Check out our previous live reviews below (listed alphabetically by band name)

Futureheads + Dutch Uncles + The Postelles
The Cockpit, Leeds
26th April 2010
By Suzy Harrison and Simon Harrison

New Yorkers The Postelles were the opening band for the night and they brought us catchy indie pop. It was reminiscent of The Strokes and The Libertines, minus the attitude. They came across as a band who enjoy what they do, but also appear relaxed and laid back on stage. Having worked with Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes on their forthcoming release it's hardly surprising that comparisons can be made to their New York predecessors. The songs were well played, enjoyable with up tempo beats. 'Can't Stand Still' was the standout track of their performance, whilst a rather sketchy cover of The Ramones - Beat on the Brat let them down slightly.

Dutch Uncles were up next. The highlight of their set was their rather entertaining frontman. Think wailing vocals combined with spasmic dance moves. He would sing a line and then break into a little dance. I think it's safe to say I had never seen a singer quite like him. Unfortunately the music wasn't as original, with the songs sounding quite samey. Many of the crowd seemed to switch off after a while and not give the band their full attention. During their performance the room began to fill up for the headline act.

By the time The Futureheads took to the stage it was clear that many of those in attendance had been to the bar quite a few times during the support acts and they were certainly ready to sing and dance along to the headliner's set. The band opened with 'The Chaos', from their new album and followed this with their new single 'Heartbeat song'. Despite the tracks being so new everyone was singing along and dancing to the songs. In fact the crowd seemed to enjoy the new material as much as the old indicating that The Futureheads have a very loyal fanbase. Other songs included Meantime, Walking Backwards, Skip to the End, Decent Days and Nights and Hounds of Love (which involved splitting the room in two and getting the audience to sing different parts of the song). The venue was packed with people and the atmosphere was great. The Futureheads put on a brilliant show and their between song banter was as entertaining as their performance.

Photos online now!

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Alesana, A Skylit Drive, Bury Tomorrow
Manchester Club Academy
18th April 2010
By Jim Milne

You have to give it to the new batch of screamo bands and the scene fans they produce- there loyal and that's always a good thing, queuing from 5pm just to catch a glimpse of their favourite people.

Bury Tomorrow up first, Southampton's finest metalcore act blast through with some great music. A load of genuinely really funny banter helps them come off as a genuine easily accessible band, and they deserve a lot of respect too, through their relentless touring schedules and DIY approach to being heard. In getting to the band's most popular song 'You and I' its time to say goodbye to the circle pit and hello to the more carnage inspiring evil square. Yes, that was quite a sight.

A Skylit Drive cannot be talked about without mentioning Michael "Jag" Jagmin's high pitched vocal style. Being used to him on recorded it still surprised me how high he can actually go. Very strange indeed. I also like bands that have as many members singing as possible, as you get a better sense of completeness. This is stepped up more so when it's Alesanas turn to rip. Four of 6 members providing their own twisted version of vocals, coupled with scorching riffs and guitar tapping battles.

All the bands on the bill are metal/hard core in the end, but the different varieties offered from each band makes it hard to go wrong. Bury Tomorrow have got a perfect mix of strong throaty gruff and serene singing, A Skylit Drive have the range, and Alesana are brought a new meaning to energetic tonight. All bands perform as tight as they are on record leaving you to tune out the real world and have a lot of fun with some great talent, both on and outside our little island.

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Karma to Burn (plus Massacre of the Megafauna, Year Long Disaster)
Sheffield Corporation
22nd April 2010
By Joe Richards

Still high on the feeling of my first guestlist entrance, the initial tracks heard from Massacre of the Megafauna seemed perhaps more satisfying to myself than they were to other onlookers. One said “they sound exactly how I imagined a Karma to Burn support band would sound like”, and I was unsure as to whether he meant that they were worthy, or that they were merely serving their purpose as K2B-lite, a mere appetizer. The vocalist’s unorthodox screaming frequently overpowered the riffs, but also became buried deep beneath the bass-driven grooves, a factor seemingly determined on how much attention the engineer was paying. Despite their slightly forgettable performance, a co-attendee was convinced that there was more to discover from the band, so bought a CD. In reaching (at least) one audience member, I shan’t hesitate in calling their set a success – if only a warm-up.

It is instantly noticeable how much Year Long Disaster enjoy playing their music. Thunderous riffs and relentless grooves sonically impale the willing listeners, ensuring that nobody remains stationary. Singer and guitarist Daniel Davies notices our enjoyment, and injects even more energy into his performance. His stage presence is undeniable as his vocals fill the room – perhaps an inherent trait from his father, Dave Davies of the Kinks. The band effortlessly demonstrates that they could comfortably perform a headline slot if they received such a chance.

Although I have always preferred Karma on the few tracks with vocals, their lack of a singer does not greatly hinder the performance; riff flows into riff, song flows into song. The result is an incredibly infectious (if rather distant) half-hour of music. Davies reappears to contribute lead guitar and vocals over a Karma original, followed by an evening highlight: a cover of Sabbath’s ‘Never Say Die’. This marks a turning point for the audience, who have now been included in the performance via the medium of badly-singing-along. The distance between the band and the crowd feels less prominent, and everyone becomes a lot more susceptible to head-banging. The band exits, the lights dim, encore chants ensue... but the house music begins and a enormous musical anti-climax rushes over us all.

Despite the sour taste left by the lack of encore, the consensus swings in favour of an enjoyable evening.

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Napalm Death + All Will Suffer + The Afternoon Gentlemen + Death Job
Sheffield Corporation,
15th April 2010
By Joe Richards

Death Job kick off the evening with some amicable crust-punk/ grindcore. There is something quite lovable about the vocalist’s frantic yet humourous presence, as he rebounds from surrounding amplifiers. The musicianship on display is aggressive enough to successfully accompany his hostile performance. Heads around the slightly under-filled room nod in approval.

With the second band, The Afternoon Gentlemen, we arrive at my personal highlight of the night. As two unruly looking fellows stagger on stage, immediately noticeable is the lack of bassist – a matter concisely addressed with ‘"ooks like we haven’t got a bassist tonight, deal with it". After a quick sound-check consisting of some generally unsettling pig squeals, something of a guffaw spreads throughout the audience. But before we can finish pre-judging the band, the first song is over. Uncertainties over the feared slam-squeal-core style raising its ugly head are dashed in a thirty second blaze of razor sharp riffs, inspiringly brutal percussion and a singer whose screams were aptly described by an onlooker as ‘"ridiculously pitched". During some technical difficulties, the crowd are already baying for more – and fifteen gloriously guttural minutes more is what we get.

Hopes are high for All Will Suffer, as they stroll on – baseball caps and all. But with a mid-paced hardcore set comprising of fairly average Hatebreed worship, and an abundance of the metallic marmite of chugga-breakdowns, the underwhelming pace, aggressiveness, musicianship, and song-writing damages the increasing air of excitement and hostility.

Thankfully, the headliners are as devastating as ever. Presenting a healthy mix of tracks old and new, every fan is catered for. They display no sense of urgency as Barney often interrupts the set with political and humanitarian micro-speeches, to an eagerly applauding audience. Highlights of the set include a number of consecutive From Enslavement to Obliteration blasts, where Barney capably fills the boots of Lee Dorrian, and his good-natured crowd interaction such as his individual "yes!" and "no!" responses to heckled track requests.

Despite previous performances displaying better sound and a more cacophonous setlist, Napalm Death prove once again that they can successfully perform on cue, providing a satisfying hour of masterful deathgrind.

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Dropkick Murphys
Leeds Academy
14th April 2010
By Simon Harrison

I arrived at 8pm for this show and had missed the two support bands.

By the time Dropkick Murphys took to the stage at 8:30 the academy was pretty much packed out, and the majority had been chanting “Lets Go Murphys” for a good 20 minutes. They charged onto the stage and kicked straight into 'For Boston', a track about their beloved hometown. For the next 90 minutes we were treated to tracks from across the bands 16 year career including older classics like 'The Rocky Road To Dublin' and 'Workers' Song', newer tracks including 'Famous For Nothing', and their reworkings of traditional tracks such as 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya' and 'Captain Kelly’s Kitchen'.

Although the band gave it their all for the entirety, I can’t help but think that the early show dampened the atmosphere in the gig somewhat, as something just seemed to be missing in comparison to other times I’ve seen Dropkicks live. With this said, the sweaty bodies at the barrier were loving every minute and singing along to every word!

The set was finished off with 'Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced' for which the band were joined on stage by all the females from the front of the audience. No sooner had the audience cleared from the stage the band came back to play a four song encore featuring 'Bar Room Heroes' and 'Shipping Up To Boston'- and this time all the males from the front invaded the stage.

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Pama International + Imani + China Shop Bull
4th April 2010
The Well, Leeds
Henry Raby

This is one of those venues that doesn’t do any favours to bands. On the one hand it’s independent and it’s got history. On the other hand it would be nice to actually hear the band, and for them to hear themselves.

China Shop Bull have been around a fair few years, and it’s a shame they’re not recognised for the truly skilled and energetic live band they are.

An eclectic mix of RATM rock, Sublime reggae, rap and rave, the band’s sound is beyond the 3 chords of punk but keeps the raw energy whilst smashing up the boundaries of music with a strong live performance.

Fans of Sonic Boom Six and Mouthwash should pay attention to these guys.

Imani comes up next, a solo ska/soul singer with a backing drummer and bassist from Bradford.

The tunes are sweet and colourful enough with the delicate edge of 60s easy-going ska, complete with elements of The Beat and 70s lover’s rock.

The stage performance itself lacks a flow as each song is unnecessarily introduced, but the elements are all there for a decent, calm and pleasant set.

Tech problems continue Pama play with only one monitor working, terrible for a band that relies on the well-timed pacing, yet they still deliver a strong set of reggae and ska tunes.

Their albums and live set flow from well-paced dub music through to a reggae vibe that one can’t help but smiling along to. They also deposit some more skankable ska into our ears, but the real power of Pama is to keep the tempo nice and easy without letting it slide into the more common 2-tone beat.

Pama’s sound is more diverse and well-crafted than that, from the original ska and rocksteady beats that evolved into reggae taking in the third wave soul/ska fusions of East Coast bands. Their output for music if nothing if not impressive, and I would urge anyone to check out their releases, particularly their latest stuff.

Tonight they rocked out ‘I Still Love You More’, a stand out tune recorded with The Specials's Lynvel Golding- proving ska and reggae didn’t just suddenly vanish with the death of 2-tone in the late 70s/early 80s I'd dare any elitist ska fan to not appreciate the beauty of the song.

Tonight's venue may have not proved a supportive establishment but nevertheless Pama still deliver. With decades of experience in various other bands, as well as a huge back catalogue, they have a real sense of making good, honest, and, on occasion, simply beautiful music.

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Madina Lake + We Are The Ocean + Mayday Parade
HMV Forum, London
Mark Plummer

London's HMV Forum is truly alive tonight and despite choosing to put first band Adelaide on as the doors open (resulting in many including myself missing them) there's a sense that tonight is about just having one thing- fun. And lots of it!

Mayday Parade's short 7 song set is right on target and gets everyone moving. Picking up fans along the way it's hard to believe that this band are not main support, let alone it only being their second time to these shores. Every song is given a proper pounding and if it wasn't for the poor sound engineering at the start of their set they'd have made an even bigger impact.

Here's hoping they grace these shores again some time soon. Older song Three Cheers For Five Years and Jamie All Over are the stand outs.

Having not heard much from We Are The Ocean I was interested in what this band were going to bring to the night. Their set certainly hit a chord with the fans, however if you're not a fan of something a bit more hardcore you'll probably wish you'd saved your ears. Their tepid set is nothing short of irritating and they are far from an acclaimed best.

Madina Lake had their night tonight. They've always been a band who are about two things- the music and the fans. This is what keeps them going and makes them unmissable.

Despite a shakey start due to some poor sound issues, you know that only good things are coming.

From the Muse-esque balloons filled with confetti to the party streamers and light-up sign (resembling something from a carnival) they give it their all. Explosive and full of energy they rope everyone in from the older songs to the new.

They just beat Mayday Parade to band of the night. The only thing missing was the amazing cover of Nine Inch Nail's 'March Of The Pigs' that they played during their last venture to the forum, but one was only hoping. Make sure to catch them when they're next in town.

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The Computers + Outcry Collective + Chickenhawk + Arts Got The Gun
23rd March 2010
Corporation, Sheffield
Sean Pattison

Arts Got The Gun were a great start to the night despite there not being much of a crowd that early in the gig, with their singer in particular still really enthusiastic and energetic.

Everything but the vocals were similar to recent British punk, but the heavy screamed vocals added a nice twist and a sense of originality that when mixed with their really catchy riffs and melodic groove was really refreshing.

As it should, the crowd began to grow nicely as Chickenhawk came on with a quite off-beat sound that got progressively heavier throughout their set. They definitely worked the crowd and their great use of feedback combined with the bass getting increasingly more intense made the set quite epic.

Outcry Collective had massive energy and pranced around like their pants were on fire- which was amazing to watch.

They looked great together and sounded really tight with an easy-going melodic punk sound.

With their drummer going mental and the band as a whole interacting with the crowd these guys definitely deserved to be high up the bill- thoroughly recommend.

The Computers were wearing their sexy white suits again, which I'd seen them wear whilst supporting the Cancerbats and they performed to the high hills.

Frontman Alex performed exceptionally, putting on an amazing performance with his guitar skills -which were shockingly awesome. Most frontmen can just do one of the above but he can really do them all. Everyone screamed along with with Alex- so full of energy he didn't stand still for a second, and the band pushied all the performance boundaries- taking over every inch of the room with their amazingly original sound.

'Save Our Souls' in particular had a really sexy groove to it and got loads of people moving with the intense bass and drums, the band capturing the whole room's attention.

A riot which everybody well and truly followed.

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Two Door Cinema Club + Citadels + K!tes
12th March 2010
Fibbers, York
Aimee Taylor

Ireland has produced some gems over the years. The great Terry Wogan, the genius playwright Oscar Wilde, and the highly entertaining Jedward.
Now, hailing from Northern Ireland, come forth Two Door Cinema Club. The electro pop/indie rock trio played to a mammoth sold out crowd at Fibbers.

Support comes from K!tes, a young York band playing their fourth gig and fresh from recording their debut EP, they start off with their most well-known track, "Broken" the pulsating sound accompanied by lead singer Joe Platt's stunning vocal, set things off a treat. ‘Take Me Home’ got off to a shaky start following tech difficulties but with Platt's breathtaking vocals and guitarist Rich Anelay's soothing harmonies, the crowd looked past the slight hiccup. They finished their short but very sweet set with their signature cover ‘Hey Ya’, the mighty K!tes saved the best for last.

Following the glorious K!tes, were Citadels, an electronic band with melodic tracks. Their sound was classic indie mixed with slight MGMT undertones which made a refreshing listen. ‘The Chemical Song’ was their closing track, a fluent electro song laden with synth and the perfect way to end their set.

The highly anticipated headliners took to the stage, kicking things off with their opening track from debut album Tourist History the playing ‘Cigarettes In The Theatre’. Their unique take on indie pop music was second to none and the tone of lead singer Alex Trimble was sublime. ‘Something Good Can Work’ was played with pace, and sounded as smooth as their recordings but captured all the magic that happened on stage. The Irish lovelies got their crowd moving with the closing song ‘I Can Talk’ and the sound of the audience singing along to the insanely catchy chorus filled the venue until the end.
TDCC played an unbelievably charming and quality set and are fast becoming one of Ireland's sparkly gems.

