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.
Lily
Allen
has made a highly anticipated come back with new single Hard Out Here. Just days beforehand saw her cover Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know. Allen unveiled
the new song online recently without any previous build up or broadcast. Often
portrayed as ‘gobby’ in the media, she has spoken out through music about the hottest
issues on women in pop. With everything up in the air we all knew we weren’t going
to end 2013 without allowing her to have her say. Hard Out Here is exciting, infectious and gives the audience exactly
what they want to hear.
Allen’s return has arrived completely at the right
time. Recently the media have focused on news covering objectification of women
in the music industry and almost anything to do with Miley Cyrus’ latest antics.
Allen uses irony not only in the use of lyrics but by adding a touch of auto-tune
to compliment the word ‘Bitch’. Lyrics include lines such as, ‘’If I told you ‘bout my sex life you’d
call me a slut but when boys be talkin’ ‘bout their bitches no one’s making a
fuss.’’ Hard out Here has resulted in having one of the catchiest hooks of
the year.
The song is
saturated with feminist views about women having control and authority in the music
industry, plus how women deal with pressure in a male dominated society. Allen
covers topics about women’s roles, expectancies and how they have become viewed
as the norm in culture. With this she adds lyrics, ‘’you’re not a size six and you’re not good looking. Well you better be
rich, or be real good at cookin’.’’
Lately the video for the song has become a major discussion.
Allen uses visuals and sarcasm to mock the recent issue. However she does it skilfully
by replicating things you see in videos such as Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines. His video recently received
criticism stating it is offensive and sexist to women. At one point in the video,
balloons are formed to read ‘Thicke has a big dick.’ Allen takes this idea as
her own but replaces it with the words ‘Lily Allen has a baggy pussy.’ The
background shows scantily clad dancers ‘twerking’ in time to the beat. it supports
the concepts that some women in the industry are encouraged to be seen as
appealing sex symbols but then get nothing except degraded for it. Issues aside
Hard Out Here is none other than a
welcome return from an artist that, in 2009 confirmed she was quitting music.
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.
‘‘We became different people and the people that we want to be’’ - Wakkhio Taahi, Tonight Alive
After recent release of their second studio album ‘The Other Side’, Aussie, Pop Punk band Tonight Aliveare due to play their 4th performance of 9 date UK tour. Since forming in 2008 whilst still at high school, the band have gone from strength to strength maturing together with a passion for what they do.
Fronted by 21 year old Jenna McDougall, Tonight Alive have not only been busy writing and recording new album but have toured relentlessly promoting their first studio album ‘What Are You So Scared Of.’ Unfortunately, in 2012 exhaustion hit, band members became ill and they cancelled the rest of their upcoming commitments. Perhaps this time around things will be easier.
I chatted with the two guitarists Jake Hardy and Wakkhio Taahi before the bands gig at Manchester Academy 3 on the 3rd October. It is only 3pm and a group of young fans are already outside the venue anticipating the night ahead.
Who do you feel your music speaks to the most? Who do you think your target audience is?
WT: I guess we never really think about who our target is, but I think on this album there are a lot of personal things that Jenna has written about and I feel that a lot of young girls are really grasping onto it because it’s something that they can relate to. Growing up and going through things, this was our way of giving back to our fans that had the stories.
Who/what are your influences when it comes to writing and recording?Do you look up to anyone?
WT: Yeah, definitely, it’s changed a little bit. This album was influenced not so much by other music but by personal experiences, especially touring with bands we really look up to. We wanted to resemble what they were doing in a sense and what worked for them. We had a lot of growing up to do in that time because we were still young. We’ve grown up literally with the band so we became different people and the people that want to be.
You’ve done a couple of international tours now. Who has actually been your favourite band to tour with?
WT: We have a couple. Young Guns, they’re a really good live band and the most decent bunch of lads. Pierce The Veil are a really professional band too. That’s what we want to do, their kind of stage show.
JH: Oh and Bring Me The Horizon,they were on Warped Tour with us and they just like sounded phenomenal, it was incredible. So I’d say those three bands at the moment.
You recently released new album ‘The Other Side’ did you come across many challenges when it came to writing/recording it. How is it different to other records you have released?What did you learn about yourselves in the process?
