@ Academy 1, Manchester - 5th May 2012
It maybe almost year since Damnesia hit the UK’s stores but Alkaline Trio have come good on their word and are back on these shores for a celebration of 15 years of filling our ears with tales of alcoholism, drug abuse and death. Manchester Academy begins to swell and everyone really knows the score of what is about to go down on this crisp May evening. An unfortunate motorcycle accident pushed this tour back from the originally penned November run but the spring air is proving more pleasant than the harsh winter climbs.
With Trio tonight is Dave Hause who provides the perfect tonic with beautifully heart felt acoustic tracks. Despite his lovable persona Dave has a rougher edge and his raspy vocals haunt the walls of the room and he even takes time out of his set to stop two Mancunians beating each other to a pulp, a Saturday night occurrence more suited to the stiletto-clad, Toms-wearing, testosterone crammed delights the nearby Printworks has to offer. However, despite the brief skirmish that was quickly diffused Dave receives a nod and sway of approval from Manchester.
Matt, Dan and Derek wait in the wings as everyone awaits the full throttle performance that the Chicago threesome are expected to deliver. Trio could do these shows in their sleep and four nights into this tour many bands would not keep up the level of intensity however, Trio are different and they can’t pass up the opportunity of delighting a bouyant Manchester audience on a Saturday night. Although this is not the walk in the park, it seems. Openers We’ve Had Enough and Time To Waste receive lukewarm receptions, time to reel out the big guns.
With this being an ‘anniversary’ tour Trio delve into their back catalogue, rummage around and pull out some real gems including the snarling, spiteful Tuck Me In and the teenage-angst filled She Took Him To The Lake. The setlist is as if an ardent Trio had wrote it, there are nuggets of inspiration in Warbrain and then a salute to a fallen brother as Matt dedicates Goodbye Forever to the Beastie Boys’ late MCA who died the day previous. Exiting after a thrashing 14 tracks, Trio return with acoustics in hand as Dan drops the previously favoured I Remember A Rooftop with a beautiful rendition of Crawl.
As a final serenade to Manchester, the full band return for a huge airing of My Friend Peter and the perfect closer of ‘97. Matt may have left the room screaming the words “I don’t deserve this” but tonight we are truly in debt to this force of punk rock and in fairness Matt, Dan and Derek, we don’t deserve you.
Tom Walsh
@ O2 Academy, Newcastle - 27th April 2012
It’s early doors on this Friday night when Modestep begin their set. This self-proclaimed ‘live bass-heavy band’ from London certainly are different from your typical dub-step act, sporting guitarists and a drummer alongside their Mac computer and decks.
Although, impressive as this is, it’s hard to not be confused by this choice of support act for a rock band like Lostprophets. With a smorgasbord of talented up-and-coming British bands on the scene it seems a very bold move to provide the audience with one dub-step band as their warm-up. As the heavy bass and a sound similar to a mix of Chase & Status and Magnetic Man continues, however, the majority of this audience are reacting as if this is exactly what they came for.
With their own online radio show accompanied by support from the likes of Radio 1’s Mista Jam, it isn’t hard to see why this original acts fan base is growing so rapidly. Along with the hits Feel Good and Sunlight Modestep also create some interesting mixes using samples of Zombie Nation and Cee Lo Green along the way.
As Lostprophets take up their positions in the moody darkness, all members pause for a moment to take in the sea of fans before them. The show kicks off and it is clear that this band is all about imagery and the visual show, front man Ian Watkins giving the crowd a death stare with a bandana covering the lower half of his face. Starting off the show with Bring ‘Em Down, It’s Not the End of the World and Can’t Catch Tomorrow the crowd are instantly creating a pit and throwing themselves around. During A Town Called Hypocrisy the audience shout the chorus back with venom, and Ian controls his stage, megaphone in hand, knowing that all eyes are on him.
Unusually early, the band mysteriously exits the stage to some building dramatic music, and after a long wait return to play Another Shot from their new album Weapons. Many seem disappointed with this song choice, given the massive build-up and mystery I was definitely expecting something a bit more explosive.
