Rock Sound Impericon Exposure Tour @ O2 Academy Islington 23/02/2013 Review

It's six o'clock on a blisteringly cold Saturday evening, and the N1 shopping centre in Islington, normally frequented by Oasis and New Look regulars, is now packed with a hundred or so hardcore kids waiting outside in the biting wind to witness the mayhem that is the Rock Sound Impericon Exposure tour. Some might argue that this is just yet another corporate sponsored tour to add to the list, but from just looking at the line-up alone, it's obvious that this is not the case. Supporting both new and old, British and International talent, this tour is one of a kind. It's no wonder that this gig sold out even with Your Demise, who headlined this exact same tour last year, playing down the road. 

Even I hadn't anticipated the popularity of this tour, and also how intent people were on getting to the show early to see openers Landscapes. So to my dismay, after rushing out of the Emirates Stadium, scoffing down my Fish and Chips and turning up at the O2 at 6:20pm when Landscapes were due to start, I only managed to catch the very last song of their set. From what I could tell, the Landscapes set was probably quite disjointed due the sheer amount of people outside in the queue like me who were desperate to see them but only catching a mere fraction of their set. But not to worry! I only have to wait a month to see them at Dead Swans last ever show, so there will be a review eventually!

And so it was left to Stray From The Path to make up for my disappointing start to the gig, and they did not fuck about. If you had come to this gig, being unaware of any of the bands, you would have thought that this band could have been the headliners judging from the response of the crowd. The last time I saw them, was in support of Every Time I Die which was only 4 months ago, and I can say that Stray From The Path have come miles since then. Songs like Damien and Negative and Violent felt like hardcore classics and the pit was (I really hate this word but I really can't think of another word that does it justice!) brutal. Though they did suffer from poor sound as the classic Stray From The Path distortion and reverb just sounded like a broken mic.

Next up was British metalcore up and comers Bury Tomorrow. With their release of The Union of Crowns, which was arguably the best British metal(core) release of 2012, they again were definitely worthy of a headline shot. Though I was amazed that Bury Tomorrow seemed to get an ever shorter set that Stray From The Path, and probably only played about half a dozen songs. this might be part of the Rock Sound/Impericon deal or that the gig had to finish early due a club night, but with a band like Bury Tomorrow, they really deserve a much longer set that that. Nonetheless, even with their severely limited time slot, they managed to play some old favourites such as Waxed Wings and ended with the already classic Royal Blood. But they unfortunately still had to miss out some set regulars like You and I. I'm sure most people were in the same mind set as me when Bury Tomorrow left the stage, they NEED to do a headline tour soon. 

If Bury Tomorrow and Stray From The Path hadn't tired you out enough yet, there was still The Ghost Inside to finish you off. Undoubtedly, 2013 is going to be The Ghost Inside's year. A couple of years ago, it would have been unthinkable that they could have sold out a venue the size of O2 academy Islington and actually out-sold Your Demise. It feels like yesterday I saw them supporting Comeback Kid at ULU to a crowd that barely surpassed a couple of hundred. Today, The Ghost Inside rival the likes of Parkway Drive on stage. And with their new release Get What You Give, which saw them push the boundaries of hardcore and metalcore and develop their sound to incorporate clean vocals to create a more melodic sound. The Ghost Inside seem to have an unbeatable combination of breakdowns, gang-vocals, clean vocals, melody and emotion. 

Exploding onto the stage with Get What You Give opener This Is What I Know About Sacrifice sets the crowd off to a vicious start with an immediate breakdown, which TGI know how to do all to well. They were not going to give us any kind of breather or warm up as TGI sustain this anarchy with the second track off Get What You Give: Outlive. Instantly, O2 Academy was seen getting ripped apart from the inside by flailing wind-milling limbs. 

Despite the success of Get What You Give, the more established track from the TGI back catalogue were not neglected, notably Provoke and Faith and Forgiveness off their debut release commanded impressive pits and Unspoken and Chrono demanded throat-wrenching gang vocals. Nonetheless, it was still TGI's new releases that were the real highlights of the night, and foretell the inevitable success that they will achieve in hardcore. Closing with the, by now, most popular TGI track, Engine 45, saw by far the biggest pit and crowd sing-a-long of the night. Out of nowhere, Jonathan Vigil launched himself over the barrier and into the crowd along with his mic, ensuing sheer chaos. The mic is immediately lost among as it's grabbed and snatched by various anonymous hands, and before you know it, the gig is over before it's even 10 o'clock!