WT: Definitely, as much as you can come across I guess. We went through a manager change which was really hard for us. We were all really burnt out ‘coz we’d been touring so much. Jenna was sick with her eczema, it was just a rough time for us as well, we were still opening for people and yeah I guess it was just a really kind of challenging time in our lives and the bands career but we ‘made it out the other side.’I think the main difference though is that we matured a lot more. We had more to write about because Jenna was still in high school and we hadn’t really encountered much. When we did ‘The Other Side’ we had been around the world a couple of times so we had a lot more to write about.
Is there a big difference between the music scenes in Australia as opposed to shows you play in America and the UK?
JH: Yeah, when we were first starting we played at a lot of youth centres but many of those have closed down. You get a couple of international bands every year but then other than that, there’s not much else for them to play at if they’re a young band. It’s more just clubs and stuff. Whereas over here there’s so much music press like Kerrang magazine, Kerrang Radio and BBC Radio1 that are more than happy to play rock music whereas back home our radio doesn’t really play Australian rock music.
WT: We have one rock show called Short, Fast, Loud. We never get played on it.
I was actually going to ask how you felt about being the main feature of Kerrang magazine.It must gain you a lot more fans?
WT: Well yeah, I couldn’t believe that they did it really to be honest it’s amazing really. We were so honoured to kind of be a part of it like that; it’s a huge step to take.
As young musicians there was a time you couldn’t get served in bars despite playing gigs in some, what did you do for entertainment whilst on the road? Have you got any eventful stories to tell me?
JH: The drinking age in Australia is 18 so we were all alright but Jenna had to wait outside and be escorted on stage in some venues.
WT: She had to wait in the stairwell until she could play and then she had to go out straight away. And then when the majority us weren’t 21 in the states so we would just hang out in the van.
JH: The drinking laws are pretty relaxed over there so you could always get someone else to buy it for you.
You had to cancel some of your tour a while back because Jenna was ill. This time you’re on tour till mid-December are you doing much after that?
JH: I think we might be getting a month and a half break at home till after Christmas then starting back up.
WT: We recorded the album at the start of the year and then we have just been touring so we haven’t really been home this year at all.
Talking about tours, is there anything different you’re expecting on this tour than the previous UK one you did?
JH: We’re not expecting anything, but the kids have been incredible, I think we’ve doubled in crowd sizes than the last headline tour we did here and it’s incredible because every night we’d go out there’s so many more than we’d expect.
What impact do you think social networking is having on the music industry? Do you think it’s a good medium to talk to fans/promote singles/albums, or just a just a place for internet trolls?
WT: I think it’s a double edged sword really. It is really good way to keep in touch and everyone worldwide knows what’s going on. Even if you haven’t been to their country for a while you can still talk to them and for that side of it it’s good. There’s also the sense of entitlement I think. The internet is so reachable that fans tend to feel like they owe so much more. Then you get the people that can just say whatever they want with no repercussions because they’re on the internet.
JH: I think you just have to find a good balance, between the two.
We’re at that age where social media is a massive part of music and the media, I know you must have had this question so many times but the double edged sword must come into illegal downloading too?
JH: So many people will find out about new music obviously through downloading it and they’ll learn the words but usually will be asked to buy the CD however it does cripple the music industry as well.
WT: We still have our really dedicated fans that buy our stuff and support us, there’s not much we can do, we’ve just got to record our album.
JH: Kids always want to have something that they can bring in to sign. It’s nice to have memorabilia. So I think there will always be a market, it’s getting better. I love CD’s I love reading the booklets and stuff but I guess kids that are born in the 2000’s have never really had that as much. They’ve not grown up with that and those are the kind of fans that are coming through now and they want everything online. These days everything is so accessible.
Thank you for the time.
WT: Thanks for having us.
'The Other Side’ is now available to order on Tonight Alive’s official website:
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.
All Time Low are back with new single ‘A Love Like War’ featuring Vic Fuentes from Pierce The Veil. The two bands are set to do a tour of the USA alongside fellow American rockers A Day To Remember this September.
The band have had many successes over the years with numerous sold out UK tours and five albums in their back pockets. This time around they are re- releasing 2012’s album ‘Don’t Panic’, this time around with four new songs and four bonus acoustic tracks.
The video shows the well groomed quartet playing in a movie theatre, the camera pans from room to room showing different stages of them either playing as a band or watching the film. The movie in the background shows a black and white silent film focusing on the issues of war.
All Time Low include all their usual elements to their new single, although this time the drums and the guitar riffs are a tad heavier than normal. Vic Fuentes’ vocals enter during the chorus. However he doesn’t use his own renowned screaming to capture listener’s attention. It would have been good to see if ATL could have pushed the boundaries as to what their fans would listen to. For now though, they have decided to play it safe with new single.
