Tour Bros Photo From The Arcane Roots Facebook

Tonight, Arcane Roots are doing a victory lap around the release of their fantastic new album ‘Blood & Chemistry’, choosing to host the party in London’s Angel, landing at the scuzzy underbelly of The Electrowerkz.

First up tonight in the rather dark venue is Baby Godzilla, and whether it’s the echoey wall of noise their sound mix delivers to the crowd tonight or a performance that befits a band getting a much finer reaction, it isn’t quite the opening set that their reputation precedes. Being an acrobatic frontman is all well and good, but there is a fine line that separates unmissable energy and trying a little bit too hard in a live show. As the bright beacons of the band’s wireless system trace their erratic movements around the room, it’s not quite clear what the fuss has been about. We’re reserving judgement until we see them in front of a better mix though as it’s all sounding a bit fuzzy in here anyway.

Next, the James Cleaver Quintet have a captive and fully grown crowd to perform to. The sound is a little better for them, but it’s still not ideal, and the complexity of their sound being what it is, it all becomes a little bit muddy. Regardless, the slightly adjusted line up of the band look confident and exciting, and they’ve got a fantastic year ahead of them. It’s been a real transformation over the last few years for the band, and they’ve never been so good at turning half-interested heads.

Finally, Arcane Roots come on stage to much extended introduction. Tonight is their night and they deliver the goods in only the way that they can. Their debut album has been long anticipated, but when the songs from the release blend as they do tonight with their earlier material, the timing just feels perfect. ‘You Are’, ‘Hell & High Water’ and ‘Resolve’ just sound fantastic, and the band really have proved themselves as one of the UK’s finest with performances such as this.

The trio’s balance of energy, skill and precision is matched by the reaction of the crowd this evening, and Andrew Groves’ vocals soar amazingly through the rattle and reflecting noise wall that is the Electrowerkz sound. It’s a triumphant performance, and one that no one here will soon forget. If there’s any justice, it’ll be onwards and upwards for Arcane Roots, and there’s little reason to suggest they’ll slow down any time soon.

TOM AYLOTT

Today sees the return of Takedown Festival to the University of Southampton, and it is an utter triumph. There’s a fantastic turnout for all bands and it’s slickly organised. The only flaws of today are that some bands run over, meaning that most stage times are slightly delayed, and there are some sound issues on the Monster stage, but they’re small flaws to deal with compared to the sheer victory of the whole day.

Our first band of the day are We Butter The Bread With Butter on the Monster Energy stage. They have an absolutely terrible band name and their merch has toast on it, but they sure know how to pack out a room before 4pm. They seem to have a fairly rabid following, and they put on a pretty good show which ends with confetti falling from the ceiling. Next time they’ll be further up the bill.

Next up are TRC, and they couldn’t be more different to the previous band. Whatever you think of them, TRC put on an absolutely stellar show every single time they set foot on a stage. They’ve got the confidence, the swagger and some killer tunes – ‘#TEAMUK’ and ‘Define Cocky’ go down a storm. They suffer from sound issues, but regardless, they are just as brilliant as ever. Utterly fantastic.

Decade play the Southampton Music stage, and although they start off playing to a fairly sparse crowd, they draw in a lot more simply by putting on a good show. Definite ones to watch. Over on the main stage are We Are The Ocean, who show that practice really does make perfect. They’ve already done a couple of festivals this year and it shows: their set is just as tight as ever and the sound is flawless.

Next on the main stage are the mighty Don Broco, who genuinely smash every single stage they set eyes on. A few weeks ago they were headlining Hit The Deck, and tonight they draw a crowd to rival that one. Kicking off with the massive ‘Priorities’, they unleash ‘the walk’ to sheer adulation in the crowd. Combining their signature moves with bangers like ‘Whole Truth’ and standard push up squad action in the crowd, Don Broco have got playing live down to a tee. Just try and rival them, because you probably won’t win. Another sheer triumph for the DB chaps. Excellent work.

Tonight’s headliners are The Blackout, who sadly clash with Northern wonders While She Sleeps who are playing on the Monster Energy stage. By all accounts, While She Sleeps put on a stellar show tonight, but we only manage to catch The Blackout, who are flying the flag for Wales on the main stage. Regardless of what you think of them, they are one of the finest live bands in the UK and are always an incredible treat to watch. Cracking out all the hits, like ‘Start The Party’ and ‘Save Ourselves’, The Blackout are on top form tonight. Ending with ‘I’m A Riot? You’re A Fucking Riot!’, the whole set has been glorious.

From headliners The Blackout to the Uprawr aftershow party, Takedown has been an utter success. Hats off, Southampton.

LAIS MW

Following their destructive set at Belgium’s recent Groezrock Festival, Narrows return to London for only their third show in the nation’s capital. Hot on the heels of the release of the seminal ‘Sister Faith’, Coliseum join as main support with London’s own Pariso kicking things off. With all three bands renowned for brutal high energy performances, the trendy foundations of Shoreditch’s XOYO are destined to be shaken.

Despite the comparably late stage times typical for this type of venue, Pariso still find themselves playing to a disappointing smattering of people. Perhaps due to the minimal crowd, the stamina on stage is uncharacteristically lacking. Although making the most of the claustrophobic space on stage, frontman Mario Gambardella appears hushed and introverted in his short monologues to the crowd. This attitude is reflected in the musical performance; the new material sounding sluggish and clunky. Fortunately the more direct older material occasionally brings the performance to life, yet with both an unresponsive audience and band, Pariso struggle through their opening set.

Coliseum may face a similar battle with an unresponsive crowd, especially when trying to encourage responses to Ryan Patterson’s off-kilter banter. The largest part of crowd interaction is reserved for honest ramblings of a love for punk-rock and the ability thereof to change lives. Although occasionally melodramatic, there exists sincerity in his voice which allows for appreciation even if empathy is difficult. Switching between tracks from their back catalogue, the new material sits surprisingly comfortably against the more traditional hardcore songs. Closing the set and delivered at an impressive volume and with abundant energy, ‘Fuzzbang’ threatens to blow the roof off the underground venue (work that one out) and cements itself as one of the stand out moments of the night.

As the lights dim in preparation for tonight’s headliners, it is immediately evident that Narrows balance precariously between perpetual hardcore and hellish menace. Jumping between screams and growls loud enough to deafen the front row, the drawn out drones serve to increase the ominous atmosphere increasingly enveloping the venue. At moments the sheer volume and force of the drum beat begins to dictate the heartbeat. This intensity is magnified by Dave Verellen’s insistency to join the increasing mosh-pit at the front of the stage. Flailing limbs, dives from the stage and repeated screams into the microphone become the norm as the accompanying band members all-but destroy their instruments; Sam Stothers in particular delivers a masterclass in precision drumming.

As Narrows complete their oddly suited encore – hardcore punk at XOYO neither needs, nor adequately facilitates this showmanship – ear drums are burst, bodies are bruised and hearts are pounding. Certainly not a bad conclusion for fifty minutes of work. See you at the fourth show.

With Punktastic favourites Masked Intruder and The Front Bottoms both playing before mid morning, it is regrettable that our late arrival results in us missing these excellent bands. You would be hard pushed to find a British festival that starts at 10:00AM on the Sunday!

The Flatliners take the main stage for an lunchtime injection of traditional punk-rock. Unfortunately with their short set time only allowing for five tracks it proves difficult to truly get to grips with the band. Each song is delivered well, yet the lack of energy in both the crowd and from the stage fails to engage. Should this band have been on a smaller stage or later on in the day the story may have been slightly different.