Oddly though given the energy in this venue tonight from both the audience and the rest of the band, Ian never seems to enjoy the show always keeping composed in front of his mic stand. It’s sad to think back to the days when these Welsh rockers toured off the back of Start Something, where Ian had so much energy and enthusiasm he could barely contain it all, sadly it seems that maybe his is more concerned about his image these days. This also proven by the new album logo plastered all over the stage and their huge array of extortionate merchandise. Even the band are wearing their own merch, it’s like Lostphophets are trying desperately to start their own cult.
As the band plays the anthemic Where We Belong the fans chant back, identifying with the lyrics and throwing their arms in the air. This is followed up by crowd pleasers 4am Forever, Last Summer and Rooftops. The rest of the night goes as expected with nothing really special peaking my interest up until Burn Burn, this is the first time in the night where Ian and the rest of the band completely let go and I feel like they are back to their best. But this, by far the best moment of the night, is short-lived as they pull themselves back for the rest of the gig and the encore is ended by Everyday Combat and Ian spends all of the intense outro Sway seated on the centre of the stage, eyes to the ground. A very underwhelming end to an average show, bring back the days when their music was less about the image.
Kathryn Harrison
@ O2 Academy 2, Newcastle - 10th April 2012
It’s been a while since Architects visited Newcastle, and they’ve been sorely missed.
Tonight’s show has been sold out for weeks, and a queue of eager fans has been keeping a vigil along the outside of the academy walls since the morning. This could of course, be partly attributable to the support bands they’ve chosen to bring along for this tour; New York hardcore heroes Stray From The Path and female-fronted Sheffield mathcore mob Rolo Tomassi.
Judging by the sheer number of Stray From The Path shirts in the crowd tonight. The band power through their set, only really pausing to goad the crowd in to a circle pit, something which sadly is ineffective tonight due to the few idiots (in a huge area of floor) swinging elbows and dancing like tools. This seems to be an ever increasing feature at hardcore gigs today, and something which really ruins gigs for both band and fans alike. Sam Carter from Architects appears to help sing Bring it Back to the Streets, which tonight carries a real punch, before the band end with epic set closer Damien, leaving the crowd screaming for more.
Rolo Tomassi are a band that divide opinion across the board, an unfortunate trait for a support act to have, as it means they play to an (only slightly smaller) crowd. That said, tonight, Rolo Tomassi are on form, mixing songs from first album Hysterics with tracks off second album Cosmology, with a few new songs thrown in for good measure. Although on paper their tight, technical hardcore should fit in perfectly with Architects, tonight’s crowd doesn’t seem to “get” Rolo Tomassi, a great shame as tonight they are complemented by perfect sound, and have the tightness and the songs to boot. Singer Eva Spence is a cutie on the surface, but soon throws doubt to that when she begins to scream, and tonight her combination of screaming and singing fits the mood perfectly.
Tonight however was only ever going to belong to Architects. The band are treated like returning heroes upon their arrival onstage, and as they storm in to opener Devil’s Island it’s like they’ve never been away. Opting to play only songs from their last two albums is a strange move by the band however, and although this does not deter the crowd. That said, nothing can stop Architects tonight, the band are truly on fine form, with singer Sam barely stopping moving throughout the set, constantly whipping the crowd in to a frenzy. The set tonight is heavy in material from seminal album Hollow Crown, and even judging by the new songs, the band seem to be going back to what they were praised for, their heavy, breakdown laden hardcore.
The faithful crowd scream back every word tonight, making some of the weaker songs, such as Delete/Rewind sound fresh and energetic. In Elegance is dedicated to Rolo Tomassi due to singer Eva Spence having all her money stolen on an earlier tour date. That said, Sam leaps in to the crowd as the band kick in. Tonight, the older material sounds much better than anything off The Here And Now, and it is evident from crowd reactions that these are still the songs they come to see. The band return for an encore of Hollow Crown and Early Grave it’s clear to everyone in the room, that Architects are back to reclaim their crown as the UK’s best hardcore band.
Dave Cuthbertson
@ O2 Academy, Newcastle - 25th March 2012
On this warm March evening in Newcastle the doors to the sold out You Me At Six show finally open to the eager fans queuing around the building, some waiting all day to secure that all-important spot in the front row.
Unfortunately, by the time most of the crowd are herded in they will have missed the short, twenty minute set from The Skints. This East-London bred four-some combine reggae, punk, ska and dub to create something truly unique. With the effortless, chilled reggae vibes they serenaded the crowd. Twenty minutes was only enough to whet the appetite but unfortunately didn’t allow for the audience to be wowed by the vast array of instruments in Marcia’s arsenal.
