The Welcome Home Tour

Heavens Basement, Glamour of the Kill and Dirty Youth

Academy 2, Manchester

March 22nd, 2013

Tonight took us to Manchester for the Heavens Basement Welcome Home Tour.

Kicking things off were Dirty Youth, a five piece, female fronted band from South Wales.  These guys played a good upbeat set including songs called 'Fight' and 'Alive'. 

The Dirty Youth have a rock sound to them but with a hint of punk here and there, which gave them an extra edge.  These guys sounded great and had the crowd joining in.

Next up were Glamour of the Kill, a band I have seen a couple of times before but always in a festival setting.  Glamour of the Kill hail from York and are a four man outfit. 

Glamour of the Kill played a full on rock/metal set including songs 'A Freak Like Me' and 'The Only One' from their new album  'Savages' and 'If Only She Knew' from their previous album 'The Summoning'. We were also treated to a great cover of Kiss' 'Lovegun'

Finishing with my personal favourite, 'Feeling Alive', Glamour of the Kill left the stage to a barrage of cheers and applause.  If you like your rock with a lot of great guitar riffs and catchy lyrics then these are the guys to see.  It was great to finally hear them play a full rather than an abridged set that you get at the festivals.

Headlining tonight are Heavens Basement, a British four man group, consisting of Aaron on Vocals, Sid on guitar, Rob on Bass and Chris on drums.

These guys played a very high energy set consisting of songs such as 'Jump Back', 'Fire, Fire' and 'Heartbreaking Son of a Bitch' from their 2013 album 'Filthy Empire'.

Midway through the set they slowed things down a little  with 'Price We Pay', which sounded great. Sid then took over with a rendition of 'Paranoia'.  The last song before encore was 'Reign on my Parade' and saw Aaron jump down from the stage and walk across the top of the crowd.

Heavens Basement are high in energy and volume and really put on a good show.  Front man Aaron's moves are very theatrical  (almost reminiscent of a mime artist at times) and all in all they put on a fantastic show.

I would recommend all of the bands on tonight's bill and will definitely be checking them out again the next time they hit town. 

Chasing Cadence, The Effect, Lacey and The Spangle Corps

Chasing Cadence, The Effect, Lacey and The Spangle Corps

The Intake, Mansfield

March 12th, 2014

Tonight took us to The Intake at Mansfield, which from the outside looked like an old auto shop. The only giveaway that it was a music venue was the sign above the car port.  However, once inside it was a decent sized venue with quite a big stage area.

The crowd tonight was probably around 30 to 40 and so tonight's gig really was quite an intimate one.

First up were the Spangle Corps from Nottingham.  These guys had a rock sound to them and plenty of energy, however their attempts to get the crowd joining in fell flat.

Next up were Lacey, who despite a small technical hitch during 'Burning Out' played brilliantly!  I have seen these guys before and I am never disappointed. Their set consisted of six songs including 'Reach Out', 'Reset to Zero', 'Contender', 'Let It Go' and current single 'Hometown'.

Following Lacey where The Effect from Swansea, who I enjoyed.  These guys played all original songs but even though I could not join in with singing I was tapping my foot along with them. They had a good stage presence and the audience received them well.

Headlining tonight were Chasing Cadence from Hertfordshire.  These guys were a heavier band and if I'm honest I wasn't overly enamoured with them.  Their mixture of sung and screamed lyrics had the crowd going a little but they didn't have the charisma that some of the other bands I have seen have possessed, and so I found I had lost interest by the end of their set.

All in all it was a good night and a great mid week treat. 

You can catch Lacey on the Spring Break Tour with Patent Pending and People on Vacation in April.

Fearless Vampire Killers, Bad Pollyanna, The Dead XIII and Don't Stop Go!

Fearless Vampire Killers, Bad Pollyanna, The Dead XIII and Don't Stop Go!

Sound Control Manchester

March 9th, 2014

Tonight I'm back at Sound Control in Manchester for a night of full on goth rock.