Conversely, Pure Love have enough energy to level the festival in one fell swoop. During their forty-five minute set they encourage more crowd surfers than the rest of the festival put together, even having time for an inflatable lilo race around the circumference of the Etnies tent. As with their recent show supporting Don Broco in London’s Koko they prove visually spectacular, bounding around the stage (and the crowd) with unprecedented ferocity. The juxtaposition between performance and sound remains ever-present, particularly when the lilo race results in an instrumental version of ‘Bury My Bones’ – a song which relies on Carter’s gruff rock and roll vocals. It becomes increasingly evident that Pure Love are about showmanship over music, and assuming that is the case, they are doing it exceedingly well.

Although initially playing in front of a small crowd, it is something of a testament to Rob Lynch’s songwriting and vocal capabilities that the audience swells a short time into the set. Performing songs from his self-titled EP alongside a number of tracks new and old, each tells an introspective story that simultaneously grips and audience and sounds refined in a live environment. Although not as well-known as artists on either side of his slot, judging on today’s performance this will not be Rob Lynch’s last time at Groezrock.

Something is lost in translation between Polar Bear Club’s recorded material and their live performance today. On record the subtle melody sitting behind Jimmy Stadt’s rough tones provides a refreshingly unique element to an otherwise everyday sound. Unfortunately during their set on the Etnies Back to Basics stage this characteristic is missing, instead seeing Polar Bear Club administer a middling performance.

Over on the main stage The Used are similarly fairing badly as Bert McCracken fails to hit a single note during their fifty minute set. With an already dubious crowd awaiting the biggest incongruity on the bill, the band miss the opportunity to alleviate any hostility aimed towards them. Despite renditions of ‘The Taste of Ink’ and ‘Buried Me Alive’, the lack of any musical expertise on display and the lacklustre energy on stage cement this as the worst set of the weekend so far.

With the recent release of ‘Sempiternal’ receiving rave reviews and their live show universally commended, Bring Me The Horizon complete a trio of consecutive disappointing performances. Although engaging the crowd, Oli Sykes’ demeanour is more reserved than in previous performances. Despite early appearances of favourites ‘Shadow Moses’ and ‘Chelsea Smile’, the quick succession of more subdued tracks ‘It Never Ends’, ‘Sleepwalking’ and ‘Blessed With A Curse’ limit the forceful energy synonymous with the band. ‘Antivist’ attempts to provide one final punch however does little too late. Although the performance is not bad, Bring Me The Horizon have certainly displayed more dominance in the past than they do tonight.

The twenty odd songs that follow opener ‘Past Is Dead’ show why Bad Religion are rightly considered one of the world’s best punk bands. As the likes of ‘21^st Century (Digital Boy)’ and ‘American Jesus’ garner the biggest reaction, they sit comfortably side by side with tracks from this year’s ‘True North’. Greg Graffin effortlessly commands the stage as the band batter from track to track with quick succession. With the Sunday line-up boasting little in the way of straightforward punk on any of the stages, it provides an opportunity to immerse in these punchy three-way harmonies. As ‘Dept. Of False Hope’ – a controversial set closer – draws to a close, Bad Religion have delivered a tight and precise slice of punk. There are no gimmicks, just experience and strong songs – an excellent way to end the festival.

BEN TIPPLE

Belgium may not be the obvious venue for Europe’s premier punk-rock festival. Far removed from the waffles, chocolate, beautiful architecture and European politics, the eastern village of Meerhout is once again invaded by hordes of music fans from around the globe. Evolving from a comparably small affair over twenty years ago, Groezrock now offers a wealth of musical genres over five stages; all underpinned by a punk philosophy.

This year has seen a definite increase in hosting metalcore bands, so Punktastic heads to the Impericon Stage to witness rising Japanese stars Crossfaith. Displaying enough showmanship to rival their generation, the performance is surprisingly effective in kicking off the weekend. Filled with an abundance of obligatory breakdowns and the occasional electronics the style may follow their contemporaries; however the energy on stage surpasses the majority of bands sharing the same bill.

The Monster Stage (this year’s main stage) takes a different tact, cramming a significant number of musicians onto the impressive floor space armed with a range of brass and woodwind instruments. Streetlight Manifesto incite a ska dance party front and centre, however sacrifice some of the energy in the vast tent. While musically the band are on form and clearly enjoying themselves, the lack of any crowd interaction remains noticeable.

A Wilhelm Scream turn the energy up another notch with their offbeat combination of pop-punk and hardcore. Powering through a hit-filled set, the intensity from the stage counteracts the occasionally messy sound. By the end of ‘Famous Friends and Fashion Drunks’ the crowd is left equally confounded and mesmerised by the bands distinctive style.

During the morning leading up to AC4 taking to the Etnies stage, hype begins to circulate around festival goers  – not least due to Refused frontman Dennis Lyxzén situated at the helm. Opening with a quick gambit cementing their position as no-frills hardcore punk, the hype appears to be justifiable. AC4 encourage the crowd to use the stage as they wish as the frontman develops an endearing sense of humour. Delivering seventeen tracks from the band’s two albums to date, ‘Detonate’, ‘Diplomacy Is Dead’ and ‘Breakout’ emerge as the most immediate when strained through Lyxzén’s vocal chords. In focusing on straightforward punk, AC4 successfully deliver one of the highlights of the weekend.

In complete contrast to this no-gimmick ethos, The Aquabats arrive on the main stage head to toe in their signature costume. Taking Reel Big Fish’s accolade as this year’s most theatrically entertaining band, the onstage banter is supported by a well-executed energetic performance. Although the crowd interaction and subsequent participation only leaves time for eight songs, everyone walking away following ‘Pool Party’ is guaranteed to have a smile on their face.

Emmure have lost some of the laddish bravado that hovered dangerously close to overshadowing their performance. Foregoing his usual jacket or heavy sweatshirt, frontman, Frankie Palmeri appears visibly unconstrained on stage. The overall delivery does little to break new ground for Emmure, yet performances such as these have allowed the band to rise to the top of their genre. With metalcore firmly on the Groezrock agenda Emmure certainly pack a punch.

With his distinctly English style few could predict how well Frank Turner would sit on the bill. Fortunately a modest crowd has gathered for a set built on predominantly upbeat tracks from his back catalogue. Supported by the ever-emerging sunshine, the final two numbers – ‘I Still Believe’ and ‘Photosynthesis’ – sound particularly euphoric. Although the usual crowd participation is minimised, presumably due to time and language constraints, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls still manage to generate an unembellished cheerful atmosphere at the main stage.

The first of two consecutive unconventional bookings on the Impericon Stage arrives in the guise of Texan alt-rock band …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of The Dead. Unquestionably contrasting with the majority of performers across the festival site, the epic nature of their compositions provides a welcome variation from the norm. Perhaps not to everyone’s taste – a number of onlookers leave the tent mere seconds into the first progressive instrumental – the band produce a foreboding atmosphere within the tent. Sadly, it is difficult to judge whether Reece and Keely are enjoying themselves as they switch from instrument to instrument. The final moment sees a monitor and drum-kit being flung into the crowd in what is either a misguided attempt at “rock and roll” or a result of frustration. Either way, the band offer something different yet not necessarily appropriate.