As Mayday Parade take the stage it is clear that the crowd are more familiar with their genre. Embracing the crowd’s reaction, front man Derek Sanders swings his mic and owns the stage with flare and showmanship. Showing that they can give the crowd what they want, they pull out the fan favourites A Lesson in Romantics and Black Cat they boost the crowd’s energy and set the pace for the rest of the night.
Kids In Glass Houses’ front man Aled is as hyperactive as ever crashing around the stage, with much less success than that of his Mayday counterpart, almost taking out the photographers in the pit. The crowd seem to forgive him of his clumsiness tonight though. Their set list comprised of hits mainly from albums Smart Casual and Dirt with big crowd pleasers being Saturday, Me Me Me and If It Matters At All. They have certainly come a long way from the Give It A Name Introduces tour in a half filled 300 capacity venue 6 years ago.
Finally the wait is over for the devoted masses You Me At Six explode onto the stage kicking straight in to Loverboy. Going straight into Little Death, Josh Franceschi proves he is a complete showman, owning the stage and looking completely at home with every move. Catching the eye of his band mates every once in a while, Josh gives them a grin making it evident that this is what the five-piece do best and that they love what they do when they get unleashed on tour.
Old favourites Take Off Your Colours and Finders Keepers are thrown into the mix performed with just as much enthusiasm as ever, the band never tiring of playing the older tracks.
Cut to the encore and the wait is so long that some of the crowd have left the building. You Me At Six return with Stay With Me and finally Bite My Tongue. YM@6 are proud of the direction they have taken and since this risk was so successful here’s hoping they continue their dominance in the future.
Kathryn Harrison
They’ve just announced a raft of festival dates including a staggering six-shows-in-one-day event in London and with a banging album just weeks away from release Cancer Bats once again are setting the bar high. Tom Walsh caught up with front man Liam Cormier to discuss all thing Bats.
ATA: Is it good to be back?
LC: It feels great to be back!
ATA: How did you go about making Dead Set On Living?
LC: We started jamming in early August; did a bunch of demos in our practice space in late September; jammed the living hell out of the songs for 2 weeks in October. Then we went and recorded the whole thing and had it wrapped up tight by the end of November. Boom Burger Done!
ATA: What does the title say about the record?
LC: Dedication to life at its fullest; an establishment of good time; a line drawn in the sand against bullshit; and always trusting your vibe.
ATA: It’s a more aggressive album than Bears, Mayors, Scraps and Bones; was that the intention?
LC: It’s got a lot more bite to it. Bears was a dark brooding beast of an album. This time around we didn’t want to lose that punk ferocity that Bats fans have come to know and love, so we decided to really grip it and rip it.
ATA: What influenced the making this album?
LC: Musically we were listening to all of the old bangers that got us pumped as youths. Sabbath, Zeppelin, White Zombie, Entombed, Biohazard, Vision Of Disorder, Pantera. All the real rippers that made our ears bleed and our eyes wide with excitement
ATA: What do you think people will make of it?
LC: I hope people are stoked. I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever done as a band.
ATA: You’re doing the ‘Pentagram Tour’ in London. Whose idea was it to do 6 shows in one day?
LC: Our booking agent Ross Warnock is the man, it was all his idea.
ATA: Did you know the venues drew a pentagram or was it just coincidence?
LC: I don’t know if he knew that before, he might be a wizard.
ATA: Where do you get the energy from to do six shows in one day? Have you been in training for it?
LC: Nah it’ll be fine. Once you’re in it, you’re in it.
ATA: What are the plans for the upcoming summer?
LC: Were coming overseas to rip Europe with Everytime I Die and then were playing tons and tons of awesome festivals. Very stoked
ATA: Will there be a Bat Sabbath album?
LC: Nah we’ll just stick to playing dirty bar shows [laughs].
If you were expecting a reserved album from this Canadian foursome…THINK. AGAIN. Cancer Bats’ fourth studio album is one that will literally rip the face off any unsuspecting listener that has not sufficiently trained to the level of intensity that every second of Dead Set On Living demands. From the first distortion wale of R.A.T.S to the shattering cymbals at the end of New World Alliance Cancer Bats have gone all out to produce one of the most dominant, angry and thrash-as-fuck records in recent memory.