Starting things off where Don't stop Go!, a band that I saw for the first time just a couple of weeks ago supporting Ashestoangels.  The night started with lead singer Danneh performing a solo acoustic song before introducing the rest of the band and launching into a full on rock set.  These guys have an early Placebo sound to them and a fantastic sound.

Next up were The Dead XIII. They are a five piece punk metal band from Manchester and it is clear to see from their image and the music they play who their influences are.  Their set consisted of mainly original songs however they did throw in a cover version of Wednesday 13's 'Bad Things'. The Dead XIII have a great stage presence and a lot of energy. 

The third band on tonight's bill was Bad Pollyanna, a four piece, female fronted rock band.  Bad Pollyanna have just the right amount of rock and theatrics to wow the audience but without being tacky.  

Considering I'm not a fan of female fronted bands I found myself really enjoying this one.  Lead singer Olivia has a really strong voice but doesn't sing at too high a pitch.  

They played all their own songs including a song called 'Define Me' which was written in honour of Sophie Lancaster the young girl who was savagely beaten to death in Bacup, Lancashire because of her alternative life style.  Bad Pollyanna have been working with the S.O.P.H.I.E. Foundation who to help raise awareness of hate crimes towards people who lead alternative lifestyles.

Headlining were a band that I have now seen numerous times and who never fail to impress me and tonight was no different.  Starting off with my favourite, 'Bow Ties On Dead Guys', the Fearless Vampire Killer guys bounce into gear.

As usual Kier and Laurence shared the lead singer duties but instead of Kier playing the first half and then switching with Laurence they played three songs each and then switched so each of them had centre stage on more than one occasion.

Playing a set containing songs such as 'Could We Burn Darling?', 'Bite Down On My Winchester' and 'Fetish For The Finite' from their album 'Militia Of The Lost'  and 'The Mechanist - Headlung' and 'The Thief - Merchants Of Decay' from their EP 'Exposition- The Five Before The Flames', as well as their last single 'All Hallows Evil', and two new songs from their upcoming album which will be released later this year.

Every time  I have seen them they have always thrown in a cheeky 80's cover song whether it be their version of Elton John's 'I'm Still Standing' or Phil Collins' 'Easy Lover' and tonight was no different.  Tonight's song of choice was a rock version of Wham's 'Club Tropicana', which is how they finished their set as they ran out of time.

Fearless Vampire Killers left the stage to very loud cheers and applause (and a quite a lot of screaming from the teenage girls).

If you like your rock with a lot eyeliner and extra bounce then tonight would be right up your street!  I would not hesitate to go to see any of these bands again.

Fearless Vampire Killers will be touring  with Bad Pollyanna again on the Cabin Fever UK Tour  in April.

To find out more about the Sophie Lancaster Foundation click here:

 http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com

The Role Models Tour

The Bottom Line, Landmarks, Falling for Grace, Empty Space, The Molatovs and Koal

March 2nd and 3rd, 2014

Retro Bar Manchester and The Brink Liverpool.

In April last year I had the pleasure of encountering the Bottom Line during the 8 Bit Frenzy Tour, but unfortunately because of the dates that I attended I didn't get the chance to hear them play, however, I bought their CD and really enjoyed it.  Now almost a year later I finally got to hear them play live!

The Bottom Line are currently doing an eight date UK tour and are changing the support bands for each date of the tour, as they are being supported by local bands from each of the cities they are visiting.

We first caught up with them in Manchester at the Retro Bar Basement.  It was my first time at this venue which is a small pub/club on Stanley Street.  The basement venue is a small room at the bottom of a couple of flights of very narrow stairs and boasts a bar and a small stage.

The Liverpool venue however was much bigger and brighter.  The Brink was also a unique venue in itself as it is a 'dry bar'.  It was set up as a recovery venue to support people who have suffered through alcoholism and addiction, and therefore it has no alcohol on the premises policy.  It is a very light room and the complete opposite from the dimly lit room the night before.  Not your usual setting for a punk rock show!

I am only going to do very brief reviews of each of the supports as there were so many across the two nights. 

First up tonight were Koal.  These guys had a good sounds and some good guitar riffs.  They played original songs and last song they played had me tapping my foot along and sounded great!