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Underoath + We Are The Ocean + Blackhole
12th March 2010
Academy 2, Manchester
By Jim Milne

Not the best opener for a much anticipated show, Blackhole try their hardest to get everyone pumped, but maybe their frontman Richard Carter tries a bit too hard. Without being harsh, the crowd here tonight take some serious working to get even a single movement. Following their car breaking down on the opening night of the tour, their run of bad luck continues and the guitar amp blows out.
Despite this they give a decent account of themselves, and towards the end of the set people begin loosening up finally, and the one guy who must be the only fan is still shouting: “BLACKHOLE! BLACKHOLE!”

Londoners We Are The Ocean blast off with fittingly entitled number ‘Look Alive’ straight off their much delayed debut album Cutting Our Teeth, finally out in stores.
They really have matured with this release, and experience has granted them a tighter performance plus great interaction with the fans to boot.
Nay-sayers harping on about 'innocence' of the band being lost haven't seen Dan Brown get stuck in with the crowd through ‘Don't Take Chances’ and ‘I Have Never Felt This Damn Good’. Following ‘Confessions’ providing a great interval they plunge back into the mayhem with ‘Nothing Good Has Happened Yet’ (“Nothing Good Has Abba'd Yet” according to the setlist) as the closer, making everyone just that little bit happier.

After a 35 minute wait the lights go down, the intro begins to play: Ladies and gentlemen, Underoath are here.
Without even saying hello they rip into ‘Young and Aspiring’ off debut album featuring Spencer Chamberlain on vocals, ferocious as ever I might add.
The fans have waited long enough and the crowd start breaking into some seriously brutal circle pits. In the briefest of moments they do use the chance to acknowledge who they are but clearly need no introduction tonight.
Everyone’s arms now in the air and fans voices surpassing even the PA's output, we sing along with drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie during ‘Moving For The Sake Of Moving’- bringing smiles to the band’s faces.
The performance is perfect, not to mention energetic- with Timothy McTague on (lead guitar) and Grant Brandell (bass) rocking around like they've just been tasered. A nitpick is everyone except guitarist James Smith is moving about - surely you'd want to give 100% with the rest of your band?
Spencer makes sure that we know "even though the majority of Manchester’s population is at another show, it’s ok because you guys are the coolest for sticking here with us."
Through the sweat and heat they break into ‘Breathing In A New Mentality’, and ‘Desperate Measures, Desperate Times’ rewarding the crowd with another chance to mosh. The show is so much fun,- you can't believe that it's over as they leave to boos and a constant chants of “UN-DER-OATH!” and “ONE MORE SONG!”
Thankfully they come back on stage to thunderous applause and ground stamping with ‘Writing On The Walls’ and fan favourite ‘It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door’.
If you’re after a great band who perform as tight as the latest scene kids jeans- look no further!

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The Album Leaf
22th March 2010
The Deaf Institute, Manchester,
By Rachel Hand

If I had gone to see The Album Leaf with a partner, I think it would have felt very romantic. Unfortunately, I was dragged along by my slightly strange flatmate, who insisted that this was a show we couldn’t miss by a phenomenal band.

Quite honestly, I was blown away. With a string quartet on the balcony over the stage, frontman Jimmy LaValle looking like a crazed Montmartre poet, and lightsticks scattered across the stage and up the walls like candles at a vigil, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a show put on entirely for you. The intimacy and fragility of the setting is almost suffocating.

Not to mention the music; the soaring strings that close 'Twentytwofourteen', the glowing electronic chords, the binmen at 5am drums, the spine shivering glockenspiels… this is music at its most beautiful. Their encore includes ‘Always for You’, a heartrending requiem for the effort and love poured into a relationship.

All this loveliness is brought to life by projections distorting the band members and filling the wall behind them. Shifting clouds, children playing, sparks, the sun through autumn leaves, running horses, planes in flight, a beautiful girl on a Ferris wheel- the mood is of transience, celebrating the sometimes blinding vitality of life.

Like the subjects of the projections, the set seems to be over far too soon, although the band has been on stage for two hours. All in all, this was one of the most beautiful nights of my life... and ultimately, I was really glad my weird flatmate shared this secret with me.

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The Automatic + White Belt Yellow Tag
24th March 2010
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Harrison

White belt yellow tag is a band I have heard the name of on numerous occasions without ever actually hearing anything by them. So I wasn't really sure what to expect. The atmosphere in the almost sold out venue was extemely chilled. I haven't been to a gig with such a static crowd in a long time. But this didn't mean that the audience weren't enjoying themselves because this band didn't play that kind of music. I don't think it is wrong to make the most obvious comparison between this band and the doves (and possibly een early coldplay in places). The lead singer sounds pretty similar to Chris Martin and Jimi Goodwin and the pace and construction of the songs definitely exhibits a similarity. This said they sounded good. They used some interesting samples.. one song sounding like it had a full string quartet. And there was a good variety in terms of dynamics.

After what seemed like an age, The Automatic appeared on stage. They were a lot heavier than the tour support and I wasn't sure whether the crowd would enjoy it as the move from ambient indie to more punky indie is a pretty big one. However there was much singing along and jumping up and down. I am so used to seeing hardcore moves at shows and it is was good to see people moving together in unison for a change. There was a nice atmosphere at the gig generally. People were polite and seemed friendly. The Automatic declared that they love York and were clearly having a good time on stage. They brought an extremely tight performance and great sound. Clearly offer more than their most well known song 'Monster'! Surprisingly they broke into this song just 25 minutes into their hour long set. And as soon as it Kicked in people ran forward and got excited. The band also played 'Steve McQueen' and this had an equally enthusiastic reception. This said the whole set was very well played and the reaction from the crowd throughout was great.

Photos online now!

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The Computers + Drowned in Flames + Blacklisters + Ghosts On The Intercom
22nd March 2010
Stereo, York
By Suzy Harrison

I only caught the end of Ghosts On the Intercom but from what I heard they play quite technical sounding songs with fluctuating rhythms and dynamics. They certainly showed off their skills during their set and although I personally wasn't into that type of music, they did perform very well.

Next up were Leeds band Blacklisters. With a singer who acts like he's had a few too many drinks, this act is definitely one you don't forget in a hurry. The singer was all over the place adopting quite a sinister persona and creating an atmosphere that both captivated the crowd and also managed to make them feel like they should keep their distance. Even though the singer mostly shouts, there is some melody to his screams and it certainly compliments the heavy guitar lines. Not something I'd listen to at home, but it's definitely worth seeing them live.

Drowned in Flames were the penultimate band on the stage. They veered more towards melodic metal in terms of their sound and the guitars sounded powerful and the lines were catchy. Three of the band members took turns singing the main parts and they worked very well together on stage. I particularly like 'My Arrogance Astounds You' as the guitar riffs are memorable and the song is well written. With the semi-final of Fibbers 'Battle of the Bands' looming, people of York need to get to that gig and show this band some support because they're an act who have the potential to go far.

And finally The Computers. Yes, there was a costume change before they started. Yes, perhaps image is important with their matching white outfits. But one thing's for sure, they certainly know how to play hardcore. It wasn't long before the singer had dragged his mic stand into the centre of the room. Unlike Blacklisters there wasn't such a fear of this frontman; people were laughing as he pulled one person from one side of the room to the other, and then later proceeded to reverse himself through the crowd to the back of the room. His between song banter was great and his ability to laugh at himself brought a nice atmosphere to the room. The focus was definitely all on him and even though the rest of the band were giving it their all on stage, we were paying more attention to the singer. But isn't that always the way? The best set of the night without a doubt and they proved why they are the ones who were headlining.

The Computers are currently on tour until 1st April.

Photos online now!

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Skindred
17th March 2010
The Duchess, York
By Daniel Easton

Last year's Skindred album “Shark Bites and Dog Fights”, draws a crowd of shirts adorned by the cover, with queues outside York’s Duchess tailing around the building. The album's influence continues to the stage with its aggressive fighter plane battles emblazoned across the band's huge cabinets- sitting like a line in the sand, awaiting the band to cross.

The packed Duchess Crowd were suitably warmed up by sets of energetic, anthemic metal by support acts Laruso and Forever Never, the latter of which is fronted by a man who bears a striking resemblance to Jack Black. His orchestral mannerisms seemingly conduct his band with precision.

After a refreshing visit to York’s City Screen Cinema for the late afternoon showing of Shutter Island, Skindred’s front man Benji Webbe was ready for business. First appearing onstage during Forever Never’s support slot- looming ominously at the rear of the stage tapping his fingers.

The headliners take the stage to 'Stand for Something' and storm straight through 'Rat Race', 'You Cant Stop It' and 'Pressure', pausing briefly for some crowd banter. Benji is apparently dressed in his best tonight, reporting to us that his mother always told him; “Wear your best when you go to York!”.

“Nobody” finished the fourteen song set - possibly the best received offering of the night. But with 90% of the audience singing every word of every song leading up to “Nobody” its hard to tell if there was a favourite at all, ending the night after a single unnamed encore and a solo reggae appearance by Benji.

The journey home was peppered with overheard acclaim for the show, a sign of successful night.

Check out the photos from this show!

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You Me at Six + We the Kings + Forever the Sickest Kids
16th March 2010
Leeds O2 Academy
By Suzy Harrison

I just made it into the sold out venue in time to witness openers for the night Forever the Sickest Kids. The six piece played a 30min set full of crowd favourites with plenty of opportunity to sing along. If you like pop punk this band are definitely one you should check out, with their energetic bouncy performance and catchy songs. It felt like Warped Tour had decided to make a brief appearance in Leeds, allowing us to witness and experience a fun performance from the band. You could definitely hear the influences of old school bands like Something Corporate in some of the songs, though the mean age of the crowd probably meant that only a select few would have been aware of this. I particularly liked the stage set up with the keyboard player in full sight, a FTSK 'High School!' backdrop and the singer's custom 'FTSK' mic stand. This is a band who don't do things by halves. The set list included Woah Oh, She's a Lady and Phone Call and got the audience fully warmed up and in high spirits for the next band on the bill.

Second up tonight were We The Kings. Gone was the red lighting and we could now see a well lit four piece on the Academy stage. And so the Warped similarities continued as this is another band who have graced the festival stage more than once and are set to do it again this year. Less bouncy and more serious looking than the previous band, We The Kings provided a more grown up breed of pop punk. The band may not have been so energetic in their performance but the music really sold itself. I enjoyed FTSK and they were good to watch but for me We The Kings were slightly more impressive in terms of their musicality. You should believe the hype surrounding this act. They were great! Highlight of the set had to be the fantastic cover of Jimmy Eat World's 'The Middle'.

And finally it was time for You Me at Six. This band have come such a long way in the past few years and Leeds has been important in that journey (notably the band were previously on Slam Dunk Records and have headlined Slam Dunk). Needless to say the Leeds crowd was suitably excited to see the band and the main room and balcony were rammed with fans. The atmosphere was definitely buzzing. The first band member on stage was drummer Dan Flint who started off the set with a bit of a drum solo. Nice to see a drummer getting some of the limelight. Soon the rest of the band had joined him on stage and the set was in full swing. There was so much going on it was hard to lose interest in what was going on. About four songs in there were flashing lights and siren noises and the band went behind the backdrop. The backdrop fell to reveal a platform with the drummer centre, the song kicked in and the band jumped down to the front of the deeper stage. It was such a great performance. The band played a long set which included Safer to Hate Her, Finders Keepers and Save it for the Bedroom (ft.Travis from We the Kings). This band are still on top form and seem stronger than ever. They have set themselves the challenge of playing the entire Warped Tour this summer, but they seem capable of it and this could give them a chance to break the US scene.

Check out our photos of Forever the Sickest Kids from this show: http://pushtofire.com/photos/ForevertheSickestKids160310/index.html and our interview with the band.

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Turin Brakes + Pete Lawrie
14th March 2010
The Duchess, York
By James Thompson

First on stage is Pete Lawrie with his two band mates. He seemed to be unknown to the crowd but they give him a great response once he starting playing.

Even though the stage was filled with Turin Brakes' gear and his fellow band members were obscured behind Pete, they still put on a good energetic performance.

Halfway through the set Pete Lawrie makes some conversation, saying he felt like being in a cage on stage- which resulted in some of the audience howling like monkeys.

Plenty of great band-audience interaction and a great start to the night.

Turin Brakes needed no introduction. They made their way onto the stage with huge cheers from the crowd. The set consists of their best hits and is a great performance-

most notably so when about three quarters of they way through the audience are asked to be quiet and the band proceed to unplug their equipment and came right up to the barrier and played to the crowd. A great touch.

This was the first time I had seen both acts and I left the venue impressed. Another great show at The Duchess.

Check out the photos from the show

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HIM
22nd February 2010
The Metro Theatre, Sydney
By Meghan Player

Following their festival appearance at Soundwave 2010, HIM looked more at home playing to the intimate crowd at the Metro tonight.

Beginning with an entry that seemed to come straight from a 1920s' love story, the Finnish love-metallers were received with an overwhelming roar from their passionate fans.

Latest album 'Screamworks: Love In Theory and Practice' provided the scope for the night. Showcasing the bands new sound and musical inclinations, they effortlessly performed ‘St. Valentine’, ‘Heartkiller’, ‘Scared To Death’ and the enchanting ballad, ‘Disarm Me (With Your Loneliness)’, while fans of their earlier work were not left disappointed - with a range of songs from pinnacle albums featuring heavily on the nights’.

The sweeping ‘Join Me (In Death)’, setlist surprise ‘Your Sweet 666', crowd favourite ‘Right Here In My Arms’, and the melodic ‘When Love And Death Embrace’, provided highlights of the night.

Charismatic frontman Ville Valo's vocal performance was at its finest the entire night, and was backed beautifully by the bands signature heavy sound to create a astoundingly cathartic experience.

Tonight ultimately proved a lot about HIM. While their new musical direction is very different from where they started, they have proved time and again that it is possible for a band of their calibre to shift and change musical directions. And do it well.

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AFI
23rd February 2010
Luna Park Big Top, Sydney
By Meghan Player

When AFI last toured Australia in 2006, their music was enjoying more mainstream success. Since releasing their latest album, Crash Love last year, the band have enjoyed the same, if not more success in the last few months.

After an enthralling and energetic performance at Soundwave, you would be forgiven to think the band may have been a little flat from sheer exhaustion. Not so.

Blasting onto the stage for opener ‘Medicate’, the band powered through a set list that touched on various points throughout their vast career.

Big-band, rat-pack number ‘Too Shy To Scream’, latest single ‘Beautiful Thieves’ and the infectious, ‘I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here’ celebrated the bands more recent sound experiment.

While remaining faithful to their most loyal, long-term fans, the band opted for some of their underground appreciated tracks from the celebrated Sing The Sorrow era - playing ‘Silver And Cold’, ‘Girl’s Not Grey’, ‘Dancing Through Sunday’ and the atmospheric ‘Death Of Seasons.”

Collectively, the band were at their live performance best - each song played with the same passion as the day they were written.

Frontman Davey Havok was at his flamboyant best, threatening to suddenly spontaneously combust - throwing himself from one side of the stage to the other.

However the highlight for the night was undoubtedly the acoustic ‘On The Arrow’. For a band to capture such a poignant moment in front of a large crowd is commendable - with most audience members lost in a beautiful sea of melody and atmosphere.

If tonight proved one thing, AFI’s boundless energy and passion for their craft is stronger than ever, and they continue to get better and better.

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Lamb of God
10th February 2010
Newcastle O2 Academy
By Rob Barker

Lamb of God are a band you simply can’t ignore, having firmly established themselves as a cornerstone in modern metal and amassing hundreds of loyal fans in the process.

From the beginning of their set at the Newcastle O2 Academy the masters of American metal showed why it is that they’re at the top of the heap. Taking the stage to the acoustic guitars of ‘The Passing’ (and a deafening roar from the crowd) the band oozed stage presence, which only intensified when they ripped into ‘In Your Words’.