This is without a shadow of a doubt, the most enjoyable gig of 2013 so far with quite possibly an unbeatable line-up. That being said, every band on the line-up could have done with much more time. Either doors should have opened earlier to let people get in in time for Landscapes, or club nights should not be given priority over gigs! I'd rather the latter. 

Funeral For a Friend @ Relentless Garage London (18/02/2013) Review

Funeral For a Friend are one of those bands that most people at some point in their teenage years, probably during that regrettable emo phase, used be infatuated by, myself included. Fast forward to 2013, when emo is a dying culture, Funeral For a Friend are playing a sold out show at the Relentless Garage, which is a feat in itself. Though they aren't the same band that we listened to when we were fifteen. With the release of their new album Conduit, they have reinvented themselves, or more like returned to their roots with a much more hardcore influenced sound. How was this new (or old) sound going to go down with the crowd?

The opening act of the night was post-hardcore quintet I Divide. Despite being the opening act, having to deal with a mostly empty room with people straggling in through the entrance throughout their set, they were definitely the band which drew most attention to the crowd. They managed to get every single person at the front to sway their arms in unison. Mostly for an opening act, when the front man jumps down to the barrier, desperately trying to communicate with the audience, it's rather awkward, but for Tom Kavanagh, this was not the case, getting members of the audience to wail into the mic. However, at the end of the day, I Divide did sound like a band trying to reproduce the same kind of sound and success that bands like Sleeping With Sirens have achieved. However, they did it VERY well incorporating some insanely catchy vocals, stage presence and raw emotion. Even without having given them a proper listen beforehand, you couldn't help but get swept up in their addictive melodies. Judging from tonight, I Divide are definitely a band worth keeping an eye on.

This tour was definitely displaying modern pop-punk/melodic hardcore in its full force with up and coming bands Such Gold and Major League, the latter of which was my first full set of the night. Major League were always going to struggle tonight, this tour being their first ever time playing the UK, and also that the growing pop-punk scene, lead by bands like Such Gold and The Story So Far, doesn't really seem to ring with a lot of the audience tonight at FFAF. Though this didn't wear them down. In true pop-punk style, they came out up beat and bouncing, eager to play their new album Hard Feelings to some new ears. Technically, Major League were faultless. Their fast paced brand of pop-punk is just so insatiably uplifting that whether they liked it or not, the crowd found themselves happily bouncing away with them. Unfortunately, with the exception of the already fans and general fans of the melodic hardcore/pop-punk movement, I doubt Major League made many more.

And finally, half the reason I came to this gig: SUCH GOLD! For some reason it took me until the latter part of last year to discover and truly fall in love with them thanks to their incredible debut album Misadventures, and I've been waiting impatiently since then to see them. Finally I had my chance. Though unfortunately this wasn't quite the environment that I was hoping to see them in. There were only a handful of people in the crowd who seemed to know who they are despite being the largest of the three support acts. And Such Gold seemed to notice this fact too. The lack of enthusiasm from the crowd definitely seemed to affect the bands performance for the first part of their set, frequently making jokes about how tame the crowd were. Though this didn't stop the few who were just as excited as I was about such gold from two-stepping and screaming along to Storyteller and Two Year Plan.

Undoubtedly tonight was purely Funeral For a Friends night. As soon as Such Gold left the stage, people were already eagerly surging forward. As the intro to She Drove me to Daytime Television roared in, the crowd, old and young, male and female, metal or punk, erupted into a sea of unified bodies and voices. Expecting this gig to be primarily about the release of Conduit, I was surprised to hear a set which spanned their whole history as a band. But even after a whole decade of being a band, and after six studio releases funeral for a friend are still on top form. Its rare for a band to have so many songs which still prove crowd favourites, such as Juneau, history and roses for the dead, and with FFAFs return to their roots, they still manage to please the crowd.

The set list felt like it was telling the musical story and evolution of Funeral for a Friend as a band. The middle part of the set displayed funeral for a friends return to hardcore. Despite these songs not being as established as the rest, they made up for this in breakdowns which commanded pits that any hardcore band would be proud of. Its just not musically that funeral for a friend are being loyal to hardcore, its in ethics as well, quoting Toby Morse of H2O "passion before fashion" (though I think this reference was lost on much of the crowd). Furthermore, there was a certain feeling that the current government and socio-economic situation in the UK may be slightly responsible for the increased aggression in funeral for a friend, citing the Tory government of the 80s responsible for the unemployment and struggles of Wales. It makes FFAF all the more relevant even today. 