Texas Is The Reason face a similar battle with their first European show in 17 years. Switching between old and new songs, the band are substantially more engaging when the tempo is raised. Similarly, the newer material occasionally lacks the blurred beauty of ‘Do You Know Who You Are?’ Fortunately these minor issues can be forgiven in favour of Garrett Klahn’s unique vocals and the supporting airy instrumentals. The atmosphere in the tent is far removed from the remainder of the festival, and with a little emo on the bill it is exciting to witness the forefathers of the genre.

All that is left before the first day of Groezrock draws to a close is for Rise Against to predictably own the main stage. With onlookers spilling out of the sides of the tent, it is clear to see that the band continue to attract considerable crowds. Justified by their ability to pen catchy yet meaningful tracks, and through the delivery of errorless performances, Rise Against find themselves on top form as the festival reaches midnight. Perhaps unsurprisingly the likes of ‘Help Is On The Way’, ‘Prayer Of The Refugee’ and ‘Ready To Fall’ encourage the biggest sing-a-longs, while the appearances of Dave Hause for ‘Hero Of War’ and Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly on ‘Swing Life Away’ add an interesting dimension. It may be easy to tarnish the performance as yet another straightforward Rise Against show, yet when they do it this well that is not necessarily a negative.

BEN TIPPLE

Ever since The Story So Far released their debut album ‘Under Soil and Dirt’ their stock has been steadily rising. So much so that they are quite clearly at the forefront of the pop punk revolution that has seemingly taken place over the last three or so years. They’ve even managed to survive the much maligned downfall of a lot of bands, that tricky second album. So it comes as absolutely no surprise that The Story So Far have managed to sell out Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach tonight.

As the sun was descending on a suitably glorious day in Cardiff, it was up to Brightons own Gnarwolves to kick things off and they actually do really bloody well. Opening things up with ‘History Is Bunk’ the crowd go absolutely nuts for them, the boys look genuinely surprised at the reaction and in return give it their absolute all for the rest of the performance. It’s seriously satisfying to see one of Britain’s best punk prospects go down so well, by the end of their performance, Gnarwolves were playing to a full room, and that should say it all about just how good they were.

Making their UK debut next was The American Scene who provide a much needed change of pace, considering what was to come from The Story So Far. Their set was a strange one, at points I went from utterly mesmerised to completely bored, however, highlights came in the form of ‘Used To You’ which goes down really well and for the core set of fans singing along down the front, I’m sure this was a great set, for me, it was OK, their live show needs a fair bit of work, but the potential is definitely there.

The relatively quick stage turnarounds meant that when The Story So Far came to the stage, half of the venue were outside have a cigarette or a drink. This doesn’t deter anyone though because as soon as they open things up ‘Roam’ everyone in the room lost their shit. The sing-alongs that went along with the show brought chills, every song goes down a storm. Tracks from ‘Under Soil and Dirt’ like ‘Daughters’ and ‘Mt Diablo’ see an array of crowdsurfers and finger pointing, at one point there seems to be a stereo crowdsurf from South Wales pop punk locals Save Your Breath and Gnarwolves. Truly a sight to behold. The songs from their recently released album ‘What You Don’t See’ go down equally as well, ‘Stifled’ sounds especially huge and there’s a live debut for ‘Things I Can’t Change’

There is a slight scare when during the outro to ‘High Regard’ one crowdsurfer lands awkwardly and manages to knock himself out, thankfully after a couple of minutes of genuine concern the crowdsurfer got up to big cheers from the crowd and the rest of the set dedicated to him. It was then left to crowd favourite ‘Quicksand’ to close the show, and yeah, if it was crazy in Clwb Ifor Bach before then you’d have to multiply it by ten to get the reaction that this song got, with the entire show ending in a mass stage invasion it’s clear to see that The Story So Far are up there with the likes of The Wonder Years as one of the most promising bands this scene has seen since the likes of New Found Glory emerged. Incredible.

Tonight the mighty Bring Me The Horizon return to Cardiff for the first time since the release of their glorious new album ‘Sempiternal’. Solus is a fairly intimate venue for them to play, and if they’d wanted to, they could’ve upgraded easily, but the whole point is to keep this tour fairly small and sweaty as something of a treat for the fans who have kept their faith with them while they’ve been away.

First things first, Bring Me The Horizon have brought the utterly fantastic Crossfaith along for the ride. The Japanese metalcore titans look utterly at home playing to BMTH’s rabid fans. Judging from their huge sound and incredible stage presence, Crossfaith should be back to play their own headline tour in the very near future and rightly so.

There’s no doubting that tonight’s main event is Bring Me The Horizon. One small gripe is that tonight’s set is not nearly long enough, clocking in at around sixty minutes long, but it can be argued that it’s the epitome of “short and sweet”. Opening with ‘Shadow Moses’, the crowd go utterly insane, and it only gets more manic when they follow it up with the massive ‘Chelsea Smile’.

Bring Me The Horizon have made three flawless albums in the last five years, and tonight they play an incredible mixture of tracks off all of them. It’s one thing to create fantastic music, but it’s quite another to be an unbelievable live band as well. BMTH are one of the rare bands that are even better live than they are on record, so it’s no surprise they’re selling out huge venues around the world while the rest of the genre is struggling to make an impact as large as them.

The crowd reaction to new songs taken from ‘Sempiternal’, which was only officially released last month, is overwhelming. Songs like ‘The House Of Wolves’ and ‘Go To Hell, For Heaven’s Sake’ prompt singalongs that could rival songs that have been out for decades and it’s unbelievable to watch.

Even when BMTH slow it down for ‘And The Snakes Start To Sing’ (where frontman Oli Sykes proves that he actually does have an excellent singing voice) and ‘Blessed With A Curse’, the energy in the room is still fantastic. And then closing with ‘Antivist’ and coming back on for a quick ‘Sleepwalking’ encore, it’s safe to say this band manage to ignite a crowd unlike any other.

The simple fact of the matter is that no band in the world does it better than Bring Me The Horizon right now. Go and see them before they take over the world.

LAIS MW

Do line-ups get much better than this? Not often. Once in a blue moon you’ll see some great bands come together, but for the most part, this is one of the strongest you’ll see all year. Tonight, two of the most influential, consistent and just plain best acts in metal go head-to-head at the legendary Brixton Academy in a co-headline showdown that those in attendance will tell their children about one day.

Serving as the warm-up for what was to come are Maryland’s Periphery, one of the key bands in the ‘djent’ movement of the last few years. The band are visibly delighted to be opening for their heroes and although they did open for Dream Theatre not so long ago, this ranks as one of their biggest shows to date, they know this and they played as if every moment was their last on stage. Frontman Spencer Sotelo has improved greatly over the last couple of years and his vocals sound great, the band sound incredibly tight too. Their six song setlist isn’t the strongest and leans more towards material from their latest album. Nevertheless, they are brimming with confidence and enthusiasm and ending with ‘Icarus Lives!’ is always a good idea.

Up next were Meshuggah, The Swedish metal wizards launch headfirst into ‘Swarm’ from their latest album ‘Koloss’. They sound massive and what follows is a setlist heavy enough to destroy planets. The likes of ‘Combustion’, ‘Rational Gaze’, and ‘Lethargica name a few’ are all delivered with near-telepathic levels of musicianship that will leave you gobsmacked at how human beings, are capable of creating such an intricate, almost architectural cacophony, a concentrated tsunami of riffs, polyrhythms and crazy time signatures so spot-on you’d think the band were actually machines.