The Molotovs were next and unfortunately it was not their night.  Their set was made up of covers including Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name Of' and Blur's 'Song 2' and they didn't do a very good job. The young lady singing was flat and out of tune on many occasions during the set and it seemed a little under rehearsed. 

Empty Space where next.  These guys only played four songs, consisting of two instrumentals that I really enjoyed, and covers of Bowling For Soup's 'When We Die' and Patent Pending's 'One Less Heart To Break', (which are two of my favourite songs by those two bands).  I openly admit that I am not a fan of female fronted bands as they can be too high pitched for my liking, and therefore I would have been happier if the young lady singing had dropped an octave or two as she seemed to be singing a little high for her range and it sounded strained in places.  From the style of their instrumental pieces they would really benefit from a good male singer.

The Landmarks played support at both the Manchester and Liverpool shows.  These guys had more of a metal feel to them, even if they did open their set with their metal version of 5ive's 'Keep On Movin', which strangely worked.  The rest of their set was made up of original material which if I'm honest had a much better sound at the Liverpool show than the Manchester show, but I think that was because of the venue, as the Liverpool venue seemed to have much better acoustics.

Also supporting in Liverpool were Falling For Grace.  These guys had a rock feel and did covers of You Me At Six's 'Save It For The Bedroom' and  Taylor Swift's 'We Are Never Getting Back Together' as well as some original material of their own.  These guys had a good presence and a great sound.

For me the highlight of both night's were headliners The Bottom Line, who are a three man pop punk band from the UK's south coast consisting of Callum on guitar and vocals, Max on bass and vocals and Matt on drums. 

The Bottom Line hit the stage with album title track 'Role Models?' and continued to play through songs from their album such as 'When You're Around' and 'Life Of The Dip Guy'.

At the Manchester show we were treated to two of my favourites, 'Thursdays Bad Luck' and 'I've Gotta Quit Kidding Myself', whereas at the Liverpool show we got to hear 'Drive Thru Night', and both shows got a very energetic version of 'Teenage Dirt Bag' (originally by Wheatus).

Finishing with their latest single 'Record Player' (check out the official video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tupYHg94AAo), the guys left the stage to cheers and applause from the audience.

The Bottom Line guys had loads of energy and looked as though they were really enjoying playing. They had a great rapport with the audience and had the whole crowd smiling, bouncing and joining in.

 

I may have had to wait almost a year to hear them play live but they were definitely worth the wait! 

The Impericon Exposure Tour

We Came As Romans, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, The Color Morale and Palm Reader

Club Academy Manchester

February 26th, 2014

Tonight took us to Club Academy in Manchester to see the Impericon Exposure tour.  Of the four bands billed tonight I have only ever encountered one of them previously so I was looking forward to experiencing new bands with no pre conceptions.

Unfortunately, this review doesn't have any photos with it as the stage was lit from the back with strobes facing out to the crowd and every single photo I took either turned out under exposed and so dark you couldn't make out the people on stage or over exposed because of the strobes, and although I've never had brilliant photos from this venue I have had better than the ones taken tonight.

First up tonight were Palm Reader, the only band on tonight's bill that I had seen before.  I encountered these guys at Download in 2013 as they played before a band I desperately wanted to see so I had sat through their set in order to have a space at the barrier for the band following them.

Palm Reader are loud and gnarly and a great band to mosh to if you want to lose yourself in the moment, as the pits came alive even in this small venue.  However for me they were just as average as they were the first time I saw them.

Next up were The Color Morale.  I found all their songs very samey and it was hard to tell where one ended and the next started.  For me, their one saving grace was towards the end of the set when the vocalist told the audience of how a girl had approached him at the merch stand before the show and asked him for a selfie, and how she had taken the picture numerous times because she felt that she never looked good enough on the picture.  He then went on to tell the audience that this girl was beautiful, that no one should ever feel like they are not good enough and that even the biggest rock stars have their insecurities.  Maybe if more teenagers heard this more often from their idols they would stop trying to strive for the image of perfection that magazines and television dictate, and be happy with what they have.  The band then sang a song called 'Steadfast' which was unlike all the others and was a lovely song.  It's a shame that it was only one song that I truly enjoyed in their set.