While Lamb of God’s support acts (particularly Job For a Cowboy) suffered from sound problems, none of this was to be seen with the headliners, with every skull crushing beat delivered by drummer Chris Adler hitting home and loosening bowels. Thanks to a carefully selected setlist L.O.G made sure that nobody was disappointed, mixing tracks Ashes of the Wake’s Omerta with modern classics like Set to Fail.

From the outset it was obvious that this was Lamb of God’s show, where the other bands saw the occasional fan participating, L.O.G’s set saw the O2 Academy come alive, with a sea of bodies constantly jostling to keep the action in view.

True there have been better pits, and even during the colossal Redneck the crowd stayed fairly docile (possibly due to high beer prices), but Lamb of God demonstrated perfectly why they are a force to be reckoned with, and why, year after year, their tours are still some of the best seen in the UK - 9/10.

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Job for a Cowboy
10th February 2010
Newcastle O2 Academy
By Rob Barker

Despite having years of nonstop touring and recording under their belts, Arizona’s Job For a Cowboy still don’t seem to have won over their critics, something that was proved by the crowd at the O2 Academy in Newcastle on the second night of their tour with Lamb of God.

From the start of their set the crowd seemed wholly disinterested, sure there was the occasional fan there that could be seen shouting along, but for the most part it was Lamb of God fans that were filling time before the main event. The lukewarm reception wasn't for lack of trying, with JFAC putting their all into every song, and showing the punk attitude which was responsible for their initial deathcore sound, with vocalist Jonny Davy giving off ten times the stage presence of veteran frontmen twice his age.

For a JFAC the setlist was a godsend, mixing tracks from Ruination like ‘Unfurling a Darkened Gospel’ with the more hardcore influenced ‘Knee Deep’ and ‘Entombment of a Machine’ from their Doom EP.

Despite the band’s best efforts to give the few JFAC fans what they wanted they were let down by the dire sound in the Academy, with the bass booming and distorting, drowning out the guitar work of Al Glassman and ex-Despised Icon axe man Bobby Thompson. Even more disheartening is the fact that when Lamb of God took the stage their sound was tight and aggressive, with none of the flabby bass seen in JFAC’s set.

Unfortunately when the crowd at a concert just isn’t in to the band, there’s nothing that can make it right, even if the sound was spot on the circle pit still would have laid dormant with the occasional 16 year old running across it while everyone else rolls their eyes.

If anything this review should give you more reason to go and listen to Job For a Cowboy, because if there were a few more people enjoying the set rather than waiting for it to end then it might well have been at least half as powerful as Lamb of God’s.

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Bonecrusher Tour 2010
2nd February 2010
Rios, Leeds
By Simon Daish

It may now be February, but after a slow start to 2010 I find myself at Leeds Rios for day two of the much anticipated Bonecrusher Tour.

Due to an unusually early door time (5.30pm on a Tuesday) I quite literally only catch the last few notes as the first band wrap up their set. Not a problem though, I still have six bands to come!

Not really knowing who’s on next due to the rotating support slots it’s a welcome surprise when Carnifex lead vocalist Scott Lewis appears and shouts, “I want to see this place explode!” I think it’s safe to say everyone at Rios is in for a great night of metal.

Supporting their third full length album “Hell Chose Me” it’s obvious Carnifex’s relentless touring has had an affect the band. Not in a bad way though, as clearly they are in their element in the live setting, and a solid performance is rewarded with some crazy circle pits.

Next up is The Faceless. With a formula of brutal metal mixed with some outstanding technical ability, it’s refreshing to see a band doing something different, especially in a genre that to the untrained ear can sound so similar. Highlight of their set is ‘An Autopsy‘, summing up The Faceless perfectly. Well constructed break downs, some technical riffs, and, of course, lots of brutality.

Things seem to slow down when Obscura take to the stage. The circle pit is put on hold and a more relaxed headbang is adopted. I find their set seems to drag a little, but I put this down to the past two performances being so strong. It does however pick up towards the end with an accomplished drum solo from Hannes Grossmann that leads into the last song. I’m sure in another line up Obscura’s pedigree would shine through, but unfortunately not tonight.

It’s time for the leather clad Necrophobic to grace the stage. Their appearance is best described as Kiss-like, but with less make up. They seem to get a great reception from the crowd and produce a very entertaining set. Lead singer Tobias Sidegard in particular impressed me as a front man; at times he seemed to select a member of the crowd, make eye contact, and proceed to sing with them. A comment from the guy stood next to me sums them up perfectly, “they’re an acquired taste”. But for a band that originally formed in 1989 and are still going strong, they’re obviously doing something right, and I would be happy to see them again.

Representing a more old school style of thrash metal, and my personal highlight of the evening, it’s the turn of 3 Inches Of Blood to show us how it’s done. As you would expect from 3 Inches there are plenty of solos, lots of metalcore backing screams from Justin Hagberg, and pure power metal. Necrophobic front man Tobias Sidegrad also returns as a guest vocalist for “Night Marauders”, and so does the frantic circle pit, my personal highlight of the evening. On the whole a set that shows the old school is still going strong.

Last but by no means least The Black Dahlia Murder step up to a packed out room. Armed with their latest album Deflorate, the five piece waste no time getting down to business. As soon as the first notes of ‘When The Last Grave Has Emptied’ hits the lower tier of Rios becomes pure carnage. It’s been a while since I last saw TBDM but they just seem to get better and better with each album release. Trevor Strnad looks like he is having the time of his life on stage, and backs it up with some immense vocals.Playing a mix from each album there is something for everyone in the room to enjoy, whether a hardcore fan or a newcomer to the band.

My night is cut a little short and I miss the finale - although after witnessing the start of the set I can only imagine it was just as hectic. As I head out into the cold to catch my train I feel warm inside knowing I have just witnessed a sweet metal show. A great first gig to the year for me and I can’t wait till The Black Dahlia Murder return to the UK!

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Northern Oak/Viperous/The Engines of Armageddon - In Support of British Heart Foundation
13th February 2010
Sheffield Corporation
By Leo Kindred

The desire to come out for Sheffield’s metal hasn’t been as strong since the local steel industry collapsed. Music, and a third of profits donated to a hearty cause. What’s not to like?

Certainly not groove-mongers Engines of Armageddon. Singer/drummer Bill is possessed of serious beard and throaty voice, and has a tone that complements brilliantly with their shoving and surging stoner sound. Finishing with the catchy anti-control anthem ‘Fuck The Chip’, the Engines impress and leave with the benchmark for the evening at a lofty level.

The farewell gig for local metallers Viperous sadly does not succeed in topping this standard. Inconsistent sound with too much bass is further buggered by their singer, who puts in sporadic effort seemingly without attempting to control his outbursts. Despite their ability it is, sadly, an end to the band with a whimper rather than a bang.

Premiere folk metal ensemble Northern Oak have spent the last couple of years building a following and tonight the house is rammed. After some amusing glitches (Chris Mole forgetting to turn on his guitar) they embark on an unfetid, organic performance enjoyed by all, with friendly exchanges between the stage and crowd- primarily regarding bass player Rich Allan’s underwear choice.

Waist-coated singer Martin Collins’s gruff, almost cockney, growls garnish the greenery of the home-grown forest tones, aided by “fan favourite” Elliot Sinclair’s keyboard and the polished sounds of Chris’s guitar. It’s a sound that tills tones of folk-tinted metal rather than meshing the two, so that come the jigging finale of ‘Madness of the Feral Moon’ it brings the curtain down on an oddly graceful, triumphant performance.

*In local Yorkshire accent* Folkin’ good i’ t’were too! .

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Rebel Alliance Tour: Random Hand + The Skints + Mouthwash + Chris Murray
16th February 2010
The Cockpit, Leeds
By Suzy Harrison

First up - Chris Murray. The last time I saw him was 2004 when he was supporting the RX Bandits and played an entirely acoustic set. This time he performance with a two-piece backing band in the form of members of The Skints and also some help from Josh (also The Skints) on one song ('I Need Water'). He was better than I remembered and a good taste of what was to come.

Next was Mouthwash who I have to admit, I wasn't looking all that forward to but they exceeded expectations and played a killer set full of reggae songs and more up beat songs guaranteed to get the most reluctant dancer on their feet. By the end of the set the crowd were suitably warmed up and ready for the mighty Skints.

The Skints' newest album is rather good so I expected nothing less from live show. I was not disappointed at all. These relatively young musicians are very talented and could easily break into the mainstream and follow in the footsteps of The King Blues, due to the universal appeal of their music. Ironically in one song about not fighting, we experienced the most violent pit of the night. The fans were having a great time at the front of the room. Marcia showed off her talents playing multiple instruments (keyboard, sax, melodica), singing and doing some MC style rapping. Females in bands are still a relative minority when it comes to the music industry but Marcia definitely is an inspiration to females who want to perform music. Songs were linked together effortlessly and they managed to slip in a few covers including Dawn Penn's 'No, No, No', Inner Circle's 'Make You Sweat' and a cheeky melody from a Lily Allen song which seemed to go slightly unnoticed by the majority of the crowd. The set was long, but well performed and the variety of songs kept it interesting.

Shortly before the final band, an announcement was made on stage by one of the venue staff. Some exciting news in fact - the first bands for this year's Slam Dunk festival. If you wanted to make the crowd even more excitable this was the ideal opportunity and with the news that Capdown would make a rare performance along with sets from RX Bandits, Random Hand, Sonic Boom Six and The King Blues, the atmosphere in the venue was buzzing.

And without any delay Random Hand started their performance. This was drummer Joe Dimuantes (aka Dimmers)'s final ever gig with the band after being with Random Hand for a total of 8 years. And what a send off! The pace was fast from the beginning and there were all the favourites - Scum Triumphant, Anger Management, British. Josh from The Skints made his third appearance of the night helping out on one of the tracks. They also played a brand new song that they claimed to have never performed in Leeds before - it was awesome, superfast, ska punk and I cannot wait to get my hands on the band's next record. Despite all the bad luck the band have been experiencing lately (Joe D leaving, van troubles, Matt's hand injury) they never fail to pull off an amazing show. Musically, they're as strong as ever and hopefully their luck will improve very soon.

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Henry Rollins
20th January 2010
Liverpool O2 Academy
By Leo Kindred

Spoken word is an art all its own, and no one quite manages it with the same unremitting intensity as Henry Rollins.

His Black Flag days behind him he is notable now as an actor, political commentator, activist, radio & TV host, author and poet, and a wonder as someone who has managed to make a living out of being himself. And he’s good at it.

From the second his muscled, thickset, grey-haired form appears on the stage he stands before us and talks. And keeps talking. For over 2 hours. There’s no interval, and Henry speaks barely even pausing for breath. It’s him all over; unrelenting. No let up, no halting for a glass of water, no pausing to let laughter settle, and, impressively, no toilet breaks. In fact the only bodily fluid to drip from him is his sweat as he entertains, informs, discourses, and jokes through various topics.

From Washington on the night of Obama’s victory, to Bhopal, India and the anniversary of the Union Carbide disaster (where he sneaked into the chemical plant where the accident occurred- past the armed guards), Henry stomps from topic to topic with the same steely, slightly manic, determination with which he stomps through life. As he does so he paints a picture of his travels and views in a vivid amount of detail, pulling in thoughts on certain topics reminding of Eddie Izzard with more focus.

He makes you feel that you’re living in the space the size of a matchbox, and his adventures cause laughter, sorrow, smiles, and gasps, as you vicariously relive the experiences that Rollins has amassed over years of living at several hundred mph without even considering the break pedal.

It’s an experience in itself, and following this evening it brings a definite sense of well being and vitality. You find your head is filled with the stories and images of far off places and the interesting occurrences of life, all coloured with Henry’s unrelenting philosophy that urges one to reach out and grab them, while there’s still time.

Extraordinary.

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Cobra Starship + Family Force 5 + Futures
6th February 2010
Leeds Met
By Suzy Harrison

Tonight's first band were Futures. Despite some crowd interest and having heard a number of people sing their praises, I personally felt that they came and went without leaving much of an impression. The music didn't seem to be anything new and in comparison to the other bands there was definitely something lacking.

Roll on Family Force 5. With a singer who looked a bit like Zoolander, Family Force 5 were energetic, enthusiastic and got the crowd going with their punchy performance. They have some 'interesting' dance moves and a fashion sense to match, making them memorable both visually and musically. If you want a good time, check them out.

Cobra Starship, the headliners, were greeted by an excited crowd and soon sprung into their set, performing every song as well as, if not better than, the recorded versions. With the female fans screaming for Gabe and the male fans watching Vicky on keytar, this band have an appeal that stretches further than their music. Highlights of the set included Paparazzi, Hot Mess and Wet Hot American Summer (from the new album). The band's massive hit Snakes on a Plane (Bring It) also featured in the setlist, during which a fan was allowed on stage and given the mic. He did a pretty good job singing the lead vocal line and I'm sure that opportunity made his night, if not his week.

Throughout the entire set fans were singing every line and dancing along to the catchy electro-pop punk melodies. A very enjoyable end to the evening and a band you need to see perform live at least once.

Photos online now!

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NME Awards Tour 2010
7th February 2010
Leeds O2 Academy
By Aimee Taylor

"Thanks to all of you that made me better when I had the flu last time, you got me through it" Orlando Weeks says after a momentary lapse during 'Dinosaurs'. The Maccabees headline at the O2 Academy in Leeds and give an incredible performance at the sold out venue. They kick things off with 'William Powers' a track with a rich and melodic feel, highlighted by the beautifully smooth vocals of Weeks and clan and they perform tracks from both of their stunning albums. The peak of the night being 'Precious Time' with Weeks giving a confident and powerful vocal. An emotional rendition of 'Toothpaste Kisses' gets their crowd whistling like mad men and 'Can you give it?' is infused with harmony.

Support comes from New Yorkers, The Drums, it is their first time in Leeds and they make one hell of an impression. Blasting out 'Let's go surfing' and 'I felt stupid' the new band from NYC carry a decent and appreciated vintage indie sound. Front man Jonathan Pierce is reminiscent of a young Morrissey, flinging his arms about. The Drums' first time in Leeds and by looks, they enjoyed every moment.

They're followed by the glorious Big Pink. Robbie Furze in his usual get-up of jet black leather and studs. All songs in the set are from their ground-breaking debut, 'A Brief History of Love', 'Velvet' and 'Dominos' are the main focus at Leeds. Furze modestly says to the audience, "We don't know if you know this one" then they wapp out the filthy rich sounds of 'Dominos' and before you know it, every music lover in the place is chanting along to that one off the Xbox advert. The Big Pink have done it, once again.

Jack Steadman looks like a shy chap but then he opens his mouth and moves as though he has electric running through his veins, and then you realise how ace Bombay Bicycle Club actually are. All band members look like they love every moment and deliver the most wonderful set. 'Always like This', one of the most loved tracks off their album 'I had the blues but I shook them loose' is an infinate highlight of their energetic set. Steadman does encounter a slight hitch in that a lairy audience member chucks a pint at the front man, but Steadman dodges and indeed has the last laugh. Bombay Bicycle Club conclude with 'Cancel on Me' and prove that they really are a great band to watch live.

There is no doubt in anyones mind that The Maccabees were the ultimate highlight on the bill at the Academy. 'Love you Better' they saved for their encore and by the crowd's reaction, they saved the best for last. The NME Awards Tour 2010 holds musical and vocal talent and was definately loved by all at Leeds.

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Marduk + Anaal Nathrakh
5th February 2010
Rios, Leeds
By Leo Kindred

Following some lukewarm support bands the blood is racing ahead of two of the bigger names in the extreme metal scene. English necro-metal heroes begin their set with a crushing onslaught that has marked them out for the pulverizing force they are. Unfortunately due to rather dodgy sound levels and Mick Kenney’s guitar sporadically cuts in and out, a malfunction that causes the fantastic ‘More of Fire Than Blood’ to be performed at a frustrating second-rate whilst Mick switches guitar, which fails to fix the problem. The fact that despite these hiccups they manage a really good performance should say something as ‘The Final Absolution’ and ‘Do Not Speak’ bring the serious teeth rattling heaviness. As they vacate the stage though it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed when one knows what inhumane feats they are capable of.