Throughout the hour and a half in which they possess the stage, Meshuggah are both stupendously violent and eerily hypnotic almost simultaneously. You’d be hard pushed to find a band who could pull off a song like ‘Bleed or the epic, nearly ten-minute long ‘Dancers to a Discordant System’. Under the right circumstances, a Meshuggah live performance transcends beyond a mere metal show: there’s something almost otherworldly about witnessing them on a big stage in complete darkness which contrasts with their incredible light show brilliantly. Their ability to create music so crushingly heavy yet hauntingly atmospheric and unlike anything before is second to none, Meshuggah truly are masters of their craft.

How could anyone follow that? step up Devin Townsend. Devin doesn’t intend to try and best Meshuggah, it’d be almost impossible to do so. Almost everything about Devin’s set is the polar opposite to what Meshuggah offered up. The lights don’t even dim as the band walk on and the intense atmosphere of the previous two hours is immediately dropped simply because Devin and his band look overjoyed to be here. Who can blame them? The following 90 minutes are all about singalongs and dancing.

That’s not to say Devin isn’t capable of bringing the weight, his wall-of-sound approach has served him well over the years, and few songs embody that like the opening ‘Angel’. It’s loud, really loud. He’s joined by the lovely Anneke van Giersbergen tonight, who provides additional vocals on many songs (including those she didn’t record on) and a four-person choir. While this is nowhere near as extravagant as last year’s Retinal Circus, it’s probably the next best thing. They band have all areas covered tonight with a varied and extensive setlist; there’s ‘Juular’ for those wanting to mosh, ‘Where We Belong’ for the sing-alongs and ‘Bad Devil’ to satisfy anyone feeling the need to throw some shapes. It just goes to show how versatile and talented this man really is. There is a slight sense of a missed opportunity that the epic ‘Planet Of The Apes’ doesn’t get an airing, considering it features Meshuggah’s lead guitarist Frederik Thordendal but it doesn’t do much to take away from this euphoric experience.

Tonights show is all about celebrating Metal, to crown one of tonight’s co-headliners a clear victor wouldn’t really be fair. You could argue who was better all night. but let’s face it we’re not going to see a lineup that is this good in a long time. Let’s call it a draw and have a rematch in a couple of years, yeah?

GREG CADMAN.

Festival season kicked off with the biggest of bangs in April in Nottingham, and Hit The Deck has now seen itself transform into the first big weekender that the UK has to offer by expanding to Bristol. Punktastic was out in force over the weekend.

SATURDAY – Bristol

Great Cynics are one of the fastest rising UK punk bands at the moment, and despite the fact that the Thekla is the darkest place in the entire world, they make it feel summery as fuck. The new tracks sound excellent live, and Giles & Co look set for an excellent summer. [Tom Aylott]

The James Cleaver Quintet have recently changed over bass play, and they still seem to have a vaguely Jimmy sized hole in their stage show. It’s not something that’ll take them long to rectify ahead of their album release, but it certainly isn’t the best ever JCQ set we’ve seen so we’re gonna reserve judgement for the Arcane Roots tour in a few weeks. [Tom Aylott]

Rob Lynch is always near the top of the list of bands/dudes to catch at festival for us, and he’s going from strength to strength at the moment. The top deck of the Thekla is a suitable place for his almost sailor like attire today, and it’s an excellent continuation of the afternoon. [Tom Aylott]

First band we caught on the main stage in Bristol was Never Shout Never. The Missouri-based trio are fronted by Christofer Drew, who resembles some sort of bizarre country type clone of Oli Sykes. They are a band who are are hard to describe, but ‘sugary sweet and hideously cheesy’ will probably cover it. There are certainly a lot of teenage girls who appreciate them, but their show fails to ignite Bristol for anybody else. Better luck next time. [Lais MW]

Headlining Bristol’s Academy 2 are Title Fight, who have come all the way from Pennsylvania. They play to a packed out room and as a result incite complete and utter carnage. There are crowdsurfers galore and it’s clear to see that Bristol love them. They deserve every ounce of respect, because tonight they are raw, passionate and full of energy. [Lais MW]

Last but not least are Hit The Deck’s headliners, Don Broco. A year ago, Don Broco were almost exclusively a support band, but now, they are about to headline a set of their biggest shows to date. Many doubted they could pull it off, but tonight they proved every single one of them wrong by putting on an insanely brilliant show. Don Broco are always brilliantly fun live, but tonight they are quite simply glorious. Tonight they prove they can headline festivals, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go on and headline bigger events that this. (Lais MW)

SUNDAY

Today sees Hit The Deck go back to its roots in Nottingham, and as usual it’s a complete success. While the Bristol leg of Hit THe Deck suffered from the distance between venues, Nottingham is a victory because of the sheer closeness of the venues and the general atmosphere. Every year it goes from strength to strength, and this year is no different. (Lais MW)

Devil Sold His Soul play in the Forum, and it’s one of vocalist Edward Gibbs’ last shows with them. The atmosphere is electric and the turnout is absolutely incredible. Today could very possibly be one of the best shows Devil Sold His Soul have ever played, but it’s tinged with sadness because the departure of Edward Gibbs will genuinely be the end of an era for the band. The emotion only adds to the clear passion shown onstage: an absolute triumph for all involved. (Lais MW)

Orange County hardcore mob Stick To Your Guns also take to the stage in the Forum, but their set couldn’t be further from the emotional display of Devil Sold His Soul. They are possibly the most positive men that ever walked the earth, and frontman Jesse Barnett does an excellent job as a motivational speaker. They are an unbelievable live band and it’s an absolute joy to watch them bounce around the stage like a ball of energy, with massive tunes and chugging riffs to match. (Lais MW)

Headliners Don Broco somehow manage to trump their incredible show at Bristol last night by packing out Rock City like no Hit The Deck headliner before them. It’s an unbelievable feat, and it’s incredibly heartening to watch a fairly new British rock band’s ascent to festival headliners. The simple fact is that nobody else does what Don Broco do, and whether you love or hate them, it doesn’t matter because they are going to be absolutely massive. (Lais MW)

Overall, Don Broco were the real success story of Hit The Deck 2013. This is a special festival that is giving British bands a chance to make a genuine mark. We’ll be back in 2014 and we expect to see you there. (Lais MW)

Tonight sees the legendary Hatebreed return to Cardiff after a fairly long time away and with them come some of the most hardcore fans around. Sadly, Cardiff Solus is nowhere close to pulling the crowd that Hatebreed deserve, but the people who are here are chomping at the bit to see the American hardcore titans.

First things first and it was up to Grimsby’s own Demoraliser to do their best to work the crowd, so it’s pretty unfortunate that they fail to make much of a mark on a crowd who are really only here to see Hatebreed. Demoraliser show undoubted potentetial, and to their credit they don’t seem at all phased by a fairly hostile reception. They have energy and they have riffs, and this kind of experience should go on to make them stronger.

Next up are Black Dogs, who also hail from Grimsby. They fare slightly better than Demoraliser, in that they manage to get about five old men moshing, but it’s still not the greatest of receptions. Frontman Gollo is unfailingly energetic and definitely has what it takes to command a crowd. They could have some good things ahead of them, but I think it’s fair to say that this is probably not the best show they’ve ever played.