The Toronto hardcore mob have done on this album everything that was missing from the frankly disappointing and trudging Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones upping their game right through from the drumbeat to the vocal performances. It’s raw, beasty and sneers in the face of any other hardcore band that thought they could get anywhere the standard they have set. It flickers from southern rock to metal to thrash and, as Liam Cormier always promises at their live shows, there is whole lot of “bangers”.
Their stall is immediately set out with the aforementioned R.A.T.S but before there is time to catch any breath there is a swift kick to the jaw in the ferocious Road Sick. It is just a sure indication of what is to come on the rest of this feast of hard knocks. Rally The Wicked picks up where the latter left off and takes a stroll down memory lane to 2006 when this band really broke on to the scene. Lead single Old Blood swings and sways to the melodics of a crunching guitar and all the while Cormier is trying single-handedly to burst your eardrums with his patented snarl.
It is perfectly capped with the highlight of the album the Star Wars-inspired New World Alliance which is a brutal end to a brutal record. Cancer Bats have seriously set the bar for any other band planning a 2012 release. They take one good hard punch and do not stop relenting until the listener is battered into submission and leave without even a kiss goodbye. Exactly what this world needs.
9/10
Released on Hassle Records on the 16th April 2012
Tom Walsh
@ Various venues across Britain - 9th February - 16th February 2012
Following a band’s tour can be something of a sobering experience; watching as the same four or five musicians toil away night after night on a series of identikit stages, pouring out their hearts and souls to thousands of overeager fans in a variety of different cities, can have the undesired effect of depleting the show of its magic. What may appear to be a once-in-a-lifetime performance, aided and abetted by a lively, energetic crowd, quickly snaps into focus when it’s followed by an identical experience the night after; we’re all guilty of hoping that the show we’re getting, in our home town, is better than what has gone before, that we’re getting that little something extra so we can trot out the “I was there’s” in a few years time when the gig has passed into the annals of rock history. And of course, this hope, this belief, is inevitably quashed when, after two or three more shows, you realise that it’s all just part of the act. That these are guys and girls like you and I, doing their jobs night after night, with the added bonus of loving every minute.
Thankfully, following Brand New as they trudge the length and breadth of Great Britain is nothing like that at all. Somehow, some way, the Long Island five (sometimes six) piece make every successive show feel like their last, like this is the most important gig they’ve played in the fifteen years since their formation. And they do it with such monumental gusto, sweating energy and aggression from every pore, that every city is magical, every 100 minutes makes you feel like there is nowhere else on this Earth you’d rather be, that there are no other words you’d rather be screaming at the top of your voice and that there is no other band you’d rather watch annihilate the fuck out of their own music.
This determination and intensity creeps into the marrow of the support bands’ bones too: Aberdeen three piece The Xcerts are on fire every night, delivering a deliciously intense thirty minutes of highlights from Scatterbrain, their most recent release (plus, let’s not forget, In the Cold Wind We Smile favourite Do You Feel Safe? as an opener), with a brilliantly visceral, yet impressively catchy, new tune thrown in for good measure. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Brand New’s fanbase take to them instantly and copies of their frankly bloody excellent albums are seen clutched tight in hands as the venues empty. It’s the same set each night – at the band’s own admission during the two successive London shows – and it’s arguable that it could do with a few more from Smile, but this is a minor quibble.
New Yorkers I Am The Avalanche, meanwhile, do get round to changing one or two tracks in their eight-song set, although they rely rather heavily on pre-established set pieces, such as Vinnie relating the same tale about metaphorically burying his girlfriend each night. Their show speaks for itself, however, with a superbly crafted amalgam of songs from recent release Avalanche United and their eponymous debut working together in perfect harmony to produce a blistering half hour of purest punk rock thrills, with the closing trio of New York Dodgers, Gratitude and I Took A Beating a particular highlight.
And then, of course, there is the main event. Sauntering onstage every night at 9.20pm sharp with absolutely no fanfare whatsoever, casting bombast to the wayside, Brand New warm themselves up for their two hour odyssey with a vicious Welcome to Bangkok, – or, in the case of their second night at the Roundhouse, Tautou – the eerie minor chords emanating from Vinnie’s acoustic guitar slowly giving way to ear-splitting feedback and two sets of almightily crashing drums. It’s the perfect opener, setting the tone for the evening, and before long, we’re careering through a further series of highlights from 2007’s The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me.