Swedish black metal blast machine Marduk begin as they intend to go on. With razor sharp riffs and lyrics about Satan. The performance could not be executed more expertly even with the aid of guillotine but the narrowness of the songs begins to become a factor. Once you’ve heard it a couple of times you’ve heard it all. Where some much needed variety comes in is with slower material from the most recent ‘Wormwood’ release and an excellent onstage collaboration with Alan Averill, the vocalist from Ireland’s Primordial which goes a long way to breaking things up nicely. As they take their leave and it becomes clear that an encore is out of the question, no matter how much the fans bray, it brings the curtain down on a hammering performance that whilst low on range couldn’t have gone more grim.

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Decapitated + Katakylsm + Man Must Die
6th February 2010
Rios, Leeds
By Dom Sharman

I have been a fan of Man Must Die since hearing the song Scumkiller a while ago and so was eager to see if they lived up to how visceral they are in a recorded form. The band came out in an oddly theatrical cloud of smoke and dull lights but launched straight into a visceral technical death metal attack which left some of the crowd surprised at what may have been seen by some as an anonymous support band.

By a few tracks in it became apparent that the most recent album, 'No Tolerance For Imperfection', brought new depths to the level of technicality to their music which has come, most probably, with the addition of a second guitarist and a new drummer. All being said the set was very good but the sound was frankly awful and the band attempted in vain to improve the levels throughout. If anything (and this is probably something someone would not expect to hear about a death metal band) the sound was just too loud. Whilst they could be accused of leaving an element of their more brutal background behind them, there can be no doubt that the band’s new album and apparent change in emphasis suits them down to the ground.

For anyone viewing this band there would be no surprise that they are signed to Relapse Records (arguably the best label for death metal) and you can expect even better things this year from this formidable Scottish death metal band with dates on the Machine Head and Hatebreed tour coming up in 2010 as a replacement for All Shall Perish.

The next band up are the Canadian death metal stalwarts Katakylsm who have been a part of the scene from their formation in 1992. I had heard rumours that they would be playing for longer than the headline band of the night and, from their past support slots with Deicide, Cannibal Corpse and Vader, I looked forward to a band I had only heard fleetingly pleasantly surprising me. Unfortunately my enthusiasm was misplaced and the band was what can only be described as pedestrian. An overly drawn set filled with material which seemed to be constantly drawing heavily on the sounds of other bands (from Sepultura to Slayer) resulted in many spending an inordinate amount of time at the bar.

Compared to the other bands on the bill they suffered from being far too commercial and the songs blended into one mass throughout the set with the highlight, 'As I Slither', coming far too early on to hold anyone’s attention. Although I cannot say the band are poor, they were dull and were unduly given more time than the band almost everyone had paid to see.

As a heavy bass line swelled, the new line up of legendary Polish technical death metal band Decapitated took to the stage in a fog of smoke. Since their hiatus in 2007, when drummer Vitek died in a car crash which led to previous vocalist Covan falling into a coma, the band have threatened a comeback and very few would be shocked to see a new line up appear in 2010. An unbelievably tight and extreme set was filled with ‘classics’ and whereas the new vocalist cannot necessarily be said to be as good as Covan, the new drummer did not miss a beat where the back catalogue is rife with double bass pedal blasts and complicated passages. They were the only band of the night that had genuinely good levels for their sound and it resulted in an epic set smattered with nostalgic references to previous drummer Vitek, including a chant of his name during an intro for one of the last songs in the set.

An excellent if not slightly too short set was polished off perfectly with my personal favourite 'Spheres of Madness', which had the audience captivated and yearning for more.

Given the way the band were received on the night, I would not rule out a follow up to 'Organic Halluccinosis' in the not too distant future. I would urge more modern ‘deathcore’ bands to take a leaf out of Decapitated’s book.

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Above Them, Hammer No More The Fingers, Well Wisher
4th February 2010
Royal Park Cellars, Leeds
By Simon Harrison

There was a one man band type affair playing as we walked into the Cellars, he was playing his last song at the time and I didn’t catch his name. He sounded ok though, and had a lot of equipment on the stage!

The first full band of the night was Manchester’s Well Wisher. This was their first outing to Leeds, and they went down well with the reasonable sized crowd. Their singer was full of energy and was bounding all over the stage, pausing only to sing a few lines into his mic. Well Wisher had a sound that reminded me of a few bands in places, but no one I can put my finger on now, mostly nice and melodic, with a few more distorted moments. Would definitely see them again if they played locally.

Next on the stage was Hammer No More The Fingers, who had certainly travelled the furthest, coming from North Carolina in the USA. HNMTF are over here to promote their Inhaler Records release “Looking For Bruce” and treated the crowd to a few songs from this album, mixed in with some new tracks. For the most part the songs were reasonably slow compared to most of the music I’m used to, but HNMTF are a very tight unit, and shifted from ‘clean and quiet’ to ‘dirty and heavy’ with ease. Their songs are certainly technical and the three part vocal harmonies worked very well. Stand out track for me was their latest single “Shutterbug”, which saw a slight increase in pace. A band worth checking out if you can catch them on the rest of this tour.

Headlining the show was Leeds regulars Above Them, also promoting a recent release on Inhaler. If you don’t know of Above Them you’d be surprised to hear that they tour their butts off and play wherever anyone offers to put them on. From this constant playing together they’ve developed into a well oiled and tight music machine. Their sound reminds me of many of the No Idea Records family, and shows why they’ve been selected to play the Fest in Florida, and support many of these bands on UK tours. Plagued part way through their set with mic and PA problems AT were forced to drop a few songs, but still put on a cracking performance with plenty of passion and energy. If you like good live music with a meaning, check their myspace, find out when they’re coming to your town, go and watch. Simples.

Photos online now!

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Kerrang! Relentless Energy Tour 2010
31st January 2010
Leeds O2 Academy
By Suzy Harrison

As I approached the Academy tonight all I could hear was screaming, and as I got nearer, all I could see was a queue which stretched right around the venue. Hardly surprising really considering that it was time for the 2010 Kerrang! Relentless Energy Tour to come to town.

I'm not sure what all the screaming was about as there weren't any bands outside. I think that the kids had just been out there so long that they were excited to finally be allowed into the venue. Apparently this date wasn't quite sold out, but I don't believe that as I haven't seen a queue for a gig like that in quite a while. In fact, I haven't seen such a massive queue since I attended the Kerrang! Relentless Tour 2009 in Manchester.

My Passion opened the show pretty soon after I got inside. Unfortunately there were still a lot of people outside still so the room wasn't particularly full at the start of their set. My Passion are a band who became more well known towards the end of last year. They play electro-metal-pop punk and are a bit like a less offensive version of Mindless Self Indulgence in parts. With this in mind if they had been bigger in January last year perhaps they would have been better suited to last year's Kerrang! Relentless line up. The set was well executed with a good crowd response. A good start and an interesting band to watch on stage.

Second on stage were Young Guns. I'd heard a lot about them from various people I know so I was keen to hear them and see what they could do. They were energetic on stage and seemed to be enjoying themselves, but they seemed to lack something. The music wasn't particularly memorable and the performance washed over me. For a band with such a following I was pretty disappointed and found myself looking forward to the next band.

Things soon stepped up a notch as Welsh boys The Blackout appeared on stage. Wow. I've seen them before but they improve everytime I have the pleasure in watching them. We had Sean climbing the rig, Gavin jumping all over the stage and the rest of the band similarily hyperactive. It was hard to know who to watch because the was so much action on the stage and strobes were flashing adding to the chaos. The set list was full of favourites including High Tide. The Blackout played for a pretty long time but the crowd were lapping it up. At the end of their set people started spilling out of the main toom to the Relentless stall. It was as if the gig was over for a lot of people and I really thought that they were going to leave, but soon it was time for the headliners and the crowd made their way back to the stage.

The lights were up and we could see the crew getting the stage really for All Time Low...many of the front row fans trying to sneak a peek at the set list. Someone even crowd surfed to the front despite the lack of band and was carried into the pit with a very puzzled look on her face. Looks like she lost her place at the front.

All Time Low were the only non-UK band on the line up and are at the forefront of the current global pop punk scene. On record they sound like any other pop punk band around right now and they don't make a massive impact (in my opinion), but live they really impressed me. The songs were catchy, tight and very very loud (I was almost shaking as I stood by the speaker stack). Guitarist Jack Barakat was full of energy, running across the stage and playing to the photographers. They certainly enjoyed being on stage and loved the attention from the crowd. The audience were singing back the words from the first line of opener 'Lost in Stereo'. Other songs on the set list included 'Poppin Champagne', 'Weightless' and 'Six Feet Under the Stars'.

So once again Kerrang! and Relentless have pulled off another successful tour. I think the choice of bands worked well and it was clear that all those in attendance had a great time. If this was anyone's first gig I'm sure that it was a good one and their next show will have a lot to live up to. We gave a pair of tickets away for this show to one of our readers and we hope they had a wicked time! The tour continues this week to Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester, finishing in London on 5th/6th February.

Photos online now!

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Iglu & Hartly + New Politics + Dead Rebellion
26th January 2010
Fibbers, York
By Aimee Taylor

Californian popsters Iglu & Hartly made an impressive stop-off at York on their 2010 UK tour, introducing brand spanking new songs on a night when their synth-driven sound was greatly welcomed by the Fibbers crowd.

The venue was filled with an electric atmosphere, the fans anticipating their well-known anthem, and of course the band saved the best for last. Their energy was bright and bouncy throughout a staggering 13-song set, the highlight being In This City, when the noise was amazing and there was a real buzz.

In support were Dead Rebellion, a hip hop/electronica band with a decent and very cool sound. Their set was energetic but controlled and they delivered a great performance and some quality music. Plugging their upcoming headline gig in February, the crowd cheered in excitement.

Further support came from New Politics, an indie-rock band from the USA that spewed talent, passion and fun. New Politics gave something different to the York audience: beat boxing, break dancing and American charm. The pint-sized lead singer thrust himself around the stage and entertained the crowd while showcasing some genius music.

Iglu & Hartly and their support acts put on a real show at Fibbers and the gig was one of the best that has been staged in York for a very long time. Iglu & Hartly brought something unique and rare with them and we hope that they visit us again soon.

Photos online now!

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Reel Big Fish + Big D and the Kids Table + Sonic Boom Six
26th January 2010
Leeds O2 Academy
By Suzy Harrison

We walked into the room just after Sonic Boom Six started their set. The venue wasn't particularly busy for them but there was a big group of fans right in the middle of the crowd who were dancing along enthusiastically. Soundwise it was a bit echoey and less compact than usual but that was possibly down to the fact that I'm used to see them in packed out small venues. Guitarist Ben left the band at the end of last year so a new guitarist was on stage. He was no Ben, but he was very energetic and seemed to fit in well with the band. A majority of the set consisted of tracks off 'City of Thieves', with the band playing 'Eyes of a Child', (which drove the pit of fans crazy) and my personal favourite 'Strange Transformations' which worked really well live. There was also some promotion of the rebel alliance brand with Barney reminding the crowd to check out the tour when it comes to Leeds in February, and the band covering part of a song by The Skints. Sonic Boom Six are still as strong as ever despite losing Ben, but they're one of those bands who will always be better in small, sweaty venues.

Big D and the Kids Table were up next. Despite having been around for almost 15 years this band are still pretty underground. The set started off strong with Steady Riot and Noise Complaint but after a while the power of performance seemed to tail off. I'm not sure what happened. Perhaps it was the fact that the lighting made it difficult to see the band on stage, perhaps it was the fact that the lead vocals weren't quite loud enough or perhaps it just didn't work. The band played a lot from their 2009 album 'Fluent in Stroll' which also meant there were two additional backing singers on stage. 'Fluent in Stroll' didn't impressed me as much as their earlier material, so I felt that a bit more the older tracks might have improved things. They also encouraged the crowd to buy one of the band drinks for their birthday and get them drunk (not surprising really as the theme of many Big D's songs is drinking). I love Big D, but I felt let down by their set and disappointed that they didn't show their full potential to the crowd. They might have gained some new fans, but I'm not so sure.

Reel Big Fish seem to be making playing in Leeds an annual event. Every year they come back and every year they pack out whichever venue they play. This gig was no exception as by the time the lights came up and the banner rolled down the back wall the Academy was full of happy ska fans ready to dance and sing to their hearts' content. Opening track was the ever popular 'Sell Out' which was a perfect choice and got the whole room singing along. Beer and water was flying as people got rid of their drinks to skank. No-one could ignore that Reel Big Fish had arrived on stage. The set featured tracks from newer albums but a substantial number from 'Favorite Noise'. We were also treated to 'She has a Girlfriend Now' with help from Laila K (just like they did at Slam Dunk a few years ago) and a cover of Brown Eyed Eye (off their latest release 'Fame, Fortune and Fornication'). I don't remember a time I've ever seen Reel Big Fish and not enjoyed myself; I wanted to sing and dance along and have a good time during their performance and I wasn't alone. Even people right at the back, away from the main crowd were singing the words and skanking. Musician wise they're also very talented; their brass section really showing off what they are capable of. And lead singer Aaron is a brilliant front man and one of the factors leading to their success. I really hope that we see them again in Leeds next year because it's clear that Leeds loves Reel Big Fish and the band seem to enjoy themselves in the UK too.

Photos online now!

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Asking Alexandria + The Fallen + With One Last Breath
23rd January 2010
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Harrison

I got to Fibbers ten mins after the doors opened and joined the back of the queue. The scene kids had come out of hiding tonight and there were plenty of backcombed hairstyles, patterned goodies and Nikes.. And that was just the boys. It was clear from my arrival that York still loves it metalcore.

A sold out venue but a static crowd greeted the first band of the night, With One Last Breath. The only exception being a very enthusiastic girl two rows from the barrier. The band brought us lots of intricate solos and metal guitar lines. They played tight and the first pit of the night broke out towards the end of the set. I wasn't really into them but they definitely played well and I'm sure they won a few more fans.

The Fallen followed. The last time I saw them was August 2008 and I was pretty impressed. Tonight I was impressed all over again and thoroughly enjoyed their performance. I'm not wanting to make comparisons, but they did sound a bit like Avenged Sevenfold in parts; melodic catchy metalcore. I wouldn't be surprised if they follow in the footsteps of fellow York band Glamour of the Kill at some point as they have a great sound and confidence on stage, combined with a solid fan base in the locality. Pits aplently with hardcore dance moves, moshing and pushing throughout. It was an energy filled set from both the band and the crowd. The Fallen also announced that their guitarist Rich would be leaving the band after tonight. I'm sure that this gig was a good send off for him.

Needless to say by the end of The Fallen's set it was very very hot and sweaty in the venue. Fibbers was full and the gig was sold out. A lone bouncer appeared at the side of the stage suggesting that something was bound to go down during the rest of the gig.

Asking Alexandria, the headliners, soon started playing and the crowd really did go crazy. Crowd surfing in Fibbers is not a regular event but there was plenty of it during the entire set; some people landing flat but others making it to the stage. One person even had the mic for quite a while during a song and did a pretty good job filling in for the singer. There was a bit of choreography from the guitarists/bassists who jogged on the spot and lunged together, which gave their performance an element of unity. The sound was reminiscent of Bring Me the Horizon with the singer growling into the mic and the guitars pounding out metalcore riffs left, right and centre. Despite the madness the set seemed a bit slower in parts with lots of chat/banter between songs, moreso than the amount we got from the other bands. This was possibly down to technical difficulties with some of the backing tracks. The set came to an end after 45mins and the crowd refused to leave, shouting for more. Asking Alexandria came back on to play one final song and it was a great end to the night.