Last but not least: the main event, the band the crowd had been waiting for, Hatebreed. It seems as if every single person in the room has been waiting for this moment, with those dwelling in the outer corners moving to the centre to make a sweaty, heaving congregation in the middle of the floor. It’s a reaction that is completely warranted too because Hatebreed are on absolutely top form tonight.

They’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, and they still have as much energy and passion and the songs sound just as good now as they would have at the height of their careers. Frontman Jamey Jasta knows his audience, and he’s a fantastic ball of energy up on the stage. The crowd are a rabid mass of spin-kicking and windmilling lunatics and it’s fantastic to watch.

Hatebreed may not be back in Cardiff for quite some time but it’s clear to see that every single person in this room is making the most of this one moment of seeeing the hardcore legends play in their own town. Hatebreed wrap things up on the anthemic ‘Destroy Everything’, despite the relatively poor turnout, tonight’s show should be considered a complete triumph for the band. Utterly Incredible.

LAIS MW

The Front Bottoms may be gracing the stage in the dark and claustrophobic room upstairs at the illustrious Camden Barfly, however for the reams of die-hard fans this could easily be their British opus. Reasonable perhaps, considering the New Jersey lads are yet to play either a venue this size or to a crowd this big. Selling out the Barfly at this stage in their career, and while playing a style of music far removed from the mainstream, is by no means an easy feat.

It therefore comes as little surprise that the atmosphere is electric from the moment Brian Sella and Matt Uychich take the stage. Accompanied by Tom Warren on bass and Ciaran O’Donnell on a variation of instruments – including the band’s signature trumpet – The Front Bottoms present themselves as a quartet for tonight’s performance. Each of the four musicians exudes an exciting combination of instrumental mastery and relentless enthusiasm throughout the eighty minute set.

Expertly delivering slices from their debut self-titled full-length and their impending ‘Talon Of The Hawk’, each track captivates the audience with its distinctive style and passionate delivery. The older material incites an overpowering sing-along while encouraging a zealous display of waving limbs.

Similarly, whereas brand new material often falls flat in a live environment, the intensity fails to falter. New tracks such as ‘Twin Size Mattress’ easily sit alongside ‘Father’ or ‘Maps’ – the latter encouraging a mass of crowd surfers, stage divers and an eventual stage invasion.

Sella (vocals, guitar) interacts with the crowd with instinctual ease, offering tales of wresting stardom (introducing: The Schwing) and a high proportion of produce based jokes. His quick-witted retorts to occasional heckling further generate the front-room DIY atmosphere presiding over the venue. The enjoyment is not only visible on the faces of the punters but also those of the band. After chugging a bottle of water and declaring his macho status, it is easy to see the source of the music’s charm.

Musically it is the drums that take centre stage. Uychich demonstrates speed and precision lacking in a high proportion of mainstream artists. The drumming is so faultless throughout the set that onlookers could be mistaken for envisioning a backing track or loop pedal. This guides the mass of scattered instruments – even the tour manager joins in with the occasion tambourine – into a spectacularly clever, original and engaging sound.

Ultimately the Barfly is dripping with sweat as The Front Bottoms draw to a close. With the new material sounding invigorating, the old material exhilarating and the band embracing the crowd into a friendly inner circle, it is clear that Camden witnessed something special this evening. SHHHWING!

BEN TIPPLE

Don Broco by

The staggering queue of jubilant punters waiting impatiently outside of the north London venue provides evidence for the Don Broco’s stratospheric climb to the top. Only fourteen months back, the band had found themselves on the exact same stage as second support for Four Year Strong, behind A Loss For Words.

Judging by the horde of dedicated fans ready to relentlessly pour into the confined walkways of London’s Koko, the past twelve months have done wonders for the Bedford lads. Following on from the well-received release of ‘Priorities’, and with tickets for the show selling out fast enough to even surprise the band, tonight undoubtedly marks the pinnacle of the boy’s career to date.

With die-hard fans already packing out the downstairs floor space, Decade are fortunate enough to perform to a much bigger crowd than is normally afforded to opening acts. Rising to the challenge with ease, the band blast through a short set of retrospective emotional rock; managing to avoid sounding dated while driving through the associated vocal style and equally catchy and crushing guitar riffs. Alex Sears takes centre stage with faultless vocals supported by incredibly tight musicianship. This tour could easily provide the platform to see Decade move up the bill in the near future.

Half way through their set Pure Love frontman Frank Carter surveys the crowd before alluding to the general air of confusion. It is reasonably accurate considering the mismatch between them and Don Broco – one building their reputation through hardcore punk before injecting it back into boisterous rock and roll, while the other parades an altogether more cleanly cut image. What they do share is their ability to mesmerise a crowd.

Almost completely removing the show from the stage in favour of stage-dives, crowd walks and unquestionably dangerous behaviour – Carter at one point pulled back by security as he threatens to jump off the first floor balcony – tonight’s main support set is all about spectacle. Although the crowd are clearly entertained, the exuberant shenanigans distract from the music. Tracks such as ‘Bury My Bones’ and new single ‘The Hurricane’ are suitably filthy, however the set is all about showmanship over sound.

Conversely, complete with flashing blue strobe lights and an escalating intro, Don Broco literally bound onto stage in a wave of adoration. Frontman Rob Damiani commands attention placed firmly front and centre while Delaney and Doyle purposefully thrash across the stage. Damiani’s low vocal register compliments the laddish demeanour of the band, intensified by the abundance of finger guns and swagger.

This characteristic however only serves to add a level of charm to the overall performance. Rather than portraying excessive bravado, each band member appears to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, generating a party atmosphere that draws the audience in. This is not simply a gig; this is a homecoming-of-sorts and an immense celebration.

Fortunately the music matches the performance as Don Broco deliver an almost faultless sound. Despite the energy on stage fatigue remains firmly locked away. The energy and immediacy of the performance is mirrored through the lively song composition and well-delivering timing. Even as ‘You Got It Girl’ brings the tempo down the atmosphere remains electric.

As on-stage banter drifts into the crowd, resulting in the compulsory circle pit, (friendly) wall of death and the first ever (at least to our knowledge) human pyramid push up (yes, you heard it right), Don Broco have the crowd eating out of their hands. The boys engage the audience throughout, often breaking songs up to incite various sing-alongs. This does not hinder the flow of the show – instead tonight walks the fine line between a gig and a party, and the Koko crowd are happy to be invited to both.

BEN TIPPLE

All photos by Graham Berry
Don Broco gallery
Pure Love gallery

Pure Love

Tonight sees the arrival of the mighty Mosh Lives tour in Bristol, and it boasts an impressively heavy line up: Buried In Verona, Attila, Obey The Brave, Chelsea Grin and headliners Emmure. Due to early stage times, we sadly miss Australian metalcore mob Buried In Verona and a healthy dose of deathmetal from Attila, but our night starts with a bang thanks to Obey The Brave.

Canadian metalcore troop Obey The Brave could very well be the headliners tonight: their set is incredibly tight and they put on a fantastically energeticlive show. Frontman Alex Erian (formerly of the much heavier Despised Icon)possesses a whole heap of energy and passion, and they’re an absolute joy to watch. The Fleece is packed out for their set, and next time they come back to the UK, they could be the rightful headliners.