Next up were Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! a five piece band from Paris.  These guys came on to a play on track that sounded like an old Atari game soundtrack, and launched into what I can only describe as a disco rock set.  All of their songs where very upbeat and bouncy and they had the crowd in the palm of their hands as they bounced and sang along.

Songs in their set included 'In Friends We Trust' and 'Haters Going To Hate' from their last album 'Pardon My French'.

I was really impressed with these guys and would definitely see them again.

Headlining tonight were We Came as Romans who earlier tonight announced that they would be playing this year's Download Festival.

These guys came on stage to a hip hop style backing track and their music can only be described as metal with a hint of hip hop. 

We Came As Romans have two vocalists, one who does the screaming lyrics and one who does the more melodic vocals. The melodies of the songs were strong and easy to listen to, and songs in tonight's set included 'Never Let Me Go' and a brilliant cover of The Wanted's 'Glad You Came'.

We Came As Romans had the crowd dancing, singing and bouncing throughout their set and I would not hesitate to see these guys again.  They are a real feel good band and made a brilliant headliner to the night.

The Dead Lay Waiting, Ashestoangels, Sleep Inertia and Don't Stop, Go!

The Dead Lay Waiting, Ashestoangels, Sleep Inertia and Don't Stop, Go!

Sound Control Manchester

February 25th, 2014

Tonight is my first ever trip to Sound Control in Manchester.  It is a very small venue situated next to Oxford Road Station.  With a maximum capacity of 400, looking at the venue you know that any gig here is going to be an intimate one.

When we arrived at the venue we were greeted by the guys from Ashestoangels who were casually chatting to the fans who were waiting to get in.

Tonight the venue is nowhere near capacity as the crowd watching is pushing 50 at most, but that didn't deter any of the bands on the bill tonight.

First band up tonight were Don't Stop Go!, a foursome from Manchester.  Don't Stop Go have a great sound with plenty of guitar and strong riffs.  It was obvious that they were enjoying what they were doing and engaged the audience throughout their performance.

Next up were Sleep Inertia, a band that would normally perform as a five piece however, tonight they were performing with just four of them as lead singer Jamie fractured his foot at the weekend and has been forced to rest, so instead they decided that rather than disappoint their fans they would play an instrumental set.  I have to admit that as strange as it sounded as they stood on stage stating that it would be an instrumental set, it actually worked! 

From the way they played I got the impression that the lyrics would normally be the loud and gnarly type but hearing just the melody was strangely soothing, and I really enjoyed their performance.

Next was the band that I had bought the ticket for.  I first became aware of Ashestoangels when they toured with Fearless Vampire Killers last year but unfortunately the show I went to was one of the few they didn't play support for. 

Ashestoangels are a goth rock band, consisting of Adam Crilly on vocals, Adam Falkor on guitar, Jim Baber on drums and Nico Venere on bass. 

These guys sound fantastic and have a great stage presence, even though not all of their performance is actually on the stage!  

Front man Adam Crilly is like a kid who has overdosed on Haribo and seems to have never ending energy.  Whether he is bouncing on stage, moshing in the pit or stage diving from the door frame (yes he actually did that), he never stops!

Ashestoangels played a brilliant set and I can't wait until I get to see them again.

Tonight's headliner are The Dead Lay Waiting, a five piece metal band from Swindon.  They played a full on metal set and kept the energy level up high. 

Blasting out song after song they had the small mosh pit raging, with vocalist Luke and guitarist Steve right in the middle of it. 

These guys put on a brilliant show and it is unfortunate that after this run of shows The Dead Lay Waiting are disbanding as they part ways with Luke Lucas, while the other members are going on to form earlier support band Sleep Inertia.

Tonight's show may be one of the smallest ones I have been to in number, but in energy it was as big as any of the sold out shows I have seen.