Jesse risking destroying his vocal chords every night during a brutal, unforgiving Sowing Season and giving his adoring crowds the opportunity during an anthemic, soaring Millstone. In a shrewd move, the band bookend the show with tracks from this record, throwing the crowd-pleasers and golden oldies together in the middle of the set, suggesting a quietly assured confidence in their own material. Frankly, it’s a confidence that’s well deserved; you only need to listen to the first few seconds of Jesus Christ, with that gorgeous, lilting riff, or the aggressive middle eight of a heartwrenchingly melancholic Limousine, to realise their inherent genius. The Devil and God is undoubtedly Brand New’s greatest work and it only grows in stature when the songs are given more space to breathe in a live setting.
And of course, having now had more than a decade of experience, the band breathe whole new life into their older material too, with perennial fan favourites from 2001’s Your Favourite Weapon benefitting from a more studied, yet heavier, sound. Pleasingly, for all it is apparent that Jesse and co. have outgrown songs about teenage jealousy and heartache, they still give emo big-hitters Jude Law and a Semester Abroad and Seventy Times 7 an airing during every night of the tour, and, perhaps more importantly than that, invest 110% in them, guitarists leaping around the stage, Jesse goading on the riotous masses. Predictably, audiences respond in kind, moshpits swirling in unison, bodies flying overhead, particularly at Manchester’s Academy 1 and the Roundhouse in London. There’s a superb solo rendition of Soco Amaretto Lime too, a significant proportion of which Jesse barely has to sing as his fans do it for him. He adjusts the final line to a poignant “I’m just jealous cos you’re young and in love”, eliciting a standing ovation in every city. It’s a humble move, underlining the feeling that the band are playing for rather than at us; in Manchester, Jesse states that they’re over here because they love playing, not because they have a record to promote, and in Newcastle, he personally thanks everyone who has given up an evening of the life to see them on tour, stating that they’ve had the fortune to “play to some of the best audiences we’ve ever had”.
It’s a sweet gesture – one far removed from what the media might have you expect from the band – and it’s one that leads to a few pleasant, spur-of-the-moment surprises, such as Jesse throwing a once-in-a-blue-moon solo run through of Moshi Moshi into the set at Newcastle, or, indeed, the changing of more than half of the set at the second Roundhouse date, with Guernica, The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot, Mix Tape and Flying at Tree Level (of all things) replacing some of the more standard tracks.
It’s a few of the staples that provide the finest moments, however. The brain-meltingly intense Vices/Sink combo nearly blows the roof off during Roundhouse night one; Southampton goes batshit crazy during Sic Transit Gloria… Glory Fades; Manchester sings the entire first verse of Okay, I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don’t on its own (that’s a whole minute, folks) and Jesse just smiles on, arms folded; and the brilliantly visceral closing duo of Degausser and You Won’t Know descends into an orgy of unparalleled insanity and destruction in Newcastle, with Jesse throwing one guitar around like a crash test dummy and then strapping on a second and playing/abusing both simultaneously, Vinnie trashing his bass and then setting about the second drumkit and Brian collapsing headfirst into his kit after Jesse launches one of the two guitars at him, sending cymbals, hi hats and snares tumbling down onto the stage.
And there really is no discerning between the performances. It would be unfair to rate one city against another as each show is filled with the same level of intensity, each night brings its own litany of highlights. Suffice to say, these 100 minutes are some of the finest that the good people of Manchester, Southampton, London and Newcastle will ever experience; these shows may well be some of the best the band ever play; and right now, at the top of their game, Brand New are quite probably the best live performers on the planet. If you missed out this round, buy yourself tickets for all of the dates on the next tour. You will not be disappointed. We promise.
Paul Bowden
As a child everyone tells you never to judge a book by its cover. The advice could not be better applied to Bath-based Daedalus’ Right Eye. Picking up a copy of the band’s debut EP the name and front cover scream “horrible death metal” and the listener’s ears are preparing themselves for the impending blood to come rushing out. However, soon as the CD starts spinning there is an almighty sense of “hey, what’s this?” Is that a beautifully crafted pop punk melody I can hear? Why yes, yes it is.