All in all ‘A Love Like War’ proves to be a worthy upbeat song, catchy as expected from a band like ATL. However nothing really stands out as far as new music is concerned. The element of Vic Fuentes’ vocals of course helps with the possibility of gaining the band some new fans.
With lyrics such as ‘Hearts on fire tonight, feel my bones ignite,’ Furentes’ belting out melodies with ATL vocalist Alex Gaskarth sets the chorus alight. Other than tiny shifts in the music showing the band are evolving there doesn’t seem to be any major change or want for new direction with their musical talent.
The new album ‘Don’t Panic: It’s Longer Now’ is out 30th September via Hopeless Records.
After high anticipation Fall
Out Boy are back in the UK for the first time since February 2013. The band
played an intimate gig at Camden Underworld before embarking on a tour of
U.S.A. This time however they are returning for Reading and Leeds festival with
just one sold out gig in Glasgow playing at the O2 Academy to a capacity of
just 2,500 people. The Chicago based quartet went on hiatus in November 2009 to
pursue other projects. With new album ‘Save Rock And Roll’ it seems as if they
never spent time apart.
First up is Twenty
One Pilots, an American based duo from Columbia, Ohio. The band are playing
their first ever gig in Scotland. On stage is just a Piano, a synthesiser and a
drum set. Throughout the 40 minutes on stage there are numerous amounts of
backflips from the piano, thrashing beats and catchy choruses. They finish off a
spectacular energising set with a drum off/ensemble, give their thanks then
leave the crowd waiting for FOB. Watch out for them in the near future, they’re
on the way to great things.
Entering with hit 'Thriller' Fall Out Boy stroll onto the
stage to nothing but screams from the crowd. The audience gathers a mixture of
youngsters, there to see the band for the first time and elders wanting to relieve
teenage memories. The pop punk legends have returned. The days of big hair and
eye-liner have been replaced by four grown up men with an almighty stage presence.
Patrick Stump proves himself as more of a front-man than he
ever was. Self-expression throughout
performance and proficiency shines through. It just goes to show that four years
away from FOB has done a lot of good. His vocal performance is electric like
ever before, having toured his solo album during hiatus he has learnt to work
the crowd with new found confidence. This
time around he shares song breaks with bassist Pete Wentz, who was previously
renowned for interacting with the crowd whilst Stump shied away.It’s hard to tell this is just their 3rd UK show since 2009.
Given that it’s the only night away from Reading and Leeds
festival FOB can have as much fun as they want. Wentz brings out a T-Shirt gun
for some freebies but with two failed attempts he merely shrugs and the band
head straight into ‘Death Valley’. 'We just wrote a record called Save Rock and Roll'declares Wentz, 'But from the looks of it rock and roll is just fine in Glasgow'
The room is as vibrant as ever whilst classic tracks ‘Grand
Theft Autumn’, ‘Dance, Dance’ and ‘Sugar We’re Going Down’ erupt from the
stage. The set is so far everything that FOB are expected to be, catchy, tight,
bold and in every way, sensational.
The band return to the stage for the encore to chants of
‘here we go, here we fucking go’, a norm for gigs in Glasgow. Settling himself
down to the piano, Stump cuts into self-titled song ‘Save Rock Rock And Roll.’
The encore is followed by hit 'Thnks Fr The Mmrs' and finishes with none other than definitive pop punk anthem, ‘Saturday.’
Understandably seven tracks from the most recent album ‘Save
Rock And Roll’ are played. However with a mixture of
hits and particular favourites the set list cannot be faulted. After five hours
of being squashed like sardines in a can, fans leave the venue with grins
spread across their face and sodden T Shirts. Fall Out Boy’s return seems to be
back for good, this time with a more mature approach to their live
performances.
1. Thriller
2. I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me.
3. A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More ''Touch Me''
4. Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes
5. The Phoenix
6. Just One Yesterday
7. This Aint A Scene It's An Arms Race
8.Alone Together
9.What A Catch Donnie
10. Death Valley
11. Hum Hallelujah
12. Grand Theft Autumn/ Where Is Your Boy
13. Sugar We're Going Down 14.Young Volcanoes
15. Dance, Dance
16. I Don't Care
17. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up)
encore
1. Save Rock And Roll
2. Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
3. Saturday
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