Read our interview with Asking Alexandria

View our gallery from this gig

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Screaming Tarts presents... Eureka Machines + Rebel Yell + Velvet Star
15th January 2010
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Harrison

A glam rock start to the night with Velvet Star taking to the stage. The singer was full of energy and, even though it didn't seem to be that warm in the venue, semi-naked, enjoying showing off his six pack to everyone. The band were clearly having a good time and seemed to give off a certain amount of attitude, but unfortunately their enthusiasm didn't seem to be shared by the crowd. Their sound wasn't particularly original and they didn't succeed in keeping my attention (despite the intricate guitar solos). The songs felt a little repetitive and a little dated. Not really my thing. If you like glam though, give them a try.

Soon it was time to shift to a rockabilly/blues vibe with Leeds band Rebel Yell. I must be honest, every single time I've seen this band the place has been packed, but this time was the exception with a clear space in front of the barrier. This said, it was not the greatest performance I've witnessed from them so the lack of people was probably a blessing in disguise. Don't get me wrong though, I do like this band and I think they have good songs and a lot of talent, but I think they do better on a line up of bands of a similar sound; rockabilly nights are perfect for them, following a glam rock band is not.

The headline act was Eureka Machines. There was a marked increase in bodies in the venue by the time they got on stage and a row of people at the front barrier. The band brought us a powerful set of punchy rock and bulky guitar lines. And even though I'd only seen them once before, I recognised the songs. There was good between song banter too. It was obvious that for Eureka Machines playing gigs is not just about the music it's about the choreography and the image as well; they are on the stage to put on a good show and they definitely don't fail to deliver. Eureka Machines are definitely a band you have to see perform live - you'd probably enjoy listening to their records, but wouldn't get the whole package. The Eureka Machines provided a great finish to the evening.

Live photos online now!

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Rolo Tomassi + Pocketknife + Waiters
18th January 2010
Manchester Deaf Institute
By Rachel Hand

Don’t you just hate it when the support bands aren’t announced or advertised anywhere? The result was going into the venue without a clue what to expect, followed by a good hour of cyber snooping today, but the two young and local support acts were worth it.

The first band, Waiters, play a rich, ambient, and somehow old-sounding set, like shoegaze played on an antique gramophone. A glance at their MySpace proves that this is indeed a band to keep an eye on, as organic and joyful as a sunrise; unfortunately, they don’t quite pull off this live set, with suspect singing and minimal stage presence.

Next up is a faultless performance from Pocketknife. They play grunge with heavier post-rock sections, the heavy basslines contrasting nicely with singer Sian’s higher-pitched and acerbic voice. The last song they play is hypnotic and full of bite, and by the time it ends the audience has really warmed to Pocketknife.

At 10pm, Rolo Tomassi take to the stage; and, as keyboardist James Spence remarks, what a stage it is. Manchester’s Deaf Institute is all chandeliers, brocade and bird pictures, under a glass dome. The only problem is its size - barely 200 people could fit in here - but if this is the case, why on earth have the tickets not sold out? The Sheffield five-piece have been on rather a journey, and accomplished so much in just a couple of years, but hopefully this tour coupled with their forthcoming second album will change everything. They deserve to sell out venues twice this size, and recognition for how unique and avant-garde they are (and not just because their singer is a girl).

From the moment they open their set, the stage seems far too small, with five bodies being thrown around with enough energy to burst a blood vessel. Old belters like Abraxas are interspersed with mellower material such as Oh, Hello Ghost. New songs Party Wounds and the exquisite Last Year sound great, and not least because they encapsulate the Rolo Tomassi sound; that blend of tingling synths and manic riffs, with eerie singing or monstrous screaming enhancing the complex and unpredictable structure. Theirs is a unique and futuristic vision of hardcore, positively post-modern in fact; thankfully, it sounds like the new album will be more of the same.

There are some strangely uncomfortable moments when members of the band stride out onto the bar, halfway into the room, head banging into the personal space of various disturbed drinkers who thought they would be safe this far back; meanwhile, Eva Spence rules the stage with her interesting brand of flirty moshing. The pit is in full swing when they perform I Love Turbulence as an encore, and anticipation for the next album is at fever pitch as the crowd files out of the decadent hall. Well, this will certainly be the last time their tickets sell for £7.

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Thrice + We are The Ocean + Telegraphs
18th January 2010
The Cockpit, Leeds
By Lee Brown

First to take the stage tonight are Brighton’s Telegraphs, the band settles quickly and fuse a sound that to me is a mix of Biffy Clyro with shade of Paramore. They switch from male to female with a good effect. There a few slip ups but this doesn’t deter the band who play a good set with a positive response from the crowd. They have some good stand out songs such as The Argument, Navigate and the 'Muse-esque' Someone’s At The Door, with its haunting guitar sound. A great start to the night.

We Are The Ocean explode into their set and it's high energy throughout. Reminiscent of early Alexisonfire, the band plays a huge selection from their debut album but we are also treated to two new tracks from their up and coming second long-player ‘Cutting Our Teeth’; both tracks go down a hit. Lead vocalist Dan spends time between the stage and the crowd and the band get a great reception. As the crowd sings back every word I feel like I’m stood in the middle of the fan club and the only person who doesn’t know the lyrics.

It's great to see two up and coming UK band splaying to sold out venues and going down well, it’s going to be tough for Thrice to follow.

The Cockpit is packed full and everyone is brimming with excitement as they wait for Thrice to take to the stage. The last time I heard any new material was Vheissu back in 2005 and I can’t even remember the last time I saw them, so I’m intrigued as to what I’m going to see. All you need to know is that they do not disappoint; the set list is a wash with classic tracks and new material. Every track has the crowd swaying and surging and reciting line after line. The new material just shows how much the band have progressed as a group and individual musicians. Tracks like Artist in the Ambulance sound as good and ferocious as ever. I know it’s only mid-January but this show is going to take a lot of beating, and I’m already looking forward to Thrice returning to the UK in the summer.

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Kittie + It Dies Today + Malefice + Never Forever
16th January 2010
Rios, leeds
By Lee Brown

Don’t you just love when a venue doesn't open the doors on time, especially if you’re the first band on and you open your set to a near empty room. Well this was the case for the opening band and I missed their name, but from what I caught musically they sounded good. The only down side was the vocalist who didn’t seem fully into the set - maybe this was due to the timing of the doors opening but none the less they stuck with it and carried on anyway.

Next up was Never Forever; a band on the rise from what I can gather. Imagine Daryl Palumbo singing to a backing track played by Killswitch Engage and you get an idea as to what these guys are aiming for. They got a good response from the small crowd and played a good tight set.

Things stepped up a notch as Reading’s Malefice took to the stage. They exploded into their set with a furious blast of metal. There were no gimmicks (except for one of the members of the support bands joining them on the stage in a pumpkin head...) or posing, it was just a no nonsense performance; the crowd were barraged with riff after riff and some great vocals. They were the first band on stage who managed to get the small crowd gathered at the front of the stage moving and singing back. For me this band were definitely the stand out band of the night.

Brooklyn’s It Dies Today were the final support band. Mixing brutal breakdowns with vocal harmonies, they reminded me of A Day To Remember. Much like the previous bands, there was only a small group gathered at the front but they clearly enjoyed it with a select few reciting every word.

The last thing I remember Kittie releasing was their second album 'Oracle'. Unlike the other bands, for Kittie the dance floor was full and expecting. This was the opening night of their UK tour and they kicked it off in great style. I will be honest and say that they were a lot better than I expected and couldn’t seem to put a foot wrong in the crowd's eyes. The band sounded a lot heavier to what I remembered with Morgan Landers' vocals reminding me of Dani Filth at times. A great start to the tour.

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We Are The Ocean, The Urgency, Deaf Havana
22nd January 2009
Academy 2, Sheffield
By Leo Kindred

The first thing that it’s impossible not to be struck by is the crowd. Young, energetic and extremely... fringey. Then again, of course, what would one expect from a roster of bands that are broadly classified as melodic emotional hardcore.

First band Deaf Havana evoke moderate enthusiasm but their set passes without particular noteworthiness. Although quite clearly possessing ability they do nothing to mark themselves as unique quite simply because they aren’t, and whilst they do enough to warrant applause they will not be the band that people go away talking about tonight.

Americans the Urgency have a bit more of the inventiveness that DH were lacking with an ultra melodic set that casts aside the ‘core’ aspects of tonight’s performances. A handful of dedicated fans make themselves known and swoon over Tyler Gurwicz’s sugary vocals, and come the rendition of ‘Fingertips’ there isn’t anyone who can argue with the enjoyability of the song, apart from a small group of lads who seem annoyed they can’t mosh yet.

As the screams of teenage girls subsides and a couple of said teenagers attempt to deliver a card to some of the band members (encased in an envelope covered in hearts …eww) moshing is certainly what we get. We Are the Ocean power their way through some older favourites from their self-titled EP, Opening with the storming ‘Don’t Be Careless’ they move from strength to strength and delight the crowd with tunes like ‘I’ve Never Felt This Damn Good’, who positively lap it up. The sight of so many teen-something’s pummelling into each other is reminiscent of a school battle of the bands when the band that played rock covers came on and all the pent up frustration and angst was released, much like tonight, with a big smile and a lot of sweat.

A new song from their forthcoming album puts any doubt in the band’s ability to vary to rest, as it features an impressive vocal intro from Liam Cromby (guitar/vocals), his clean vocals providing excellent counterpoint throughout the set to the screamo vocals being orchestrated by Dan Brown (not that Dan Brown), who hangs over the barrier and insights the crowd to go even more nuts. During ‘Save Me! Said the Saviour’ it becomes clear that this is causing a few worries for the venue personnel, and the mic’s are cut out of apparent fear of the negative effects of too many emo kids going postal on each other. Predictably this does nothing to calm things. As the wreckage clears following a pitched fringe battle for the finale of ‘Nothing Good Has Happened Yet’ a look round and reveals a pair of shoes that have landed nearby from out of the mêlée somewhere. The owner wanders up and recovers them and we exchange looks, promptly followed by smiles, and closer still by laughter. When all the shoes, dust and fashionable haircuts have settled then, it is impossible not to view tonight as a triumph for We Are The Ocean. One can’t help but feel their snowball is going to continue picking up speed.

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The Futureheads with Johnny Foreigner
20th December 2008
The Duchess, York
By Rachel12
Live photos from this gig online now!

It was only three years ago, but doesn't 'Hounds of Love' feel like a decade past? It was an undeniable monster of a single, retaining the poignancy of Kate Bush's original whilst injecting it with an energy and vibrancy that cemented the Sunderland four-piece as everyone's new favourite indie outfit. It seemed ridiculous then to hear that the band had been dropped by their label the year after that perfection of a single was released. Another victim of the fickle industry, it might be said. Sounds may make sales, but sales do not make bands. Then in May of 2008 came third album 'This Is Not The World', released on their own label, done their own way. And The Futureheads were most certainly back in action.

Tonight then was to be proof of whether our familiar friends were trying to cling onto their credibility after such a disheartening blow as the label-break seemed, or if it had been exactly what the band needed to find themselves again.

First though, some music from Johnny Foreigner - very much the quintessential British indie-pop-rock three piece, with their poster-friendly faces, youthful charm and quirky, catchy song writing. Live, it's sparkly and punky, danceable and singalong-friendly, with some faintly reckless guitar playing and drum thrashing that makes for a band who seem to have a lot of fun playing live. Innovative and creative? Perhaps not. But cute nonetheless.

And kudos to Johnny Foreigner for touring with such a highly anticipated band - literally, the atmosphere in the room before the headline act was like that of a surprise party gathering, everyone quietly musing and excitedly whispering in anticipation of our old friends. After much cheering for these four very friendly and familiar faces, the band shot into a punky and enthusiastic performance featuring a quite impeccable set list. For three albums worth of material, they really do have a lot of strong material to perform, and the opening chords of every song seemed to be met with an excited gasp from the crowd before they all began bouncing on their tip-toes again.

As much as people like to shove The Futureheads under the extremely obscure banner of 'indie', they really are something quite unique for mainstream and widely appealing contemporary music. Their influences from bands that were around when their fans were still twinkles in their parents' eyes really does infuse the music with something that little bit quirky and original, never directly sounding New Wave or Post-Punk but distinctively influenced by it nonetheless. And it seems to fuel the electricity and magnetism that runs through each member of the band and makes them completely engaged and delighted to be performing on stage.

It's a joy to have The Futureheads back, an absolute unashamed pleasure. Prepare for the rise and rise of: the boys are back.

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Apocalyptica with Swallow The Sun
11th December 2008
The Plug, Sheffield
By Leo Kindred

The only other band tonight, Finland's Swallow The Sun, get going with some powerful brooding doom metal. Whilst definitely not everyone's cup of dark dark coffee, especially on a bill with such a comparatively accessible act, the gloom of their performance is impressive if slightly offset by the blaring strobe light. In fact the only thing, other than the obnoxious seizure lighting (which thankfully subsides after a time) to cast a glare on the shade of their smile-free performance is the rather stale lack of diversity. By the end of the set though they manage to banish these patches of light on their darkness and finish (no pun intended) with their solid doom reputation intact.

A band that play cello metal are going, as with all bonkers propositions, to attract some attention. It's been 10 years since Apocalyptica first formed as a group playing Metallica covers on cello, but now, with a host of their own songs and a reputation built on by impressive live performances, famous collaborations and press coverage, they've become a world class act.

Welcomed by a fittingly raucous reception, Apocalyptica roll on and tear straight in with Sepultura's 'Refuse Resist', and begin to work through a set with all the show boating and jaw dropping instrumental ability that I've come to expect. Indeed, as the gig wears on I find that my expectations are so high that it's difficult to review them fairly. As a long term fan who's well versed with their live show, tonight turns into something of a personal disappointment. The material from the outstanding 'Cult' and 'Reflections' albums is mostly ignored, and there is no sign of old favourite 'Path', or their beautiful rendition of 'Nothing Else Matters'. Fan-boy bitterness aside though, there is no denying that they are a staggering spectacle to behold. 'Life Burns', 'Last Hope' and 'Grace' are quite frankly wonderful experiences to see performed, and the covers of 'Fight Fire With Fire', 'One' and 'Enter Sandman' provide all the nostalgic fun a metal-head could ever need.

On top of this the group are quite clearly adept showmen as well as musicians. Between the dashing around the stage and frenetic helicopter headbanging the humorous banter flows. In one exchange, drummer Mikko and live session cellist Antero trade missiles to everyone's enjoyment. Cellist Paavo seems to have decided on trying to sleep with the entire first row, and judging by his away-with-the-fairies chattering at the crowd, Perttu has apparently dropped something more than just cello licks this evening. In other words, the entertainment some how keeps pace with the competence of the blistering instrumental performance, making Apocalyptica one of the finest and most intriguing live bands you'll ever see.

A mosh pit, which at an Apocalyptica gig I shall propose should be termed as an “orchestra pit”, erupts for ‘Seek and Destroy', and the grand finale of Grieg's ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King', leaves, despite my own personal gripes, Apocalyptica triumphant with an iron-clad (or more accurately wooden-clad) performance. Everyone tonight goes away smiling and with Grieg's classic, which shall probably forever be known as "that tune off the advert for Alton Towers", humming from their lips and echoing in their heads. Amazing stuff.