Next up are Salt Lake City deathcore band Chelsea Grin, who bring a whole different vibe to the Mosh Lives tour. Their set feels almost like a musical in some respects: the show is very theatrical and frontman Alex Koehler seems a lot like he’s on stage in a theatre rather than a rock show a lot of the time. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to watch and brings some variety to the night. Their set seems a little bit too long for the amount of bands on the bill, but the crowd are huge fans. Chelsea Grin will be welcome in the UK any time.

Last but not least are headliners Emmure, who have a whole load of hype around them, and quite rightfully so. Frontman Frankie Palmeri is one of the best in metal and he leads his band in creating the ultimate carnage in the
room. Emmure are one of those bands who are fantastic to watch becausethey have so much energy and aggression in their music. Hits like ‘DrugDealer Friend’, ‘MDMA” and ‘Solar Flare Homicide’ set the room on fire and the crowd love them.

Emmure are seasoned professionals at whipping up a frenzy, and if you get the chance, you need to watch them live. Mosh well and truly lives.

LAIS MW

It’s been four years since Indiana pop-punks, The Ataris, in one guise or another, were over in the UK. It was way back in 2009, when frontman Kris Roe took to the road with a rented car and an acoustic guitar to play Britain’s toilet circuit. Not able to sell out even these small shows and putting out shout-outs for a settee to crash on, it seemed a sad fall from grace for someone behind some of the best pop-punk records of the late Nineties and early Noughties. This time, Roe is back with full band in tow and selling out venues slightly more reminiscent of those played in the band’s heyday.

I’m loathed to refer to the group as The Ataris, with the oldest serving of the remaining members having played in the outfit since 2008 and the most recent addition joining just last year after Roe’s now infamous onstage outburst at previous drummer Rob Felicetti in October. Though well-known for the ever-changing line-up under chief Roe, everyone has their own idea of who The Ataris should be, and I, like many, look back fondly on those that recorded 1999’s breakthrough ‘Blue Skies, Broken Hearts… Next 12 Exits’ and its follow-up ‘End is Forever’ in 2001. Manning the merch stand before tonight’s show at the Underworld in Camden, Roe assures that the set will mainly consist of old favourites, but due to the band not knowing all five previous full-length records, it would mainly comprise of ‘Blue Skies…’ and tracks from 2003’s ‘So Long Astoria’.

To give them their due, the band (comprising of guitarist Thomas Holst, bassist Bryan Nelson and drummer Erik Perkins) do put in a solid effort, and the songs they do know are played with skin-tight precision. It just seems a shame that ‘End is Forever’ hits such as ‘Summer Wind Was Always Our Song’ and ‘Giving Up on Love’ are noticeably absent.

Decked out in weathered trilby and vintage Replacements shirt, Roe sounds as good as ever, and from set-opener ‘In This Diary’ he rasps his way through hit after sentimental hit in his signature gravelly style. It’s funny to think a band that ten years ago were derided for their schmaltzy, misty-eyed lyrics and song titles such as ‘IOU One Galaxy,’ and ‘ Your Boyfriend Sucks’ (both on show tonight) would now be considered thoroughly raw and gruff compared to today’s pop-punk offerings.

An arguably difficult frontman to work with if the line-up changes are anything to go by, it’s hard to dislike Roe on stage. He gives it his all, and seems to still revel in playing decade-old tunes. True to his word, the set is mainly split between ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘So Long Astoria’ and it’s a relief that nothing from 2007’s woefully received indie experiment ‘Welcome the Night’ makes an appearance.

Roe apologises that it’s been so long since the band were last over here and assures us that they’ll be back soon. It’s the call of a man that deems himself still relevant, but in reality, tonight’s crowd are here to bathe in the nostalgia so present in Roe’s writing. The “Eighties songs” of ‘In This Diary’ are Ataris songs for the mid-twenties audience, a group brought up on Kung-Fu and Fat Wreck that are probably old enough to now know better.

There’s no sign of new material from the long-awaited upcoming album ‘The Graveyard of the Atlantic’ – the ‘Chinese Democracy’ of punk – which is perhaps a shame as early demos proved promising, but there are no complaints from the youth-chasing crowd. The band keep proceedings fresh with a cover of ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’ by The Replacements thrown in, and a cameo from support act Mike Herrera (himself a trip down pop-punk’s memory lane, being the frontman for MxPx), the hour-long performance never really slows enough to lose anyone’s attention.

Predictably closing with ‘San Dimas High School Football Rules,’ Roe invites former longtime bass player Mike Davenport to join him on stage. Last heard on ‘So Long Astoria,’ it’s heartwarming to see the two playing off each other again. Looking a little bewildered by a crowd so pleased to see him, you have to hand it to 6ft 4, fortysomething Davenport as he stage dives at the song’s climax.

The cynical among us may say such ‘greatest hits’, comeback shows are an easy way for bands to make a quick buck. But if you take tonight’s show on face value, they’re a great excuse to unashamedly sing along to a few old favourites and remind ourselves that being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up.

STEVE ANDERSON

Tonight Deaf Havana offer an evening of alternative takes of their tracks, predominantly from the deluxe edition of ‘Fools and Worthless Liars’. Far removed from their heavier youth, the band experiment with band structures and inject a vast range of genres into their performance. Rather than a straightforward acoustic delivery, tonight is a celebration of the band’s diverse musical tastes. Judging by their consistent beaming smiles, this is also a lot of fun.

Before Deaf Havana take to the stage in the ever-stunning venue, audiences are treated to the largely unknown Big Sixes. As the band themselves proclaim, these two shows at the Union Chapel expose them to a higher number of listeners than their year-long career. Fortunately their harmony-fuelled blend of folk compositions and atypical vocals are perfectly suited to their surroundings. Big Sixes deliver a largely flawless performance, mesmerising the already considerable audience with seemingly minimal effort. With insufficient recorded material on which to base judgements it is difficult to imagine their subtle tones outside of this acoustic environment. Regardless, the band prove themselves as one to watch.

Altering the mood considerably with a more jovial attitude, Deaf Havana are clearly loving every minute of tonight’s performance and their new found direction. Inoffensive banter between frontman James Veck-Gilodi and percussionist Tom Ogden keeps the ambience light, as do the regular changes in positions – ‘Smiles All Round’ for example sees James take to the drums while recent addition and brother Matthew adopts vocal duties. Haphazard mistakes in the complicated instrumental switches only serve to add another level of intimacy, occasionally transforming the Union Chapel into a cosy living room.

There are considerable moments where the audience is engulfed by this intimacy. Alternative versions of tracks such as ‘The World or Nothing’, ‘Leeches’ or ‘Anemophobia’ are breath-taking in the confinement of the functioning church. New track ‘Saved’ and Counting Crows cover ‘Round Here’ provide the more straightforward (almost) acoustic performances, allowing James to project his increasingly impressive voice.

Conversely, the likes of ‘Youth In Retrospect’ and ‘Friends Like These’ fall too far into animated territory. Switching the guitar for the banjo as an example limits the depth that categorised the original version of the record tonight is based upon. Instead of retaining the absorbing atmosphere, the tracks impart an air of novelty. This sits rather uncomfortably against the successes of the evening.

When Deaf Havana keep the merriment in their personalities and remove the novelty from their sound, they host a clever and bewitching evening. Fortunately the superficial moments are few and far between; the band proving their broad appeal as well as their musical skill. Deaf Havana may have donned new clothes but judging by tonight, they wear them extremely well.

