was awesome because they had a whole group of people, an advertising department and the radio department. They were getting us played on the radio and putting ads in magazines, so that’s cool. We still have that but on a smaller scale for the record label we’re with now. It’s more of a distribution deal, it’s not like we’ve signed to them. Our deal right now is just, “Hey guys, whatever you record just bring it to us and we will put it out.” Before, we had to ask permission to see if it was a good idea and business choice to put on a new album.
Billy Kottage: There’s no pressure to record.
Aaron Barrett: They understand what kind of band we are and what we’re not.
So do you prefer being independent then?
Aaron Barrett: I do, when it was working for us way back in the 90s in the USA it was really cool to have a major label behind us, pushing and helping us get more exposure. When they didn’t care about us and it was more about working against us, it was holding us back from doing what we knew was right to do. In the early 2000s our label got bought out by another label, Jive Records. That kind of all happened again over here in the UK, which was nice. We had the support of a major label over here that were pushing us. It was good but also very nice to be independent. You get to do things the way you think they should be done. From experience up close we know what our band needs, what are fans are like and what they like.
According to Setlist FM you’re playing 20 songs on this tour. Which are your favourites to play live on the current set-list?
Aaron Barrett: We’re doing 20 songs? That’s crazy. They’re short songs though. I like to play all the songs that make people go crazy. A lot of bands don’t like to play their hits but I love to play them because I love to see the crowd explode and cheering, “YAAAY.” You hear a little guitar riff or a horn part and just start moving. That’s what I like, to see the crowd move and react. A song that’s really fun to play on guitar but makes the crowd stare at you in a fused way is not as fun live.
Billy Kottage: Aw man, that’s kind of hard. My favourite Reel Big Fish song to play live is probably ‘She Has a Girlfriend Now’, just because it’s a great song. Usually we will have a guest and if not, Matt will sing it. That’ll be fun. It’s got an awesome trombone solo. We’ve been playing some Forces of Evil songs and there’s a song called ‘Angry Anthem’, I love that song so much. I think it’s probably all the “mother fuckers” parts.
You’re a band renowned for getting a mass of fans to skank to your songs. Besides crazy dance moves, what’s the strangest thing you have witnessed in the crowd whilst playing a gig? Aaron Barrett: Last year there were some people actually having sex, way off to the side. It was at that college, one of the universities. Two crazy kids getting it on right in front of people, it was very strange. Yeah…that was weird, it’s not like we have the sexiest music or it was the safest place to do it.
Are there any current plans for a new album? Have you been writing much since ‘Candy Coated Fury’ (2012)? Aaron Barrett: Well, ‘Candy Coated Fury’ was my ultimate masterpiece so I don’t think I’ll ever write another song again. There are no plans right now; we’ve got too many songs already. Eventually we will probably make a new album. Matt just wrote a little piece of a song that sounds really good.
What is your favourite RBF album? Aaron Barrett: Definitely the live album, which is my ultimate masterpiece, it’s so awesome. We edited the shit out of it, took all the funniest jokes and put them all together. We overdubbed the crap out of it so it sounds so fake. It’s not even real. That was one awesome show the night we recorded it, bam that was it. ‘Candy Coated Fury’ came out really good and we are happy with the songs.
Billy Kottage: The same for me with the live album. It’s kind of hard to not like it, for me at least anyway.
Aaron Barrett: They’re all good in their own way.
I didn’t realise how much editing it takes for live albums.
Aaron Barrett: Well, I don’t know, I think we over did it more than we really needed to. We had a lot of new band members and we’d been playing a lot. We felt like a better band. It was just an excuse to re-record everything. I mean, it was recorded live but we’ve added extra and doubled the guitars, little things like that. The jokes are all live. Then we did a DVD in 2009 called Live In Concert…what a creative name. The DVD wasn’t overdubbed or anything, it was completely live. It really sounds just as good. We were going through a time for a crazy period in our lives.
With the venue having released 100 extra tickets prior to tonight’s sold out gig, Bring Me the Horizon are here in Manchester for the second time this year. The band have a notorious reputation in the rock world for putting on outstanding live shows. Bonfire night is prepared for a miss this year by many as one of Britain’s biggest metal acts are set to perform a night fans have anticipated.