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Isis with Torche
7th December 2008
Sheffield Corporation
By Leo Kindred

Torche's slot here as double-headliner with Isis is no surprise, having been playing the same slot to Isis' fellow post-metal giants Pelican on their last tour here a few months ago. Torche begin slightly dubiously but after about ten minutes they hit their stride and deliver some big fuzzy stoner metal, all whilst wearing a big, slightly less fuzzy, grin and cowboy hat. Soon it descends into being thoroughly monolithic as Rick Smith strips down to his pants, casts his (drum) stool aside and during the ultra-doomy outro attacks his drums with 4 drum sticks. A good start to the night and Torche leave with our accolades ringing in their ears and our ears, well, just ringing.

As a relative newcomer to Isis's work it means my presence tonight is part curiosity, however I know how post-metal 'works' and that it can be perfectly enjoyable with no prior knowledge. As Isis begin it starts to become clear that it's hard to review their sound as enjoyment is gauged on more whether you're in the right mood for the music, rather than merely being about who did what an which track they played. From my own personal perspective I start off feeling more like a spectator but after 20 minutes I let my eyes close and begin to allow my neck and head flow to the powerful if slightly sad sound, generating a sense of well being mingled with sorrow.

The sound is uplifting and brings a sort of introspective, meditation bound mood which flows from being stimulating to just plain marvellous. Isis give little interaction or acknowledgement to the crowd but the performance is far from dull, indeed it is captivating, and come the encore and the finish we leave feeling slightly dazed as we shake off the wonderful cobwebs of an entrancingly good set and try to remember how to communicate with other people.

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Hexes
25th November 2008
Astoria 2 (Mean Fiddler), London
By Rachel12

After a riotous summer on the festival circuit, Brighton hardcore outfit Hexes have now settled into recording what will be their debut release, and are already hot on the ones-to-watch list based purely on the band's live energy and much deserved reputation as a raucous and original band.

Tonight though they featured as a much welcomed second support for Finch's London show, with the small capacity venue promising an intimate performance influenced and intensified by those past few months of writing and recording.

Opening with 'Semaphore Kids', the sample broke into Hexes' characteristic combination of furious electric guitar riffs and screamed vocals, able to hook the listener with a piercing grip from the outset and drag them along for the rest of the show.

There seemed to be a slight hindrance to the performance though, which the unenthusiastic crowd did nothing to help, and on occasion the rhythm wasn't as tight as the band usually achieve. But considering their illness - which has seen problems previously on this Finch tour - the issues with tonight are certainly more due to ill-health than to any lack of ability from the band.

Nevertheless, this was a half-hour of music in action - none of your superficial visuals, just flat-out brutality and passion. And that, ultimately, is why Hexes are on the scene and here to stay.

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Anberlin
24th November 2008
The Duchess, York
By Alan Brown

American christian rock band Anberlin came to York for the first time ever on Monday night and received a welcome surprise at The Duchess.

Anberlin seemed taken aback by the amount of fans that showed and the fact that many knew every single lyric. In the words of lead singer Stephen Christian ‘We expected like ten or twenty people to turn up…' and even if that is a deliberate understatement of how many expected to show, it illustrates how much it meant to Anberlin to be playing in front of such a hyped up crowd. The band seemed to feed off the electric energy round the venue and delighted the crowd with tracks from their new album ‘New Surrender' such as ‘Day Late' and ‘The Feel Good Drag' with their high energy jump up and down brand of rock, including hard hitting guitar lines and sing along choruses. Half way through the set, they slowed things down a little and played some of their acoustic stuff which was my personal favourite, and like everything else that night, proved extremely popular with the crowd.

They played a lot of tracks from their ‘Cities' album and as the crowds adoration brought Anberlin back for several encores, they ran out of songs and decided to play a track from their popular debut album Blueprints for the Black Market. Eventually, as the encores took them over curfew, Anberlin left the stage at The Duchess with the crowd still crying for more but with their ability to lull you with harmonies in one song and practically deafen you in the next, Anberlin left a marked impression on York.

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Genghis Tron with Behold... the Arctopus and Errander
23rd November 2008
Sheffield Corporation
By Leo Kindred

The order of the night is metal with an unusual or inventive flare to it, an axiom that locals Errander seem at odds with. Providing, as they do, nothing of interest and we go grab a pint and chat elsewhere. Behold…the Arctopus begin with some insane shred instrumentalism, which is slightly hampered when guitarist Mike Lerner, coping with a mere 6 strings compared to his band mate Colin Martson's crazy hybrid guitar which sports 12, breaks one and this leads to a 5 minute drum solo complete with some annoying feedback whilst the maintenance is carried out. An enjoyable performance of the track ‘Canada' provides a high before it all gets a little too sludgy, and no matter how talented they obviously are we go away a little disappointed from their set.

Genghis Tron provide exactly what the doctor ordered, with an impressive neon light show and equal clarity in their electro grind sound made all the more apparent following the muddiness of Behold…'s set. With six halogen multi-coloured fluorescent tubes at the rear of the stage perfectly choreographed to the programmed beats it gives an overall experience of a riot in a computer game arcade. So well delivered is the overall show that it's difficult not to be impressed with the group's performance of tracks like ‘City On A Hill', ‘Things Don't Look Good' and the deep electronic spectrum of ‘Lying On the Forest Floor', even if they don't have a real drummer.

There's no complaints to be heard, unless you count the loud man who keeps shouting in vain for ‘Lazer Bitch', and Genghis Tron's amazing, if slightly short performance, makes the evening worth it practically single-handed.

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Imperial Leisure
20th November 2008
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Witts

Openers for the night were York band, Death Defying Life. I know I always seem to say this but everytime I see this band I enjoy their music and on stage performance. The music is great and they have potential to go places - they supported MXPX last year in Europe and I'm hoping that they'll be able to get more breaks like this because they're really good. Despite one of them claiming to be old, they were all jumping to the music and swinging their instruments around.

Second band on stage were Dead Rebellion. They totally weren't what I was expecting given the opening band and the headliners - I was thinking they might play punk and have lots of guitars etc. But not so. They were a kind of cross between '90s rap (think Beastie Boys), nu-metal and drum and bass. Each song started quite well, but I soon found myself getting a bit bored with their material as it seemed to go on forever. I don't know whether this was more down to me being in the mood for punk and ska and not rap etc. I think in terms of mainstream music this band are more verging towards being accepted by the masses but I wasn't too keen on the whole. There was a good audience for them though and it was clear that some people had just come especially to see them - there were three girls at the front who knew all the words and were have a great time dancing.

And finally, Imperial Leisure. Having missed them at Less Than Jake on Saturday I was desperate to see them live and was really excited about the prospect of seeing them in York. I was not disappointed in the slightest. They were absolutely amazing. Despite the small stage and the band (which consisted of singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer, DJ, keyboard player and brass section) being pushed into the tiny space they were still leaping around the stage. I'd tell you what songs they played, but they only have one album so you can probably guess that it was the majority of material off there. I don't think I'll ever forget that gig mainly because of the great performance, but also because of having to battle with a very enthusiastic crowd which including a crazed fan waving a bag in the air in his right hand and a shoe in his left. He loved the band though and was thrilled when he got to take part in a dance off on stage with his friend - I think Imperial Leisure made his night. Imperial Leisure are a credit to the UK ska punk scene. Along with the likes of Sonic Boom Six and Random Hand, they give me faith that the scene is getting back on its feet after the loss of many key ska punk bands over the past few years (i.e. Capdown, Adequate Seven...).

Photos coming very soon from both their LTJ Leeds gig and the York show!

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Don Caballero
9th November 2008
The Croft, Bristol
By aSH

As I and another 100 Don Cab fans dry themselves off after sneaking in a quick role-up in the thoroughly sodden November evening outside, Don Cab tune-up and attempt to launch in to the evening's opener. However, Damon Che (drums) is visibly struggling with his set up and at the end of the track resorts to hammering his bass drum down with nails to correct any flaws in the kits layout.

Over the next hour and a quarter Don Cab perform to their audience and without knowledge of their previous work and line-ups this show would have been a belter. This is not to say the show was below par, just below Don Cab's par.

Playing tonight with two guitars there is still a heavy reliance on pedals and although pedals can and are used to great effect (see Battles), at a few points in tonight's show the crowd are stood listening to a looped part playing solo with considerable inactivity on-stage.

With any other criticisms put to one side if you have not seen Don Cab before then they are still worth paying a visit. Rather than watching a band, this is more of the Damon Che show. He is truly the king of this style of playing. Jazzy, punctuated, progressive songs rise slowly to limb flailing finales, all the while interspersed with some of his nonsensical musings between tracks.

The evening's highlights were Palm Trees in the Fecking Bahamas and stop stopper Lord Krepelka which was nothing short of epic. In fact it left Che crumpled in a heap on the floor unable to move until almost everyone else had left the venue.

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Rancid
7th November 2008
The Carling Academy, Sheffield
By Sian Johnson

As doors for the majority of gigs aren't until around 7:30, I must admit I was surprised and more than a little disappointed to arrive at Sheffield's Carling Academy at 7:15 to find that I'd already managed to miss the opening band's set! Having spoken to others who were a little more on the ball I'm told it was definitely my loss, as Manchester's The Fractions delivered a great set of bouncy ska-punk goodness. As was enthusiastically noted by one acquaintance "It's always awesome to see more microphones than band members at the front of the stage"... just about sums it up really!

Second support was provided by '80s UK punk veterans the Anti Nowhere League. Despite an energetic stage presence, I have to admit to having been rather uninspired by this band. They seemed almost like a caricature of themselves, playing uncomplicated '80s punk delivered with a lot of posturing and seemingly very little relevance. I may be being a little hard here, as this sort of music is really not to my taste, however genres aside, I (and from their lukewarm reaction, the majority of the crowd) generally found ANL's set rather dull and repetitive, with a distinct lack of musical or lyrical imagination (I'm afraid that repeated shouts of "My god's bigger than your god", whilst amusing, aren't quite enough to get my political juices flowing.. ).

You Me at Six
4th November 2008
Leeds Met
By Suzy Witts

I had the pleasure of attending You Me at Six's sold out show in Leeds on Tuesday. It was the final date of their recent UK tour and a great place to place to end the tour seeing as though they are signed to Slam Dunk Records. "I know a lot of people in Leeds" said frontman Josh Franceschi indicating that the gig in Leeds had meaning for them.

This band have come a long way since we interviewed them back in February; the fact that this show was a rescheduled date to allow YMAS to support Fall Out Boy at Wembley, just sums up how much success they've been having lately. This success was highlighted by their brilliant Leeds performance. And despite the recent accomplishments, they still come across as being down to earth and modest about it all.

The band were animated when playing their songs and clearly relish being on the stage. The two guitarists, Max and Chris, being the most exuberant at the Leeds date.

Unholy Alliance Chapter III: Slayer, Trivium and Mastodon
31st October 2008
Hammersmith Apollo, London
By Rachel12

Well I personally could think of no better way of celebrating Halloween this year than with a show headlined by one of the most notoriously fearsome, menacing and unrelentingly ear-shattering bands ever to have existed.

Mastodon were a more than worthy attribute of the line-up, being one of those little underground bands who tour relentlessly, gather a loyal and adoring following, and who then go on to produce an album thats impact is still being felt two years later (Blood Mountain, 2006). It's little wonder that they're playing London tonight to an almighty welcome of bellowing cheers.

The band, though, look immediately swamped by the huge stage and by the daunting crowd donned in even more black than usually, in addition to the masks, wigs and fancy-dress pitch-forks being waved around the place. Luckily, the four-piece are capable of producing a sound that seems to have been written to fill huge naturalistic expanses of space and, indeed, drums and bass cascade across the walls of the venue along with the deep vocal cries of the three guitarists. It does, however, seem to fall short of the quiet confidence and unrelenting volume an audience usually witnesses from this band. Maybe playing a Halloween gig really did give them the heebie-jeebies.

In terms of stage presence, the next band on couldn't have been more different from the static Mastodon. The stage apparently belonged to Trivium, and they were going to work it to their full advantage. However, compared to the warm welcome the previous band received, the Florida four-piece were never going to be the crowds favourite on tonight's line-up. They dress and act like Hair-Metal is officially back, something which comes across as disappointing when this band first came to the world's attention as a group of four young guys with one hell of an ability to kick out some heavy tunes. Luckily, they still possess this, able to win a large portion of the audience over with just sheer riffage alone. If they pranced around less and stopped with the clichéd 'hell yeah''s, then we'd have a fine outfit of a metal band on our hands here.

The headliner's really need no introduction and, indeed, they walk on the stage with no sense of pretence or arrogance; just four musicians here to give everyone a damn good time. And that they do with undeniable ease. These guys seem to have been born holding instruments, playing each and every song with such effortless ability that it leaves the theatre in absolute awe, in between all the head-banging antics. There's not a body in the amphitheatre sitting down or staying still - Slayer are just a band you do not ignore. You undoubtedly hold high expectations for such bands, and you try desperately to avoid any sense of disappointment with metal heroes, but there's no question tonight of everyone's reaction - absolutely epic.

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Hot Chip
26th October 2008
Carling Academy, Leeds
By Rachel12

It's nothing short of an absolute pleasure to have the likes of Hot Chip on the music scene at the moment. They're the epitome of the anti-hero, creating music that your little brother will love as much as your mum does, one moment dropping huge bass numbers before moving into soft melodies and romantic lyrics, and all this while looking like the cast of Thunderbirds' dads.

A throbbing Leeds crowd are waiting excitedly in a brand new venue for the electropop five-piece to take to the stage, and already, it feels like a party's begun. Everyone's donned in suitably brightly-coloured attire, but there's such a variety of faces here; young and old, rockers and emos, nu-ravers and New Romantics, everyone mushed together and already shyly shuffling their dancing feet in preparation.

Every pair almost surges into the air when the band finally take their places, carefully sandwiched between various sets of keyboards and other instruments on stage. And far from attaining to any God-like responsibility on stage, they're merely just the hosts of a rather cute and fun party.

Hot Chip's latest album, Made In The Dark, has been deemed a triumph by fans and the media press alike, and luckily this opinion doesn't slide in the slightest when you hear its stand-out numbers live. Indeed, they seem designed to be danced to by a mass of people and have a newly injected energy to them when performed live. Similarly, the older singles have never sounded so fresh, creating uproars from the delighted crowd who return to dancing however which way they please - it's all good in the hood, especially when huge balloons begin falling from the ceiling.

The band finish with their trademark cover of Sinead O'Connor's 'Nothing Compares' before merging it into 'Made In The Dark' from the latest album, a lighters-out and glowsticks-up sort of moment where everyone reflects on the show and the band in question.

And damn excellent they both were too.

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Raging Speedhorn with Take A Worm For A Walk Week
25th October 2008
Fibbers Barfly, York
By Rachel12

This is what you might want to call the ‘double-edged sword' gig - one that promises to be hugely entertaining in a rather loud and raucous way, as tonight's headliners do best, but also with that tiny pang of loss, as this was Raging Speedhorn's last ever tour.

They've been going a very long time, having formed from the remains of Soulcellar and Box in 1998 - which, yes, makes them a Nineties band - but nevertheless, tonight was something many people hadn't foreseen.

Despite their appearance of being men of (heavy) metal able to batter instruments and eardrums alike for ten years, they weren't immune to illness, with members of all three bands on the line-up being sick. It was too much for The Mirimar Disaster, who pulled out completely, leaving Glasgow's Take A Worm For A Walk Week to try and redeem the much anticipated line-up.

When you're contemplating what gimmick to attach to your band, you don't really consider that you might get struck by some form of food poisoning while on tour. Or that you won't have access to washing machines. And you will sweat. Enter Take A Worm wearing their trade mark black and white spandex outfits then, and watch the crowd take a generous step backwards away from the smell.

Take A Worm's sound is a chaotic hybrid of hardcore and metal and it really doesn't take a set of costumes to make you pay attention; the quality of this frenzy is more than enough. A few people in the audience banded around the term ‘mentalists' after the set, and it was quite evident how you'd reach this conclusion when you witness the seemingly inhuman mechanics of this band in action. Not even lead singer Johnny's need to throw up every five minutes could hinder their energy and noise.