BEN TIPPLE

Paramore – Photo Credit Ian Collins

Intimate shows are now such a part of a band’s release cycle that sometimes you feel like you can set your watch by them. They’re obviously pretty great for promo: everyone loves to feel part of something special. It does feel sometimes that it’s got to the point where a “growth of the fan/band relationship” is forced upon both the band and the fans sometimes, but tonight it doesn’t really feel like much of a marketing exercise at all.

The last two times Punktastic saw Paramore were at the O2 Arena and Reading Festival, so to see them in front of a few hundred fans is pretty fucking cool, and this combined with THAT Fall Out Boy show earlier in the year makes us feel pretty lucky. We’re in a fair bit before the band kicks off, and eagerly find a spot that we think will give us a good view over the crowd that haven’t all arrived yet. It gets closer to the start of the gig, though, and it’s noticeable that there’s quite a bit of space near the back of the main bit of the Garage. You can make up your own mind on that, and also have a little cry knowing that they probably could have fit 50 more in there with any problems, but it gave us room to have a beer and and not spill it so we’re really not complaining.

Anyway, Paramore take to the stage with a spring in their step and blast straight into ‘Now’, the lead single from their imminent record, and it sounds pretty fucking massive live. From here on in, the hits come thick and fast, with ‘That’s What You Get’ and ‘Pressure’ being the bigger moments of the first half of the set. Paramore are pretty great at ballads (see: ‘The Only Exception’), but it’s the high energy moments that really make the set tonight, and those are the tracks that feel ‘Born For This’ (lol) kind of show.

The band are on top form tonight, and the fact that the band do what they do very, very well has changed not an inch with new members. The new tracks that the band wheel out tonight suit the suit very well, and an hour and a half (ish) flies by with plenty of singalongs and high points. Ms. Williams leads the charge incredibly well in venues of all sizes, and even if you kind of break it all down to “a band playing a venue” rather than “Paramore playing in a tiny venue (for them)”, it’s rather good.

By the time the band come out for a quick encore of ‘Still Into You’ (big live) and bring the house down with their career exploding ‘Misery Business’, everyone in the crowd and on the stage has had a lovely time. And that is the most important thing? Who wants to buy a limited edition plectrum from the show for £1000? G’wan.

TOM AYLOTT

Today sees the very first Radstock Festival take place at Liverpool Academy. It’s a new venture, and overall a successful one. With bands playing over three stages in the same venue, it’s easy to get around and a lot less chaotic than other mini festivals of the same kind. The line up is fantastic, and the day has a great vibe. Aside from a couple of technical difficulties, Radstock is bloody brilliant.

The earlier part of our day is spent doing interviews, so we only get stuck into watching bands when the mighty Don Broco take to the main stage. If anything, it’s a travesty that they’re playing so early on in the evening, because there is no doubt that they could headline this festival. They are seasoned pros when it comes to live shows, and whatever you may think of them, you cannot deny their sheer brilliance as a live band. They’re incredible fun to watch, they possess energy and charisma most bands would kill for (frontman Rob Damiani has a swagger that knocks all other frontmen out of the ballpark), and most importantly, they’ve got some wildly catchy tunes. Band of the day, without a shadow of a doubt.

Blitz Kids have the unfortunate job of following a band that could’ve headlined this whole festival, and coupled with the fact that they were playing on a bizarre makeshift stage in the sky and they have to deal with some sound issues, today is not their finest set. It’s clear to see their potential and the singalongs for ‘Never Die’ are great, but they definitely have better shows to come.

Back on the main stage are We Are The Ocean, who actually sound pretty damn great. They could be a completely different band to the WATO of old when Dan Brown was the frontman, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, their talent shines through more now they’re a little mellower, but they do lack a bit of the excitement that made them a really good live band previously. Nevertheless, tonight they sound fantastic, and frontman/guitarist Liam Cromby has an undeniably brilliant voice.

Next up in the second room are stage headliners Bury Tomorrow. Sadly they also suffer with technical difficulties, meaning a late entry to the stage and a show that doesn’t manage to convey their full potential. It’s by no means a bad show, but because they are so brilliant every time they hit a stage, even the slightest technical difficulty is a blow. For most other bands this would’ve been considered a great set, but Bury Tomorrow are so talented that it’s slightly disappointing for them. They still have brilliant onstage energy and passion, their songs are still incredible (see ‘Lionheart’ and ‘Knight Life’) and the crowd still absolutely love them, but it’s just a shame that sound problems hinder them from their usual flawless performance.

Last but not least: the festival’s headliners, The Blackout. The Welsh wonders are undoubtedly one of the UK’s best live bands, and this is down to a combination of energy, charisma, humour and catchy as hell songs. They’ve been going for a long time now, but they’re still just as much fun to watch as ever. The crowd go absolutely wild for hits like ‘Children Of The Night’ and ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’. Then comes Save Ourselves’, another of the band’s biggest hits, but instead of the usual crowd participation moment where everyone kneels on the ground, The Blackout play host to an onstage marriage proposal. It’s a lovely moment and it only adds to the sheer euphoria in the crowd when they play their last song, ‘I’m A Riot? You’re A Fucking Riot’. Victory!

Today has been an absolute triumph (with the exception of a couple of technical difficulties), and if all goes well, we should cross our fingers for Radstock 2014. Great work, Liverpool.

LAIS MW

Shortly before sitting down to pen this review, an entry on Twitter jumped off the computer screen: “Bands split up. Not many people care. Bands reform. Everyone cares. Shows sell out. Band gets rich. The end.” (Courtesy of @LJBarham)

Reformation is a strong word. Finch have not reformed; they are not set to release a heap of new material, eventually pushing to reclaim the popularity they once knew. For this to happen the band would have to have initially held some high level of popularity – considering their final UK show took place at the now derelict Mean Fiddler it is easy to argue they did not.

On a similar note, the band would have to want a comeback. The lack of new material or press appearances and the comparably short tour suggest otherwise. The cynical side begins to question the motives – it is too easy to jump back to that Twitter quote that so unassumingly passed by; is tonight all about the money?

Prior to this question being answered, Mallory Knox enjoy their biggest break to date. Standing on stage at the packed out Brixton Academy, they play through a number of tracks from their recent debut album. There is little interaction between the stage and the audience, reflected in the minimal reaction from the onlookers. The band are set to one day headline this venue, but for now they are overpowered by the monumental scale of the space and indeed the unrelenting attitude of the audience. Tonight is about Finch – nobody else.

With this notion embedded in the atmosphere, it is the audience who provide the energy as emo-heroes Finch take to the stage. From the outset, Nate Barcalow wears his ambivalence on his sleeve. Although the roaring crowd karaoke cannot help but encourage the odd smile, the majority of the gig sees the band go through the motions. It is clearly a struggle as Nate grimaces before the opening notes of fan-favourite ‘Letters To You’; a track the band have openly condemned since its release.

Interaction with the crowd is strained at best. The “highlight” presents itself when the band members choose to mock Cher’s distinctive tones on club-classic (and wedding playlist stalwart) ‘Believe’. It may only last five seconds, but it’s enough to show the band’s disinterest in their surroundings. Each band members remains rooted firmly to the spot for the remainder of the show, as the frontman spends a disproportionate amount of time with his back to the audience.

Even throwing in ‘New Kid’ and ‘Waiting’ from their debut EP does little to enthuse the band. Only ‘Worms of the Earth’ and the album title track see them pull together into a coherent ensemble – noticeably the two songs that lean closest to the likes of ‘Say Hello To Sunshine’ and their most recent self-titled EP.