Not only are Funeral For a Friend musically on top form, beyond shadow of a doubt, tonight was the best performance I have ever seen from them. It honestly felt like they had rediscovered themselves as a band after the few lost years of Memory and Humanity. Despite having played to crowds and in venues much bigger than this, FFAF genuinely seemed humble to be at the Garage. The songs Juneau and History could have brought tears to Matthew's eyes as surely every single member in the audience wailed along to every single word in perfect harmony. And from his speech to introduce Juneau, it's apparent that these songs still 
mean just as much, if not more, now as they did when they were first written.

Dropkick Murphys @ HMV Forum (18/01/2013) Review

Happy New Year! It's been a while since my last post due to lack of gigs and releases over the Christmas period, but I'm back to reviewing starting with my first gig of 2013: Dropkick Murphys.

Dropkick Murphys have been the band at the forefront of Celtic Punk ever since the release of the song I'm shipping up to Boston' and it's feature on the the Academy Award winning film The Departed. It's surprising to think that Dropkick Murphys, even with a reputation to rival bands like Bad Religion and Pennywise, are a relatively new song. Yet songs such as evidently I'm shipping up to Boston and The State of Massachusetts have become more or less anthems, or literally so for sport teams in Boston. Few punk bands have seen as much success in the charts as Dropkick Murphys. Their most recent release, Signed and Sealed in Blood, which was a huge success in the US, peaking at number 9, didn't make much more than a ripple over here in the UK, most people seeming relatively unaware of its release. Nevertheless with two consecutive sold out shows at the Forum, it's evident that their solid reputation hasn't faltered.

My first full set of the night was courtesy of the Fat Mike discovery Teenage Bottlerocket. Having been a fan for a couple of years after hearing them for the first time on the Mike Davies Punk Rock Show, I was pretty excited to be seeing them for the first time. Though unfortunately they seemed to suffer from the effects on the so-called 'snowstorm'. As Dropkick Murphys said later in the night, despite the night being sold out, 500 people couldn't make it, and I'm sure that most of the people that did manage to make it were late and missed Teenage Bottlerocket. Playing to a half empty room, it's always going to be tough to put on a good performance and fill the gaps in the room. Teenage Bottlerocket were bursting with energy, both musically and physically. The set was a whirlwind of fast-paced skate punk tracks with a hint of pop-punk and a welcomed cover of the Ramones classic Blitzreig Bop. It featured some of my favourite tracks Skate or Die and Radio. However their music does lack variety and became repetitive and Teenage Bottlerocket didn't seem to be having their best night, often slipping up in timing. Despite this, it was still an enjoyable set.

And finally, the moment we've all been waiting for, the Boston Celtic Punk Legends, Dropkick Murphys! Opening with the more than appropriate The Boys are Back from their new album, it gave a clear indication as to what this show was about. It was about continuing their riotous past and showing us that their new material is just as anthemic as their old: Dropkick Murphys are back.

Sure enough, their new tracks are as anthemic as their old. The set was certainly not lacking in features from Signed and Sealed in Blood, including their first single release Rose Tattoo and Prisoner's Song. These tracks received as much of a reaction and as loud a sing along as well-established songs. One thing Dropkick Murphys do have is variety. They definitely exploited this, playing the more recognisable fast-paced Dropkick Murphys songs we all know and love like Shipping up to Boston, but also experimenting by playing a country version of a song. Surprisingly they failed to include The State of Massachusetts, which was a disappointment. Though I wasn't completely convinced they managed to pull it off, it certainly made their set interesting.

Regrettably, Dropkick Murphys severely suffered from technical difficulties. Being forced to stop halfway through their set in the middle of Jimmy Collins' wake for possibly 10 minutes, it certainly created a rift in their set, several members of the audience even seemed to leave. The crowd lost momentum and energy, and what was originally a wild pit of Irish dancing faded away during the break and took much of the remainder of the gig to build bag up again. Though by the time I'm Shipping up to Boston kicked in, the pit was in full swing again. Finishing the set with new classic End of The Night and TNT (the AC/DC cover) complete with a full on stage invasion, the set managed to end on a high and overcome the technical difficulties until they were nothing more than a distant memory.