Taking Hayley Farewell Tour

Taking Hayley, White Clouds and Gun fire and Twister

Rescue Rooms Nottingham and Academy 3 Manchester

February 15th and 18th, 2014

On the 6th December 2013, Taking Hayley, a relatively young band, announced their farewell tour, and as a thank you to their fans they announced that the show would be a free entry show, so it only seemed right to go and see them a couple of times.

The tour consisted of Taking Hayley, White clouds and Twister as the set bands on the bill, however, dependent upon which venue you went to you were treated to different guest acts.  At the Nottingham show we saw Kill the Ideal and In Hindsight and at the Manchester show we saw Bentley Park.

Of the guest support acts the one I enjoyed the most was the acoustic set offered by Michael and Isaac of In Hindsight.  They had great voices and a great stage presence, and considering that they were the only acoustic set on a full electric set they really got the crowd engaged.

Kill the Ideal and Bentley Park offered decent sets but neither of them really grabbed me enough to make we want to see them again, although I couldn't help but laugh when Bentley Park tried to get the audience involved, as I have never seen an audience that has been asked to bounce stand so still!

Twister are a four piece rock band from Newcastle.  They have great stage presence and a great sound.  Their set consisted of songs from their first album 'This Isn't Wonderland' and included 'Feeding Frenzy' and 'Famous Last Words'.

They also did a great rock version of Taio Cruz's 'Dynamite', which succeeded in getting the crowd moving and singing along.

Twister also managed to get me to do something that I very rarely do when I see a band for the first time.  I bought their CD.  

I can honestly say that I will be looking out for these guys coming to town as I really did enjoy them.

Next up were White Clouds and Gunfire, who I first heard in December.  I was impressed with them then and I was impressed with them again on both nights of this tour. 

Their set included songs from their new album 'For All The Believers', which included, 'Since You Were Gone' and 'Satellites'.

These guys have a great energy and really get the crowd moving.

Headliners Taking Hayley have obviously accrued quite a following during their three years together as they were welcomed on to the stage with  loud cheers.

Taking Hayley performed a jam packed set which included songs from their album 'Tricks and Games', including 'Tonight (We Come Alive)' and my favourite 'Crying Eyes'.

It's a shame that these guys have chosen to disband as they have the talent and the fan base to take it further.

Matt Pryor, Allison Weiss and Lacey

Matt Pryor, Allison Weiss and Lacey

The Bodega, Nottingham

February 16th, 2014

Tonight I found myself back in Nottingham and back to the first venue I ever visited in the city to catch up with that very same band that I saw on my first trip here.

Tonight is billed as a full band acoustic set by the Lacey boys but when I got there I was a little shocked to discover that they had a full drum set and electric guitars. 

Although tonight's set was a mellowed and slower set by the Lacey boys it was not a full acoustic set, however the Lacey boys didn't disappoint and played a short but flawless set including crowd favourite 'Lights Out' and their latest single 'Hometown', which they have recently recorded a video for and can be found on YouTube at http://youtu.be/FfKNYp7-miQ (or click the video clip at the bottom of the review)

After hearing the full acoustic versions of 'Burning Out' and 'Let It Go' on 'Beat on the Beeb' (BBC Radio Nottingham) just before Christmas I was really looking forward to hearing them play this way live so I have to admit that I was a little disappointed.  

I was also disappointed as I thought that the five song set was far too short! 

I guess I will just have to wait a little longer to hear them play a full acoustic show. 

Next up was Allison Weiss and although she was good, she didn't set my world alight! She had a very good voice and played well but it just didn't do it for me.  I found her songs very melancholy and she just didn't excite me or grab my attention in the way that some other artists have.

Headlining tonight was Matt Pryor of the Get Up Kids.  I have heard people raving about The Get Up Kids and after hearing so many good things I was really looking forward to hearing him, as he was someone I had not experienced before. 

Again I found myself slightly disappointed because although he was good and had a lovely voice, he failed to spark my interest and although I tried to work out what the all the fuss was about I just didn't see it. 

Maybe I was having an off day but I will be honest and admit that had it not been for Lacey I would have walked away quite disappointed.

Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish and Zebrahead

Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish and Zebrahead

Manchester Academy

February 3rd, 2014

According to the internet pop punk is dead but try telling that to the two and a half thousand people that helped sell out tonight's show at the Manchester Academy.

Starting the night were Zebrahead, from California, consisting of  Ali on Vocals, Dan on Guitar, Ben on bass, Ed on drums and Matty on vocals and guitar.

Their set consisted of songs from across their discography including the title song of their latest album 'Call Your Friends', along with 'Sirens', 'Rescue Me' and 'Hello Tomorrow'.

We were also treated to a special rendition of 'Manchester, Drink Till You Pee!' and two 'real life Germans' in lederhosen chugging beer.

The Zebrahead guys had a brilliant stage presence, a lot of innuendo and sexual references but they had the crowd singing and jumping along.  This is one band that isn't suitable for younger ears but for the adults among us they are a must see.

Zebrahead are back in Manchester in May and I'm now counting the days until their return!

Next up were Reel Big Fish from Orange County California.  These six guys are a ska punk band with massive personality who really know how to get a party started.

Made up of Aaron on vocals, Billy on trombone, Johnny Christmas on trumpet, Ryland on drums, Derek on Bass and Matt on Sax, these guys played a good length set consisting of songs such as 'Everyone Else Is An Asshole', 'Sell Out' and 'Beer'.

Reel Big Fish also had two guests joining them on stage for 'She Has  A Girlfriend Now' as they introduced Leila and Barney from Manchester band Sonic Boom Six.

Finishing with a cheeky cover of A-ha's 'Take On Me' they lifted the roof!

Between the catchy lyrics and the onstage antics you get much more than your average band and I guarantee you won't be able to stop yourself dancing/bouncing along.  I would not hesitate to go and see Reel Big Fish again.

Last on the bill tonight are Less Than Jake, a ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Made up of  Chris on vocals and guitar,  Roger on vocals and bass,Vinnie on drums, Buddy on trombone and JR on saxophone.

Again these guys played a good length set and really had the crowds dancing and bouncing along as they played songs from right across their 22 year career. 

They also managed to sneak a cover song into their set as they launched into their rendition of The Offsprings' 'Self Esteem'.

All three of the bands managed to get good circle pits going but the most spectacular had to be during the last song of the night, 'Gainesville Rock City', which saw the pit spread across half of the room.

The show tonight is the best party I have been to in a long time, for both entertainment and atmosphere, and I can assure you, punk, whether it be pop punk or ska punk, is definitely not dead!

Kill The Power Tour

Skindred, SOiL and Viza

Manchester Academy

February 2nd, 2014

Last night took us to the Academy at Manchester to see one of the most unique bands that I have ever had the pleasure of hearing, but before the main event we were treated to sets from Viza and Soil.

Viza are an unusual bunch of guys from LA, consisting of six metal looking guys, an oud and some very questionable dance moves.

Viza have a very international sound to them which is also reflected in lead singer K'noup's dance moves, as some seem to have a greek influence while other have a more bollywood style.  Making up the rest of the band are Orbel on electric guitar/harmonica/vocals, Shant on electric guitar, Andrew on the oud, Alex on bass and Chris on drums and percussion.

Their music is very upbeat and mixes international sounds with traditional metal.  However you choose to describe them musically they really know how to get a crowd moving.

I will be searching the internet to find out more of these and hopefully find their music as I am intrigued to learn more about these guys, as I have never heard anything like this before.

Next up were SOiL, a band that I first encountered at Sonisphere in 2009.

Singing songs that spanned their 17 year career, they got the mosh pit racing and the crowd jumping and singing.  Songs to note included 'The Hate Song', 'Shine Down' and 'Black Betty', which had the whole crowd singing along.

Closing with crowd favourite 'Halo', which Ryan sang from the mosh pit, SOiL left the stage to thunderous applause.

As soon as the stage had been re-set the Academy was plunged into darkness before the stage lit up in a rhythmic light show to the sound of AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck'.

If you have never experienced Skindred before it is safe to say that you will be amazed by the show. I know the first time I experienced them, again at Sonisphere 2009, I was stopped in my tracks in amazement.  