Every ounce of energy that generates the atmosphere in Brixton tonight is provided by the audience. If anything tonight shows that ‘What It Is To Burn’ has grown since the band’s demise into something far more revered by the fans than by the band. Since their return Finch have played bigger shows than they ever did the first time around, and now they can seemingly reap the rewards with minimal effort. Frustratingly, Twitter has never been more accurate.

BEN TIPPLE

Thinking back to prior times the Canadian southern-rock-punk contortionists have graced the capital city of fair England, it is remarkably difficult to establish whether they ever truly went away. As their world-renowned work ethic sees the quartet almost continuously on the road, it is one thing to admire and respect their dedication to their art – yet it is another to decipher whether there is any need to see the undoubtedly tight set once again. If a band is consistently on tour, is there really any point in being at every show?

Fortunately, and largely unsurprisingly, the answer for the brimming hordes at the lavish Koko is “yes”. If anything, tonight’s performance indicates that not only are Cancer Bats an impressive force to watch, but they also appeal to a significantly diverse audience. As Empress, Brutality Will Prevail and Turbowolf appeal to their factions within the crowd, Liam Cormier and co. evidently succeed in pulling everyone together into a unified audience.

Not necessarily an easy feat when considering the divergence between Empress’ staggeringly ominous tones and BWP’s bare boned hardcore – the former combining frontman Ollie Loring’s Thrice-esque vocals with earth-shuddering instrumentation that deafens and enthralls in equal measures. Although their stage-presence leaves little to shout about, their refreshingly atypical music does most of the talking.

Brutality Will Prevail, dealing with the recent departure of vocalist Ajay Jones, show that former Breaking Point frontman Louis Gauthier holds suitable thunderous vocal chords. As the screams whip a small proportion of the crowd into a bewildering display of flailing limbs, those established fans of BWP find plenty to enjoy. Outside the inner-circle, some may find less to relate to as the band’s ferocity is rendered somewhat pedestrian by the performances on either side.

Flamboyance and eccentricity merge with musical expertise and vocal talent with Turbowolf centre stage. Donning an eye-melting shirt Chris Georgiadis treats the venue to an almost perfect vocal performance while retaining his frontman antics taken directly from the 1970s. Standout tracks ‘A Rose For The Crows’ and ‘Read + Write’ assimilate the various instruments on stage – including the trademark synths – into something truly spectacular.

Pulling this all together – from the thundering reverb to the unembellished hardcore – is taken in their stride as Cancer Bats appeal to the room with domineeringly heavy punk-rock. Cormier is visibly humbled by the impressive array of onlookers crammed onto every level of the former theatre, treating the crowds to a setlist with moments from their entire back catalogue. As each track is delivered faultlessly it is easy to infer the effects of a regular touring cycle; both the band and audience completely enraptured by a performance they have most likely seen or delivered before.

Abdicating their encore in favour of momentum, the closing trio of ‘Sabotage’, ‘Hail Destroyer’ and ‘Dead Set On Living’ favourite ‘R.A.T.S.’ sees the crowd explode with rigorous applause and almost incessant chanting. Cancer Bats may be on our shores more regularly than their counterparts, but tonight that does not make their performance any less cataclysmic.

BEN TIPPLE

When arriving in Tokyo after a practically endless flight from London via Rome, you might think that going to a punk show would be a little low on the priorities list. Unless you’re dying to see the guts of the Japanese scene, that is. So, after an airport transfer and a hotel check in (short nap) later, the bright lights of Tokyo’s electric Shinjuku area beckoned, and it was time to see what the Ice Grills tour would inspire – almost. After playing the ”what the hell is horse in Japanese?” food game for an hour, the news that the money available wouldn’t cover the (50% discounted – thank you Mizuki!) entry fee, the following trek back to the hotel for more cash meant that the final three bands of the five would have to do.

Anti Knock itself is the sort of venue that doesn’t really exist anymore in the UK. It’s situated in a basement of an apartment building (I think) and once you reach the bottom of the entrance stairs, you’re greeted by kids hanging to every wall of the bar and merch area smoking cigarettes and chatting. The venue is plastered in posters of shows from the last decade, and there’s a vibe about the place that’s long been abandoned in most of the UK toilet scene these days (or I may have just got too old). The gigs aren’t exactly cheap here either, so a pretty much full house for a show like tonight (with a £30 walk up fee), is pretty great to see – £15 in the UK would certainly need to be “justified” a lot more to please our spoiled scenesters (“I paid that to see 100 bands in 2001!” etc).

Once you’ve gone through the bar area doors, the main room holds the stage and the few hundred paying audience members, and the buzz is amazing. Worth noting straight away is that punk / pop punk scene dress code is absolutely global. It’s easy to think of Japan – Tokyo in particular – of being quite wild in terms of teenage dress sense (Harajuku is two metro stops away), but it’s all black t-shirts, skinny jeans and snap backs tonight. Pro tip: If you’re around 6ft tall, you should definitely be wary of blocking the view…

First up tonight were After Tonight, a Japanese pop punk band that harked back the to mid 00s with some of the meatier parts you’d expect from the last couple of years. It’s a little jarring hearing a band chat in Japanese between songs and then drop a pseudo American “classic” pop punk vocal in English during the songs, but that really is just the way that the influence of US pop punk manifest, and they’re pretty great to watch. It’s also the first glimpse of the venue’s awesome in-house lights, which are far better than you’d expect from a little place like this. The venue also sticks a projection of the bands on the stage on the speaker stacks and plays the video with audio out in the bar, so it’s a great continuous experience of the band even if you need a break for a beer.

On the subject of beer, you get a drinks token with the entry price of the gig and if you’re a member of the venue, you also get half price beer. Otherwise, expect to pay 600¥ (£4.20) for a 330ml cup of Kirin. The maths is a little bit sickening with the entry price, but it does encourage watching the bands and drinking sensibly…

Next up, Living With Lions come on stage and do a fantastic set that has the crowd overexcited from the word go (though you wouldn’t quite notice that from the traditionally awkward between song reactions of the Japanese crowds). It’s the last night of the tour tonight - and you can tell that the language barrier cuts down on stage banter a little – but the band seem grateful to be there, and their set could have been a headline performance in itself.

After a short delay waiting for vocalist Ben Kotin had triggered some fairly ridiculous on-stage chatter – largely lost on the crowd – from their magnificently bearded bassist, Such Gold took to the stage, and what followed was clearly an excellent way to end their tour. Every box was ticked this evening – from stage dives, crowd surfs and in-crowd singalong moments to the vastly entertaining performance from the band all round. Such Gold seemed like the most grateful band in the world tonight, and the crowd gave back in spades. Particular highlights came from the bands more mature material (mostly due to the kids going nuts), but they laid down the law in fine style for the whole set, and it was all too soon that the show came to a close. Meeting good crowds in other other native English speaking countries is one thing, but the reaction from the Japanese kids put smiles on the whole band’s faces, and they looked a bit gutted to be heading home.

In all honesty, it would have been amazing to see more of the local bands tonight (out of pure curiosity), but it was clear that the scene is strong in Tokyo with great venues like Anti Knock kicking around. If you ever make the trip to the city, try and fit in a punk show, because if tonight is anything to go by  it’s a great way to spend an evening. Also, the kids don’t seem half as spoiled as the ones who kill the fun in the UK, and seem genuinely up for it.

TOM AYLOTT