There was a anticipatory atmosphere rising, groups crowding, shuffling forwards, stocking up on beers, removing coats and jumpers in preparation for some hardcore partying, heavy metal style. ‘Speedhorn take to the stage with the predicted cheers that ten years of hard work and extensive touring have earned them, their subsequent set cementing opinions that this band really are going to be missed on the live front.

Brutality and compassion combined into a fierce aural assault, demanding every individuals full attention and participation. Older material has quickly settled into classic favourites, which a delighted audience screamed back the words to, while newer tracks revealed ‘Speedhorn's ability to develop their chosen genre and really work with sounds without losing an ounce of intensity.

Expectations were high and challenged significantly by illness striking the band members but, like the true professionals they've grown to become, the band did themselves, their music, their fans and their reputation an absolute credit with tonight's performance.

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Zebrahead + support
19th October 2008
The Cockpit, Leeds
By Suzy Witts

The night started with a band called Kids Can't Fly. You might have heard of them as Fandangle's ex-trombone player is the singer/guitarist in KCF. Seeing Ryan fronting the band didn't seem out of place though; this dude has a voice and a good one at that. KCF are a typical pop punk band but the ska punk influence is there as there was a hint of brass in a number of the songs. The venue was pretty busy and people from front to back seemed to be enjoying the set. As did I.

Paige from London played next. I'd never heard of this band before and I don't think many other people in the room had either judging the lack of enthusiasm from the audience. Numerous attempts from the singer to get people to clap their hands to the music failed and the band looked slightly disappointed at being ignored. They also had a pop-punk sound, but more commercial - think Fall Out Boy, You Me at Six etc.. I liked them and there was some potential there. And despite the unenthusiastic crowd, the band certainly were enjoying being on the stage, playing their music.

And finally, Zebrahead. Their set was awesome and so much fun to be a part of. And I say this because we were truly part of the show. The usual band-audience divide was dissolved and it made it such an enjoyable gig. Their set had everything... as well as great music (old and new material), there was constant crowd surfing, fans on stage, jokes and banter, skanking, a circle pit attempt and don't forget the drinking, there was lots of drinking. The band declared that it was the best gig they've played on the tour... and yes, I know every band says this at every gig, but for once I did start to believe that the statement could actually be true. They played for over an hour and their encore included a performance of Anthem with help from Ryan of KCF. The atmosphere was great and I went away knowing that everyone had enjoyed it as much as me.

 
Check out the photos of Zebrahead in the live photos section of the site. We've also got an interview with the band online at the moment as well as a cd review of their most recent release.

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Disturbed
10th October 2008
Birmingham Academy
By Lucy Pryor and Steve Cooper

3000 fans packed into a sold out Birmingham Academy to catch a glimpse of the mighty Disturbed tonight. This was my 2nd time of seeing Disturbed this year, the 1st being all the way back in June at the Download Festival, and I really hoped they wouldn't disappoint after the cracking show they put on last time!

As the lights went up, front man David Drainman, (strapped to a stretcher) was rolled onto the stage in what seems to be his trademark show opener. Grimacing at the awaiting crowd through his Hannibal lector mask, the fans roared, and they went straight into the first song. Drainman knew exactly how to get the Brummie crowd fired up, congratulating them on being the "true home of metal" they went straight into the fabulous 'Stupify'. Like some metal crazed conductor, he got the left and right hand sides of the Academy shouting back lyrics in perfect time, giving it a somewhat surreal pantomime feel (but in a good way). My personal favourite of the night 'Prayer' was delectably bellowed out next. It sounded truly phenomenal with Drainman's pitch perfect vocals and the bass drum driving the groove. Not pausing for breath they galloped into song after song, old and new material, including their infamous cover 'Land of Confusion', originally by Genesis. The whole academy seemed out of breath from singing and crowd surfing, when the set and stage antics ended quite honestly, very abruptly. The brummie crowd refused to have silence and started to deafeningly chant and stamp "Disturbed, Disturbed, Disturbed". Thank God they came on and did an encore or there may have been a small riot! Teasing the 3000 strong followers with the opening drum beats of 'Down with the Sickness', before turning the lights down momentarily, they plunged into their most famous anthem much to the delight of the fans and definitely to the delight of the security (who looked knackered after so many crowd surfers). Vowing to always come back to Birmingham, Drainman and the rest of the band put on an awesome show. I think I speak for everyone at the gig when I say they will always be welcome in metals true home.

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Beartrap Pods present...
1st October 2008
The Speakeasy, York
By Suzy Witts

I have to admit, I was a bit dubious when I saw the line up when this gig was announced; the genres seemed to differ so much. But I was pleasantly surprised as in reality the bands made for a really good gig.

The night started with an acoustic set from Ridley Barbet. She had a great voice and played a combination of her own songs and a couple of covers (one a KT Tunstall song). She seemed a bit nervous but made a joke out of the small mistakes she made during the songs. Very promising artist.

We were then treated to a powerful set from acoustic duo The Mega Games Two. They took to the floor rather than the stage and both decided to sing without mics; one member played guitar and another played a melodica. They had a strong sound in terms of the songs and the volume, and a lot of confidence to perform without microphones. They had an early Against Me style sound, and wouldn't be totally out of place if they were signed to No Idea Records.

The third band marked a dramatic change in genre. The Summits play what could be described as funky bluesy rock. I loved the songs and this was another act with a powerful voice. The sound was a bit more mainstream and the band seemed more serious about where they want to go with their music. This didn't stop them from having a great time on stage. If The Summits get the break they need I can imagine them getting quite big.

And finally, the night was headlined by Second Chance, a pop punk band from London. Steve appears to be at home as the frontman of the band and it seems obvious why he decided to quit as drummer of Make it Better Later. Unfortunately the crowd had diminished by the time the band got on stage, but this didn't curb their enthusiasm.

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Million Empire
26th September 2008
Bar Academy, Birmingham
By Matt Dooner

Tonight was a night of extremes. For a start, there were a lot of people at the Bar Academy tonight; I've seen signed bands that couldn't pull this kind of crowd. And once you fought your way to the front, there were the bands themselves. At one end of the scale we had the most straightforward accessible music in the world, and at the other end we had music so weird it could barely be described as music... and everything in-between. Shapes, Conquistadors, Blue Nation and Million Empire are an odd combination of bands to have on the same bill.

Million Empire is a more of an acquired taste, but is no less brilliant for that, sufficiently filling the middle ground between accessible pop songs and challenging ambiguity. They are like a breath of fresh air; a new and exciting sound that toes the line of complexity but rarely steps across it. Atmospheric backing tracks and effects pedals should not be used lightly, but Wez on guitar manages both to great effect, truly complementing the songs they play. The three members of the band manage to maintain an intense stage presence without uttering a single word to the crowd; a feat that is almost unique. The fact that they missed two of their recorded songs from their set list suggests that, rather than pander to expectations, they are playing their live shows on nobody's terms but their own, commanding the respect that they fully deserve and have achieved from a great many people. You might be hanging on to every note they play, or you might be standing at the back thinking 'what the fuck?' but Million Empire always play a good show, tonight was no exception and nobody who saw them can disagree.

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Underoath
13th September 2008
The Cockpit, Leeds
By Dom Sharman

Fairly expectant of a sketchy opening band I was nothing short of shocked by Oh, Sleeper. Only a few 'die hard' fans seemed to be interested in listening to the band initially but when they started playing people soon took notice. With a mix of Devil Sold His Sold style ambience, At The Gates epicness and modern metal brutality this band were more than I had expected. Hailing from the U S of A I was expecting a band not unlike Underoath to turn up but was pleasantly surprised. The set was energetic and enthused and was not found lacking on a night undoubtedly all about the headline band.

Unlike the opening support, Envy on the Coast were nothing short of boring. A mix of Daryl Palumbo-esq vocals over non-descript 'metal' left me wondering how a band like this could 'make it' in modern music with other D.I.Y bands writing infinitely better songs. This being said, the crowd seemed fairly into them, albeit I was left massively underwhelmed.

Of course, the night was all about Underoath, and they left the audience with a buzz I have rarely experienced at a Cockpit show. From start to finish the band delivered their distinctive brand of metalcore which puts many modern pretenders to shame with aplomb. With a mixture of new and old songs they impressed upon the crowd their views (which a fair few members of the audience seemed to agree with) relating to religion and society.

I must admit, this was the only down point of their set for me. I have no issue with people explaining their views but the band came across as preachy in general. Religion is a fairly moot point for me and if I wished to be lectured on this subject I would go to Sunday school. However, having never seen the band live before (and hearing various glowing reports from those who had) I was left with a broad smile on my face as to how genuine a band in such a convoluted 'scene' as they come from could be.

Energy, vigour, charisma, tightness. All words that accurately describe this band and their performance.

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The Matches
19th September 2008
Manning Bar, Sydney , Australia
By Meghan Player

In recent times, there has been an abundance of bands, both locally and internationally, that take to the stage kicking, then fall apart half way through the set, losing crowd interest as the songs progress.

Not so with U.S band, The Matches.

Presenting the crowd with a mix of songs, from both the past (Chain Me Free, Sick Little Suicide, Papercut Skin) and the present (Their City, Wake The Sun, We Are One), the band delivered explosive, and enthralling anthems with signature vocal melodies - a characteristic which makes this band, an undoubtedly entertaining act.

Playing to an all-ages gig, at what seemed to be a full-house, the eccentric alterative rockers took to the stage with enough energy to power a city - an animation that matched the audiences’ vast attention.

What was really surprising, was that amongst all the enthusiasm, the band never lost their spark - continuing to interact with the crowd, jump from drum kits and whip the crowd into a dancing frenzy throughout their entire set.

Although the set-list wasn't as long as first suspected, one thing was definetly certain by the end of the night - The Matches know how to put on one hell of a show.

Photos from this gig - online now! Check out the photos section!

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Fandangle with The Johnstones and Comply or Die
Thursday 11th September 2008
The Junction, York
By Suzy Witts

Advertised as having three bands on the line up, it was a surprise to see an additional band playing when I arrived. Unfortunately I didn't catch the band's name, but they seemed like quite a new band and played pop punk. Their set included a lot of their own songs and a cover of a Blink 182's All the Small Things.

So onto the advertised bands. Comply or Die were up next. The band haven't been together all that long and the last time I saw them it was their second gig. And you could tell. But their hard work over the summer (they did a tour with a US punk band called The Pogo) is clearly paying off as they're supporting tonnesof bands in York and they've improved a lot since I last saw them. They look more like a band on stage now and it seems that the familiarity of their songs is helping them to be more confident and move to the music more. Having started as a ska punk band they're now veering more towards the punk side of ska and it's been a wise move as they're pretty good at it.

And so the next band started sound checking. Which was a bit irritating and I thought we might be subjected to a serious band who wanted everything perfect. Not the case. The Johnstones went off stage after the soundcheck and returned wearing hardly anything. And bam! the most amazing set of the night had begun. High energy, crazy antics throughout the entire performance. And it was a performance... one which included multi talented musicians (the trombonist also being able to handstand whilst playing keyboard) and choreographed dance moves. The crowd seemed slightly scared of the craziness and I found myself being the only person in the centre of the room at one point. But I loved it. In my opinion the band stole the show.

And finally, established UK ska punkers Fandangle. To be honest it was a bit of a anti-climax after The Johnstones. I like Fandangle because they play good fast paced ska and they don't let you down. But on this occasion they were somewhat upstaged by their tour buddies and unfortunately there wasn't much of a crowd in the venue. Despite this there was a mix of old songs and some material from the new album and despite the mid-set lighting issues, hopefully all those people who came especially to see the band went home happy.

Suzy's photos are online now! Check out the photos tab for the album!

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Hydro Connect Festival 2008
29th-31st August
Inveraray Castle, Scotland
adapted from press release provided by Lee Beattie (01/09/08)

Over the last weekend of August, the ground of Inveraray Castle in Scotland saw the second ever Hydro Connect Festival. Despite being a slightly smaller festival than some of the others held over the summer (15,000 attendees), a host of huge musical acts graced the stages over the course of the festival. The fans were also able to watch burlesque acts and experience amazing food. Over the three days of the festival, the Hydro Connect rickshaws were reported to travel more than 2000 miles carrying music fans across the site as well as ferrying some artists such as Amy MacDonald from their dressing rooms to the stages.

Standout performances included those from Grinderman, Spiritualized, Elbow, Kasabian, Bloc Party and Sigur Ros whose sets were said to bring members of the crowd to tears due to the effects of the ethereal music soundtracking the rolling hills behind the Oyster Stage.

Being a Scottish festival, acts from the home country were also well represented with huge crowds turning up for Glasvegas, Paolo Nutini, Amy MacDonald, Camera Obscura and of course Sunday night headliners Franz Ferdinand who had the crowd eating out of their hands by revealing some new tracks amongst their biggest hits.

"Once again Hydro Connect has been a magical weekend. The atmosphere on site was incredibly laid back and both artists and fans have told us that the location is the most beautiful festival site in Europe," says Geoff Ellis. "Hydro Connect is more than just a music festival and the incredible Foods From Argyll Tent was one of the busiest places over the weekend with music fans enjoying oysters, roast salmon rolls, organic lamb kebabs and delicious Bumble sticky toffee puddings. The extra entertainment provided by the Red Bull Hellfire Club, the Kopparberg Big Tree, The Speakeasy Cafe and the late night cabaret by Vegas! and Club Noir all contributed to the unique flavour of the event"

Geoff added, "Thanks must go to our partners at Scottish Hydro Electric who added some brilliant elements to the event this year including the UK’s first solar bike pedalled showers in the campsite which were hugely popular with festival goers. And also to the Duke and Duchess of Argyll who have allowed us yet again to stage a massive party in their back garden!"

Anna Crampin, Sponsorship Manager for partners Scottish Hydro Electric: "This has been the first year of our involvement with the festival and we have been delighted to be part of such a unique event. Hydro Connect has offered music fans the best of everything – music, food and atmosphere. Plus everyone has enjoyed things in a way that befits the beautiful environment."

Push to Fire's photographer Katie Noble was at the festival and you can see her photos online now at pushtofire.com/livephotos.html

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Armstrong with Enjoy Destroy and Saving Time
Saturday 30th August 2008
The Cockpit, Leeds
By Suzy Witts

Openers for the night were a band called Saving Time who hail from Leeds. Apparently it was their third gig but you wouldn't know it as they were tight and had some really good songs. They are primarily fun pop punk and play well together on stage. They played a number of their own songs, also a cover of 'Teenage Dirtbag' by Wheatus and a pretty good punk cover of Ronan Keating's 'When You Say Nothing At All' which they had only perfected earlier in the day at their and practice. The crowd really enjoyed them and they have a lot of potential. They're playing with Strike Anywhere on 3rd October at Rios in Leeds, so go and check them out!

Enjoy Destroy were up next and the room was gradually filling up with an older crowd. The band were very serious and played what I would classify as rock music. They were professional in their manner and their sound was well perfected. There wasn't much between song banter, but clearly that's not what this band is about. They had some nice bass lines going on and a full guitar sound with good vocals. I quite liked their music despite being less fun than the opening act. Enjoy Destroy have a tour planned for October - another band to check out if you get the chance.

And finally, the band we were all waiting for, Armstrong. Before I heard about this gig I had never heard of Armstrong let alone any of their songs. Yet this band have recently been 'adopted' by Jagermeister along with the likes of Templeton Pek, Fightstar and Bullet for my Valentine and appeared to have quite a following as the room was hot, sweaty and packed by the time they took to the stage. Armstrong aren't quite as heavy as a lot of the other Jagermeister bands and seem to be more pop rock than heavy rock. Having read some previous reviews of their shows I was expecting crazy shenanigans from lead singer Tim, however he must have been tired because the craziest thing on stage were his sequined trainers and white headband! But don't get me wrong, the performance was good with catchy, well composed and well played songs. The crowd enjoyed themselves and they had a many fans who knew all the words and were wearing Armstrong t-shirts. An enjoyable gig.