Once introduction track The Light In Your Window glides past the ear lobes, Daedalus’ open up a wonderfully tender, and catchy number in the name of Dream Catcher. There are snifters of the likes of Fall Out Boy interspliced with snippets of Brand New and thoughts of a raging death metal band are thrown as far out of the window as possible. The five-song EP swings from heartfelt Let’s Pretend to the instant classic strains of Our Favourite Sun. It could be dismissed as being highly formulaic but there is a bit more substance behind this sound.
The lyrics contain delightful hooks complimented with clever, intricate guitar work and then the obligatory anthemic chorus. Closer Mr McKeif has all the ingredients for the classic pop punk song: the drop-downs, the over-emotive words and, of course, that damn catchy chorus.
Daedalus’ Right Eye are the epitome of not taking things at face value and show that giving something a chance can pay dividends in the end.
7/10
Released on January 23rd 2012.
Tom Walsh
@ O2 Academy, Newcastle - 29th January 2012
Make no mistake about it: Newcastle has fallen head over heels, hook, line and sinker for The Maccabees. Tonight’s sell-out Academy show is packed to the rafters virtually from the off, the expectant hoards chowing down their respective Sunday roasts as quickly as humanly possible in a bid to get that all-important front row view of the UK’s most promising indie upstarts. Whether the 2,000 strong crowd decided to bypass their entire weekends for one 90-minute slice of nihilistic exuberance, or they’ve just temporarily forgotten that work, school or university awaits them tomorrow morning, there’s no escaping the fact that tonight, Matthew, Newcastle is on fire, its chants as loud as St. James’ Park, its vocals drowning out the band and its energy bouncing off the walls, electrifying every soul in the room.
‘Dream-pop’ support Trailer Trash Tracys don’t elicit quite the same reaction, their ethereal brand of sensual shoegaze falling largely on impatient ears. It’s a shame, as their recently released debut Ester is a sterling effort, but then, they were always going to be something of a gamble in an environment such as this. When approximately 80% of your crowd is made up of Two Door fans (and that’s no bad thing, by the way), reverb and drum machines probably aren’t going to cut it. Lead singer Orlando Wells’ vocals are spine-tinglingly timid throughout, the perfect counterpoint to Hugo White’s piercing stabs of cascading guitar. It’s a juxtaposition that continues throughout the show, the unrelenting visceral intensity of the rhythm section balancing Wells’ quiet modesty, creating the thrillingly off-kilter, contradictory sound that characterises the band and makes their most recent efforts such a joy to listen to.
Indeed, Given to the Wild, released a mere twenty days ago, is already a strong contender for album of the year, its multi-layered, darkly abrasive palette uncovering whole new delights with every listen. Understandably, tonight’s set leans heavily on the record’s charms, the Maccabees undoubtedly intensely proud of their most prolific body of work to date. There’s the current singles, a heartbreaking Feel to Follow, a punk-as-fuck Pelican; the future singles, a soaring Went Away, an eardrum-bursting Unknow; and, of course, the thrillingly intense Forever I’ve Known which eviscerates all and sundry with its sheer, unadulterated brilliance. The track is in a league of its own and it only gets better live, sounding every bit the greatest and most powerful thing they’ve ever done. Thankfully, the devoted masses have already devoured every last nuance and learned every last word, so the response is every bit as excitable as those reserved for the ‘classics’.
Arguably, The Maccabees don’t even need to play these tonight; they have Newcastle eating out of the palms of their spindly hands and could probably just run straight through every last track on Wild, as well as a bunch of four-minute no-brainers written on the back of fag packets the night before, and still the atmosphere would be electric. Of course, it doesn’t play out that way: it isn’t long before a raucous Lego punctures the melancholia, followed closely behind by William Powers’ pounding drumbeats, No Kind Words’ angular guitar attacks and, of course, the inevitable arms-around-mates wig-out of First Love.
Inevitably, the masses go ape shit, bodies slamming back and forth, sweat-drenched teens flying over our heads, and the band look on in awe, Cheshire cat grins spread permanently across their faces at the insanity they’ve created… and on a Sunday, no less. If this is how the world responds to The Maccabees now, less than a month into the release of their new record, then one can only imagine the giddy heights they may ascend to come spring and summer. Mark it down now, guys and gals: 2012 - the year of The Maccabees. Make no mistake about it.
