$UP deserve to be way bigger than they actually are. Taking them as a musical dissection, there?s no weak link, but bung them in front of a couple of screaming hedonists and they?re unbeatable. Playing a rather chunky variety of skacore laced with metal riffs (cf the conclusion to the ever-stunning ?Critix?) and fantastically catchy horn lines (?Reprezent? or ?POC?), $up are a band that must be experienced live. Shaun gets better and better as a frontman, marshalling his band to an impressive level of tightness, and tonight they were visibly thriving on the balance between old fans enjoying the classics and managing to convert at least half of all of those who were in attendance. Great show, make sure you turn up early enough to see them (8).
Missed Uncle Brian, but lets face it, no band in existence today could really lay a claim to being able to show up STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO. Launching off the blocks after a drive from Belgium with ?A Moment of Violence?, the entire dancefloor exploded into a flurry of limbs and hair, never stopping throughout the entire set. With six up front including one of the most competent horn sections I have ever seen, and ably focalised by Tomas Kalnoky?s faultless vocals, SM seemed to be casually throwing out anthems like ?Everything Went Numb?, ?We Are The Few? with abandon. A particularly loud roar greeted the interlude to ?Point/Counterpoint? which was the predictably brilliant ?Keasbey Nights?, and even a surprise airing of a verse of Radiohead?s ?Creep? during ?A Moment of Silence? wasn?t beyond the New Jersey sextet. Giving a lesson in how to perform under adverse conditions Streetlight Manifesto proved that its possible to innovate in a tired genre and bring a new zest and vitality to music. Indispensable and entirely stunning (9).
Ben