Suzy's photos from the gig are now online! Click on the photos tab to view the album!

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YASHIN with DissolvedIn and IFoundTheKiller
Saturday 9th August 2008
Man On The Moon, Cambridge
By Emma Bowdidge

IFoundTheKiller open up tonight's show with thier catchy unique sound. The crowd gathers round the stage as a few guys start a bit of a mosh. IFoundTheKiller aren't new to Man On The Moon and have brought a little following along who will hopefully stick around for Yashin later. Their guitarist manages to break a string after the first song but all ends well with their impressive set.

DissolvedIn are next to brace Man On The Moon's stage starting off very energetically with 'Mapped Roads', the crowd seemed to have dwindled down and most people standing at the back. They still put all their effort into this set with their catchy pop/punk sound, vocalist Dan was determined to have everyone sing back "Wo Oh Oh Oh" in 'Peter Pan Syndrome' before he was happy enough to finish the song. It took more than three attempts before the unenthusiastic crowd caved in and sung loud enough. DissolvedIn put on an exciting set, finishing up with electro favourite 'Egocentric' which you can find on their debut E.P 'Proudly Dressed'.

Yashin take to the stage and start playing an intro as vocalist Mike walks up to the stage putting one leg on cluching his mic while the crowd wait anxiously for them to burst into opener 'Mr Hyde'. The energy that's buzzing around Man On The Moon tonight is insane. Yashin's Mike is in the crowd singing showing full potential, giving guitarist Paul more room to shred his guitar! 'Circles', one of their older songs, gets the crowd going so crazy they're told to calm things down as one fan gets rowdy with his arms and legs. The crowd isn't as big as Yashin could have hoped for but that doesn't affect their blinder of a performance.

They played mainly new songs from their 2008 release 'Miles Away, But Getting Closer' with the exception of a couple of old tracks. Rounding up tonight's incredible performance with "'So We're Named After Saints', Yashin have made everyone's night as fans flock to their merch table!

A great night all round. If you haven't seen Yashin live yet, they're always touring so get your arse out to a show!!

Emma's Yashin photos are now online! Click on the photos tab to view the album! We also have some Yashin goodies which we'll be running a competition for very very soon so keep checking back for news on that!

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SONIC BOOM SIX with Death Defying Life and Make it Better Later
Tuesday 29th July 2008
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Witts

Tuesday night saw a newly painted Fibbers (it's looking good by the way) hold host to three amazing bands. Make it Better Later opened the evening with catchy carefree ska to warm up the crowd. It was the first time I'd seen them without Steve (ex-drummer) but the on stage banter still made us laugh and the music was played well. To sum up their music - ska with a hint of Irish and an element of pirates! Oh and they even had cake on their merch stand which was nice of them.

Local band Death Defying Life marked a change in genre for the evening playing awesome punk. Some of the crowd didn't seem to sure about them as they'd come for a night of ska, but this band are great live and always exhert a tonne of energy onstage. They play tightly and still manage to jump in the air and move with the music. If you haven't seen them before, you need to.

Headliners for the night were the mighty Sonic Boom Six - from Manchester, in case you didn't know. This band just get better and better. They played a variety of material from their discography and the crowd also got to sample one of their new tracks from their forthcoming album which is mainly going to be a remix album. The venue was filled with sweaty people as the band got everyone in the room dancing and skanking to their material. Chants of "Sonic Boom Six" resulted in an encore of the Streets 'Don't Mug Yourself' in the true ska-punk-dub style that is signature of SB6.

A very enjoyable night and one of the best gigs I've been to lately in York.

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FANDANGLE with Lipstick Revolution, Dreamer, Amy Can Flyy, Kalinsky, Fading With Reason, Heroes In A Halfshell, Melancholy Moose Society, King Tut’s Revenge and The Naked Sundays
Friday 11th July 2008
The Queen’s Hotel, Weymouth
By Allana Cutter

Fans of Fandangle will know that the Surrey Ska band are constantly gigging – and now even more so in the wake of their debut album, Fly Away. Their dedication to their cause and their followers sees them zipping up and down the United Kingdom on an almost daily basis, and tonight they are headlining an NSPCC charity fundraiser, supported by a number of bands from across the country.

Keyboardist Drew and saxophonist Craig tell me that having arrived in Weymouth at four this morning, the band have coped with the lack of sleep in different ways. The majority have made friends with White Lightening and Sambuca, whilst Drew has entertained himself with a game of “Poon Tang?” (don’t ask), and frontman Adam has been sleeping solidly after a heavy smoke. Aside from this, the band (with the exception of the sleeping Adam) have been mingling with the crowd, getting their faces painted, selling merchandise and showing their support for the other bands on tonight’s bill.

With the charity event starting at 4pm, the audience are starting to wane by 10.30, and in spite of Lipstick Revolution’s best efforts, it’s clear they are just holding out desperately in the hope that Fandangle will grace the stage any moment now. It’s another hour before Fandangle finally get to set up their stage, and the landlady isn’t happy because the show is running late. I’ve been given the responsibility of looking after Craig’s alto sax, and am just as desperate for them to begin their set so that no harm comes to the beautiful woodwind masterpiece in my possession.

At long last Fandangle begin their set with new track FUBAR and the audience are instantly revived as though caffeine has just been intravenously pumped into their bloodstreams. Anyone who dares stand still is instantly swept into the skank pit, and a form of organised chaos ensues.

With seven band members, it’s hard to know where to look, but every one of them are so animated it’s hard not to love what they do on stage. They rip through a number of tracks from the album – crowd favourites I’m High, Pornstar’s (Aren’t For Everyone), Cheap Escape and Hello Goodbye going down an absolute storm – and although he still looks a little worse for wear, vocalist and guitarist Adam still forms a compelling connection with his audience. Guitarist Tom cannot get over the fact that so many members of the crowd know their songs word for word, and the band reward them with a stunning rendition of Sublime’s What I Got.

Having failed to acknowledge a number of requests from the landlady to wrap things up, Fandangle answer the audience’s request for them to play the explosive Homeland Obscurity and eventually cut their set short by concluding with the fantastic Oliver Twist.

I have to say that I have a lot of respect for Fandangle. Each time I’ve seen them perform live, they have boundless energy and give their all to please current fans and get new ones on board. With a history of supporting big names such as Reel Big Fish, Zebrahead and Less Than Jake, Fandangle could easily have incredibly inflated egos, but the guys are so down to earth and are willing to spend time with their fans to make their night out that bit more special.

Another ska-tastic performance from Fandangle, and I have the skanking-related bruises to prove it!

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COMEBACK KID with Shai Hulud, Your Demise, and Dead Swans
Thursday 10th July 2008
Corporation, Sheffield
By Lee Brown

I'm back in the bloody Corporation again, three tours in a row now and always the same room. But tonight the venue seems surprisingly empty compared to previous show’s. Last time Comeback kid were here they were headlining the 'Never Say Die' tour and the time before that supporting Alexisonfire.

First up are Dead Swans with their own cathartic rock and roll, a small crowd has gathered to watch and as they burst into the first track the few assembled start to move and join in. It’s a good solid set - the sound is great and they play with the same furious energy that they’ve shown from previous show’s. With the hype that has surrounded the 'Southern Blue' EP on the 30 Days Of Night label, I can see these following on a similar wave of success that bands like Gallows and Bring Me The Horizon have experienced.

Your Demise follow the tempo that has already been set with some raging Hatebreed inspired hardcore - they're sounding much tighter and have come on a lot since I last saw them. With big tours like the support slot with Enter Shikari already under their belts things are on the up for these guys.

Shai Hulud come on to a great reception, it’s the first time I’d seen these and not really heard a great deal of their stuff except for a couple of tracks. So I was looking forward to the set and I was not disappointed - the crowd had grown considerably as the first riff comes surging out of the amps, great fast paced hardcore and an on stage spirit that flows of and into the crowd.

The first time I saw Comeback Kid was back in 2003 supporting Champion in a tiny room under a pub in Birmingham, and they’ve come along way since then. As the lights go down the floor is full, and as the riff of 'Broadcasting' opens, the crowd erupts. Comeback Kid should know every corner of this stage, and there doesn’t seem to be single area that they don’t cover. Tonight’s set is filled with material from all 3 albums, tracks like 'Talk is Cheap', 'Partners in Crime', and 'All In A Year' all go down a storm.

Vocalist Andrew is surprised that the crowd hasn’t been taking advantage of the lack of security and not got up on stage yet. No sooner as he has said this the stage is flooded with people clambering up, just to throw themselves off. Closing the set with 'Final Goodbye' is a lovely touch.

As usual Comeback Kid don’t disappoint, and I’m already looking forward to the next album and, more importantly, the next tour.

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A DAY TO REMEMBER with The Devil Wears Prada
Wednesday 11th June 2008
Fibbers Barfly, York
By Suzy Witts

Tonight's gig at Fibbers was sold out and it was obvious as soon as you stepped into the venue and were greeted by many a tight jean and hairdo and a pretty warm temperature throughout the room (or "sauna" as The Devil Wears Prada called it).

Support came from a band who've become increasingly popular over the last few months - The Devil Wears Prada (TDWP). According to their MySpace the band are both hardcore and metal, they come from Ohio, they're playing Download and doing an almost two month stint on Warped over the summer. It all sounds impressive.

The band arrived on stage and the people midway in the crowd started to part, to leave a space in the centre of the room. Definitely a sign that a hardcore band were about to play. They started, the crowd went a bit crazy, windmilling and floor punching... but this was short lived. It soon died down about half way through the first song and it was like people were expecting something but didn't get what they thought they would. And that's exactly how to sum up TDWP. The music was slow paced, all the songs sounded pretty much the same and they were definitely not worthy of the 'hardcore' label they seem to have adopted. For example, usually hardcore doesn't include keyboards. The music was more metal in sound and it felt like they were playing for longer than anyone had planned - it dragged. They hardly spoke to the crowd either. I was left feeling slightly bored and disappointed that they didn't, in my opinion, live up to the hype.

Despite not liking the support band, I thought the crowd were having a great time during TDWP, but it appears they were enjoying themselves far more when A Day to Remember took to the stage. As was I - this was more like it! This Florida band are in a completely different league to TDWP. They are more like a hardcore band and reminiscent of Underoath. But they don't try to claim they're something they're not - one t-shirt slogan claims that they are "the heaviest pop punk band, ever" suggesting they don't like to take themselves too seriously. But don't get me wrong, this was no comedy show.

The sound was tight, they picked up the pace and on the whole the music and the sound was far superior. There were fewer people sat around for ADTR and even if they did chill out on the sofas at the back of the room for a bit, that was because they'd just come out of the constantly moving pit and needed a break. The third song was the one everyone instantly recognised, this was of course the cover of Kelly Clarkson's 'Since U Been Gone'. Everyone was singing along louder than before. It got me wondering whether they would have been as popular had they not covered this song.

However, their other songs are well written and were well played, so I would like to hope that this has just accelerated the speed at which they have become popular, rather than being the only song they are known for. It was clear that they value their fans and they thanked everyone for enduring the heat and sticking around to see them play. I was left wanting to hear more and I think their ability to perform well live will lead to more people buying their songs.

If you get the chance to see A Day to Remember, you should definitely go. If you don't... get the album instead!

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HOT CLUB DE PARIS with Copy Haho
Thursday 29th May 2008
Fibbers Barfly, York
By Rachel Wade

Liverpudlian math-punk three-piece Hot Club De Paris have, since their formation in 2004, been bobbing up and down on the ones to watch radar and receiving waves of praise while retaining their underground status and credibility. Tonight’s gig was a reflection of this, the venue quiet and intimate, the crowd friendly and familiar.

Support band Copy Haho attempt to warm-up the slowly filling venue with quaint indie antics that, though slow and slightly predictable at first, soon turn into a toe-tapping, heart-wrenching goodness. A catchy quartet oozing promise.

There are many reasons to love Hot Club De Paris. They are the complete alternative package. Modestly cool as they take to the stage, the band wear the air of the Moshi Moshi label they're attached to, coming across with an underground art-school cool that matches their individual and distinctive sounding music style. Math-influenced, indie-dancy punk exudes from throats and fingers, patterned time-shifts being teamed with playful rhythms, witty lyrics and quirky choruses, the band hypnotising the crowd with exquisitely timed fretwork from the guitarist and bassist, while the drummer matches this ability with his creative beats.

Material from their new second album 'Live At The Dead Lake', including new single ’Hey! Housebrick’, sounds fresh and engaging, whilst still carrying that distinctive Hot Club shine that sparkles the likes of older crowd-pleasers 'Shipwreck' and 'sometimesit'sbetter...'. The latter two are obvious highlights of the set, already vibrant and electric in their recorded format but taking on an engaging charm when played with the spontaneity of being live.

However, what really sets this gig apart from being just an aural delight and fascinating spectacle was the between song banter, a skill that an increasing number of bands either fail at or don't even attempt at all. This, though, is where Hot Club De Paris’ fans become friends. The three-piece chat and banter with the rather blank and stand-offish York crowd ('you're a difficult card to read, York' muses bassist Paul). Coming off as charming, funny and genuinely giving a damn about these people who'd come to see them play, Hot Club's normality and politeness earned them a lot of love in that room.

This tour was an ideal opportunity to catch a band who, despite having superb song-writing skills, terrific live shows and personality in abundance, are still in the cotton cocoon of the underground scene, but judging from tonight’s performance, their state of being relatively unknown and under appreciated shouldn't last for long.

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ROCKABILLY RIOT featuring Rebel Yell, Surf Sluts and Boss Caine
Saturday 24th May 2008
City Screen Basement Bar, York
By Rachel Wade

Rockabilly - those who know it, love it, and the debut night of Rockabilly Riot in York was anticipated by many ready and willing to get out the hair-rollers, denims and dancing shoes for an evening of good music and great entertainment at the City Screen’s Basement Bar venue.

Settling everyone into the evening with some acoustic country were the friendly faces of local folk rockers Boss Caine. Finger-clicking and toe-tapping blues coupled with gravelly vocals and romantic lyrics, the band are by now experienced and proficient in their chosen genre and the ideal openers for tonight’s event. From the calm coos of country to the descent of psychobilly folly, the Surf Sluts were then welcomed to the stage to add a little sunshine to the evening. From brash and brazen pyscho-sing-a-long rock to eerie horror-tinted garage, the York-based band are dance-and-twist through and through, warming the crowd up a treat for the event’s headliners.

Hailing from Leeds, four-piece Rebel Yell completely epitomise the punk-rock ethos, with the rockabilly spirit running through much more than just their visual sense of style, as their performance tonight demonstrated. Opening with the contagious ‘Lost A Blue’, the band’s set showcases their talent at writing refined punk-rock in a way that takes the best from previous idols of the genre and translating it into a sound that’s distinctly their own. Played live, Rebel Yell’s raucous and riot-inducing chants and rhythms magnify into electric anthems, just as visually stunning as they are aurally. Indeed, it doesn’t take long before the full-skirted ladies of tonight’s audience are up and out of their seats dancing through the bands set.

With three very individual but equally engaging live performances, the evenings event also gave a glimpse into the depth and breadth of rockabilly and it’s associated music genres, proving that the classics never die and cementing Rockabilly Riot as a memorable and much enjoyed event that will hopefully continue in the near future.

Photos from the night are available in the live photos section!

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Acid Eyeliner Album Launch
Australia
March 2008
review and photos by Emma Dean

HIM
Luna Park Big Top, Sydney, Australia
25th March 2008
by Meghan Player