Paul Bowden
@ Stereo, Glasgow - 21st January 2012
Frightened Rabbit are wounded pups tonight. Seven days ago, when they announced a trio of impromptu shows in Scotland’s principal cities, all in venues smaller than George Osborne’s conscience, to provide the hardcore with a chance to hear material from their forthcoming fourth record for the very first time, they probably thought they were doing a good deed. Certainly, demand was high enough; this evening’s show in the brilliantly ramshackle blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Stereo sold out in three minutes, and queues for the Edinburgh and Aberdeen equivalents were, quite frankly, massive. Frabbits were chomping at the bit at the chance to sample the follow-up to 2010’s phenomenal The Winter of Mixed Drinks… so much so, it seems, that a certain group of money-grabbing, grandstanding promoters saw an opportunity to exploit the fuck out of them.
Yes, two nights prior, at the ‘burgh’s Cabaret Voltaire, fans were initially told that tickets would only be available on the door. Then the venue sold 200 online. Those that were patient were told that there were 200 more available on the door. Not so, it seems. Voltaire sold all available tickets on the web and then allowed 200 more in on the night, only to direct them to an upstairs room where they were permitted to watch the performance on a television screen. When Frightened Rabbit became aware of this travesty, they promptly severed ties with the promoters, vowed never to play the venue again and gave a special acoustic performance for those who had been duped.
In all, then, a bit of a shambles. While they arguably did their level best in awful circumstances, some fans remained upset with the band for not doing anything about this sooner. Cue many apologetic tweets, Facebook messages and the like and a brief mention just prior to this evening’s performance. Undoubtedly, Frightened Rabbit have been hurt by events and have something extra to prove; but still, with a triumphant show in Aberdeen yesterday under their belts and 290 rabid hometown devotees before them, this should surely be a no-brainer, right? Well, of course.
Predictably, the atmosphere is electric from the off; as the pile-driving ferocity of new track Holy (we’re reading solely from the setlist here guys, doubtless this is an abbreviation!) ricochets around the room, eyes gaze intently in awe, minds focused prominently on the intricacies in this most four-to-the-floor of tracks, feet and hips helplessly tapping and swaying to the unfamiliar beat. It’s a response that comes to characterise the evening, each apologetically-delivered debut receiving as rapturous a response as the most well known of tracks. It helps that there are some absolute corkers in the bunch: Boxing is a beautiful ode to the lethargy and self-pity that may follow a break-up, all cracked vocals and discordant guitars, while Oil Slick is probably the most monstrous four minutes written about the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon, well, ever.
All of this bodes exceptionally well for that eagerly anticipated fourth LP, due for release (hopefully) sometime late in 2012; that every single one of these tracks sits snugly next to the older material but nevertheless manages to remain fiercely independent suggests that Frightened Rabbit aren’t willing to rest on their laurels… and we should all be extremely excited about what that may mean for a new release. Tellingly, this fervor seeps through into their performance too. There’s a restlessness about the band tonight, an inescapable passion that resonates from every corner of the stage, filling Scott and Grant particularly with an energy that infects everyone else in the venue. Scott scrunches his eyes and sings his heart out during a pitch-perfectly poignant My Backwards Walk, while Grant seems to play every song as if it’s his last, hammering seven shades of shite out of his poor drumkit and nearly setting about the front row after a messy, fierce Square 9, screaming at all and sundry.
It’s a thrilling experience and one that provides that all-important extra ingredient to proceedings. Tonight, these songs are ‘wee beasties’ (to namecheck an alcopop), leaping from the stage and pummeling your frontal lobes with deliciously impish glee. Glasgow loves every minute, out-singing the band on countless occasions, but particularly during The Loneliness and the Scream (the refrain of which all 290 men and women continue to sing at the tops of their voices while the band are backstage prior to the encore) and the soaring, epic finale that is Keep Yourself Warm. A jovial Old Old Fashioned, intense Living in Colour and playful Swim Until You Can’t See Land are also highlights, the latter featuring a three minute drone in its middle 8 just for the hell of it. By show’s end, all thoughts of ‘The Edinburgh Incident’ (as it will now be known) are firmly put to rest and Frightened Rabbit are once again able to stand tall and proud, safe in the knowledge that they are one of the very finest alt-indie-folk outfits that this weather-beaten country has to offer. Album four can’t come soon enough.
Paul Bowden