Due to the immense queue still running down the street outside, first support band Sights and Sounds regrettably don’t manage to gather much of an audience.With 8pm rapidly approaching, the stage makes way for California’s very own Pierce the Veil, who do their duty to get fans hyped up for the main act. The venue is almost over capacity and fans are still only just entering the building. The half an hour set showcases a tight, instrument heavy performance alongside singer Vic Fuentes’ feministic vocals. Although the songs aren't spectacularly varied when playing live, Fuentes’ knows how to work the audience. PTV are a crowd pleaser, however it seems their music is aimed at those of a younger age.
The crowd are never a relaxed bunch when it comes to Bring Me the Horizon concerts. Straight after renditions of Can You Feel My Heart and Shadow Moses, the room splits into two. A wall of death commences as old-school favourite Diamonds Aren't Forever, sends shockwaves of excitement through the crowd.
It seems BMTH have gone all out for this set. Fans are hypnotised by heavy blasts of smoke, thick guitar riffs and what can only be described as Sempiternal style videos playing in the background. The way the concert charges the audience emotionally tonight just goes to show how much the bands production has improved. The hauntingly compelling And the Snakes Start to Sing is echoed through the room followed by Empire and heavier track It Never Ends.
‘‘I want to see a circle pit. If you break an arm or a leg you won’t have to go to school tomorrow,’’vocalist Oli Sykes yells. Full of charisma and jokes, he captivates the audience with his boundless energy. Sykes is on form tonight and is totally in his element. Much to everyone’s delight a mixture of old and new songs are performed. He encourages the crowd to get on each other’s shoulders for fan favourite Blessed With a Curse which contains an abundance of call and response and an intense guitar solo. The venue is complete with circle pits and crowd surfers. This is and never has been the type of gig for the faint hearted.
Screens disappear, unveiling huge glowing initials ‘BMTH’ as the band launch into the finale of the show. It is the riveting, second single from recent album Sempiternal that closes the performance. Sleepwalking sends the crowd wild one last time. Not one person in the room is standing still. Confetti floods the venue to put an end to an outstanding performance full of empathy, ambience and an insane amount of chaos you would expect to see at a BMTH concert.
Paramore are here in the UK to promote their new, self-titled album.
It’s their first tour in the UK since the Farro brothers left the band in 2010
other than the occasional Festival date. With past band bust-ups frequently in
the public eye, the key trio have returned stronger and better than ever. Manchester
sees the first night of the six date headline tour, with support from Indie
band Eliza and the Bear and Synthpop
act Charli XCX.
Frontwoman Hayley Williams, as always is the star of the
show. Bringing with her yet another creative hairstyle she gives it her all, strutting
about on stage in tight, glossy leggings. For such a petite lady Williams
carries such a solid, striking voice, one which has matured over time. Tonight
she is here to prove critics that this is not the end for Paramore, simply just
a new start. With sleek dance moves, angst and crowd interactions the whole
stage is ablaze with their infectious persona and the main trio, as a whole are
on fire.
The few years out of the limelight focusing on writing and
recording has made this band sturdier than ever. With the help from seasoned
touring musicians the performance is tight, varied and conveys lyrics about heartbreak
and love that the audience can, in some way or another relate to.
‘’This year has been such a roller coaster for
us, so far in our lives it’s been ok to let go,’’ Williams states as she
rehearses a speech about how tough the last two years have been for the band.
Paramore surprise the audience by performing acoustic song ‘In the Mourning’, written a few months
after the Farro brothers quit the band. Williams pours her feelings out in
front of a 10,000+ audience. This one can only be followed by another devotee
favourite, ‘The Only Exception’.
The set-list primarily consists of a mixture of songs from
the new album ‘Paramore’. A few
classic tracks are incorporated here and there, mainly hit singles. The arena
interrupts into song throughout the show as fan favourites ‘Ignorance’, ‘Decode’
and ‘Crushcrushcrush’ blare out from the speakers.. The three
acoustic interludes provide a break from the captivating set in which guitarist
Taylor York and Hayley Williams set themselves up on alternate sides of the
stage with one spotlight.
During most celebrated single ‘Misery Business’ Williams brings the crowd to a halt , surveys the
crowd and pulls up a fortunate teenage girl introduced as Amy from the audience.
Together they sing until the end of the song, take a bow and leave the stage on
time for the encore.
Paramore conclude with a combination of acoustic and
electric tracks from new album, ‘Part II’,
and emotive song ‘Interlude: Moving On’.
Fresh single ‘Still Into You’ is the
big finisher for the night. The fact remains that this band can handle whatever
is thrown their way, care about their fans and can still pull off a memorable
show in the process. They aren't going anywhere in a hurry.