Skindred hail from Newport in South Wales and is made up of Benji Webbe on vocals, Mikey Demus on Guitar, Daniel Pugsley on bass and Arya Goggin on drums.  As Benji puts it 'four brothers and a prodigal son'.

One thing that is instantly noticeable about Skindred is that they don't have the typical Welsh sound as Skindred are a unique crossover of metal and reggae. 

Older songs in tonight's set included 'Nobody', 'Pressure', 'Doom Riff', and my personal favourite 'Stand For Something', the song that stopped me in my tracks five years ago.

They also played a selection of songs from their new album including the title track 'Kill The Power', as well as 'Worlds On Fire' and 'Ninja'.

Half way through the set we were treated a musical interlude which incorporated Arya on drums and DJ Dan Sturgess, featuring 'Intergalactic' by the Beastie Boys, 'Jump Around' by House of Pain and 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen to name but a few of the featured songs.

By the time Skindred left the stage to prepare for their encore it was already quarter of an hour over curfew, but they returned to the stage to do a couple more songs and to finish with 'Warning' and the now infamous 'Newport Helicopter'. For Skindred newbies the Newport Helicopter is a sight to behold!  During the song Benji instructs the audience to remove a piece of clothing and hold it still in the air, then when Benji reaches four you wave it around your head like a helicopter propeller.  We were lucky enough to be sat on the balcony and see the Newport Helicopter in all its glory and the sight of 2,000 t shirts being spun in the air really is an amazing sight.

Skindred really are unique and I defy anyone to go and see one of their shows and not come away totally buzzing! 

The Fly Awards Show

Swim Deep, Bleeding Knees and The Magic Gang

Manchester Ritz

February 1st, 2014

Tonight's concert was a surprise concert as I only discovered that I was going last night.  My husband won tickets to see three bands playing at the Ritz and never being one to turn down a night of live music I agreed to go.

The first band on the bill tonight was The Magic Gang.  These are a young four piece band from Brighton who sounded good  and had some great melodies, but they had a real melancholy sound to them which failed to get the audience excited.

Next up were Bloody Knees from Cambridgeshire and although they only played for 25 minutes they managed to do what the previous band had failed to do.  Their punk rock sound got the crowd bouncing and clapping along, and although they didn't get any takers,  they were encouraging crowd surfers.  (It's a good job no one took them up on the crowd surfing as there was no security presence front stage to catch them).

If you like your music with a bit of punk, these guys are definitely one to keep an eye out for.

Last up were headliners, Swim Deep, from Birmingham.  These guys came on to the stage in matching white long sleeve t-shirts to cheers and applause from the crowd.  Unfortunately  they had a very electronic sound to their music which wasn't to my taste. 

I did however persevere to see if they had any tricks up their sleeves...  until they announced that they would be playing a cover song and launched into Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun', which is a song I have always liked but when played and sung by men, it sounded really wrong!   Hence to say we did not stick around for much longer after that.

Usually I love it when we gets tickets for these kind of shows as it is a chance to hear music that we wouldn't normally listen to and maybe discover a new band or two along the way, but  had it not been for Bleeding Knees I would probably have walked away very disappointed. 

Monsters Overseas Tour

Mayday Parade, Man Overboard, Decade and Divided By Friday

Manchester Academy 2

January 30th, 2014

First up tonight were Divided By Friday, a pop rock band from North Carolina.

These guys were the perfect starting band for the evening as they had the crowd jumping, clapping and singing along to the point where the whole academy room shook.  Their music had a feel good vibe to it and stand out songs included called 'Relapse' and one called 'Better Off'.

Until tonight I had never heard of this band but after hearing them tonight I will definitely be checking out more of their music. 

Next up were Decade, a home grown band from Bath.  This five piece band had a heavier sound than the first band but still managed  to get the crowd joining in and jumping. 

Playing songs from their debut album 'Good Luck' such as 'Callous' and 'Fools Gold', they showed Manchester what they are made of.  This is another band that I will be checking out again in the future.

Following Decade, were New Jersey pop punk band Man Overboard.  Although I normally like pop punk, these guys did not grab my attention as much as the other bands in their genre or even the other bands on tonight's bill.  

Don't get me wrong they had plenty of energy and some good guitar lines but  they just didn't give me enough to make me want to listen to them again.

Headlining tonight were 'Mayday Parade' a five piece band from Tallahassee, who sound very pop punk with a rock edge to their music.

I first encountered these guys when I saw them support You Me At Six back in March 2012 and thought that they sounded great.

Tonight they sang a range of songs from across their discography such as 'Three Cheers for Five Years', 'Black Cat', 'Stay' and 'Hold On To Me'.

Mid way through the set lead singer Derek, requested permission from the audience to slow things down a bit, before singing 'Miserable At Best', just him and his keyboard.  This is a beautiful but sombre ballad and Derek's powerful voice held the audience throughout the song.

Mayday Parade left the stage to loud applause and cheers for more, before re-taking the stage to sing 'Jersey'.

 
  When I first heard them in 2012 I knew that I would see more of them in the future and in the last two years it seems that these guys have honed the raw talent that was evident back then and have become even better. 

The Blackout, LostAlone and Rat Attack

The Blackout, LostAlone and Rat Attack

53 Degrees, Preston

January 24th, 2014

First concert of the year and as we did last year we have started the party with The Blackout!

When I eventually found one of my Christmas presents from my little sister hidden in the tree on Christmas Day I couldn't have been more excited to open it to find tickets to see the Blackout and LostAlone.  I have been following both of the bands since they toured with My Chemical Romance way back in February 2011, which was the day that I discovered both bands.

Tonight started in style with Rat Attack, a four piece band who have been in existence since 2010.  Although I didn't know any of their songs, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed their set.  They have a  really good energy and got the crowd warmed up nicely.  I will be looking out for Rat Attack again in the future.

Next up were Derby trio LostAlone, who comprise of Steven Battelle, Alan Williamson and Mark Gibson.  From the opening  riffs of The Bells, The Bells to the closing cords of 'Love Will Eat You Alive', the boys gave nothing short of 100%.  

Their set included 'Hostages' and 'Crusade' which are new songs from their upcoming album, which will be released in April and old favourites such as 'Vesuvius' and 'Do You Get What You Pray For?'  from their previous album 'I'm A UFO in the City'.

It's no wonder these guys have made such a good name for themselves, with catchy lyrics and face melting guitar riffs they have the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout the whole set.  I will definitely be seeing LostAlone again the next time they are in town.

Tonight's headliners are The Blackout, six men from Merthyr Tydfil, comprising of Sean Smith and Gavin Butler on vocals, James 'Bob' Davies, Matthew Davies, Rhys Lewis and Gareth 'Snoz' Lawrence.

Kicking off with 'I'm A Riot You're A F****** Riot', Sean Smith jumped over the barrier and straight into the middle of the pit before throwing his microphone over the lighting bar so that he could join in the chaos and sing hands free.

The Blackout played a sixteen song set which covered songs from all four of their albums.  Some of the songs included were 'This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things', 'Higher And Higher', 'Running Scared', 'Children Of The Night', 'Ambition Is Critical' and 'Spread Legs Not Lies'.

Anyone who has seen the Blackout before will be aware of the protocol during 'Save Our Selves (The Warning)'  as ALL members of the crowd are expected to join in, unless they can supply a note from their mother.  Last night someone actually surprised them by producing a note from their mother explaining why they should be allowed to sit out.  Everyone else however was expected to crouch down on the floor and await Sean's cue at which point the whole pit jumped up in unison and the pit chaos continued.

Team Sean and Gavin's banter  with fantastic music and you have a real recipe for success. 

Ending with 'Start The Party',( which I had expected them to start with but then again this is The Blackout), they left the stage to cheers and loud applause from the crowd.

I have seen the Blackout play in packed venues such as the MEN Arena and The O2 Academy in Liverpool but seeing them play to a smaller crowd in the club room of the 53 Degrees reminded me why,  no matter what size crowd they play to, they don't just 'Start The Party',  they are the party and they really are 'The Best In Town'!