Rancid and Cock Sparrer @ HMV Forum 14/12/2012 review

It has long been debated whether or not punk is well and truly dead (or dying!). For the most part, over the past decade or so, punk and rock bands have been shunned out of the mainstream culture of music and replaced. Nevertheless, two of the most influential bands in punk to this day, Rancid, celebrating their 20th anniversary, and Cock Sparrer, celebrating their 40th, still succeed in selling out three successive dates at the acclaimed HMV Forum, which has been one of the leading venues in London since it's days as the Kentish Town Forum. Granted, Rancid and Cock Sparrer haven't released much in the way of new material, if any at all, but these three shows are surely going to be nothing but unadulterated punk rock.

Rancid Tour Poster

First up of the notorious headliners is the East End band Cock Sparrer, arguably the inventors of the punk sub-genre Oi!. While obviously drawing more in the way of veteran punk fans to the show, they made this show uniquely British with their own brand of punk working class punk anthems. Certainly, they did whip the crowd up into a chanting frenzy, especially with the famous Take 'em All, but they lack the diversity and musicianship of Rancid. The biggest reception they received was when they were joined on stage by Lars Frederikson. For me, even though they were technically co-headlining, they were just a warm up for the band I had come here to see. 

Cock Sparrer and Lars Frederikson

After about five years of waiting to see Rancid, Californian punk legends, I finally get the chance to witness my favourite ska-punk band in the world. The hardly recognisable Tim Armstrong, obscured behind a mass of facial hair, opens up with the gradual opening of the '94 classic Radio, and then arguably the best bassist in punk rock Matt Freeman well and truly gets the gig going and soon enough the whole audience is dancing, skanking, moshing and chanting 'Here we go, here we go...'.

As Rancid have hardly paid the UK a visit since the release of, in my opinion, their rather mediocre album Let the Dominoes Fall in 2009, it was unclear whether or not this was going to be the typical nostalgic anniversary show, or whether it would be further promoting their most recently release. Fortunately for me, it wasn't the latter! Most tracks off my favourite Rancid album, ...And Out Come the Wolves, must have featured in the setlist. Maxwell Murder, in it's one minute thirty of incredible bass solos and speed, hypnotised the audience as they either watched Matt Freeman in awe or struggled to keep up with his incredible speed and skill.

It was however noticeable that, even though they had no trouble in energising the audience, Rancid themselves were tiring. Lars sometimes fell behind the lyrics especially during Dead Bodies and the band as a whole did remain mostly static on stage. Nonetheless, this was completely unnoticeable during the highlight of the night for me Time Bomb. Being possibly the first punk song I ever truly loved, I couldn't help but get involved in the pit and I definitely wasn't alone! After Rancid finished with Ruby Soho the Forum was left with pools of sweat, beer, blood and mud and hundreds of smashed up plastic cups and a few phones that I'm sure their owners won't be seeing again!

Tim Armstrong

Despite the ages of both Rancid and Cock Sparrer, they are still just as popular and attracting yet more fans to see them live. True, punk may not have such a force in the commercial aspect of music any more  but that doesn't mean it is dead! Judging from tonight, and I'm sure the other two nights, it's still going...just. 

Alexisonfire Farewell Shows @ Brixton Academy 2-3/12/2012 review

This is without a doubt going to be the hardest review I'll ever write. Not only because reviewing two dates at once is certainly going to be a rather interesting task, but to remain critical about my favourite band in the world playing two final farewell shows, Alexisonfire, but also about The Ghost of a Thousand who are about my third favourite band and playing their last two shows EVER isn't going to be easy. On top of that, I was even lucky enough to get myself a Meet and Greet ticket and was actually able to talk to every member of Alexisonfire. So this review may turn out to be more an homage to Alexisonfire and The Ghost of a Thousand than anything. So here goes.

After a rather stressful day, there I was, outside Brixton Academy on a frosty Sunday night with a handful of other Alexisonfire fans anticipating to live out the moment they've all been waiting for, the chance to meet their favourite band in the world: their last ever chance to meet their favourite band in the world. The air was electric with excitement and nerves. Finally, after some delay, the big glass doors to Brixton Academy open and welcome us inside as we collect our limited edition posters, laminates and Crisis bonus tracks 7''. We're then lead through a small door at the back on the main entrance hall up a narrow staircase and into the dingy little VIP bar. And this was when it hit me, that after all this waiting, I'd finally get to meet Alexisonfire, and it would be the perfect way to send off a band that have forged your music taste to what it is today.

Subtly and quietly, without any announcement, Alexisonfire sneak in through the side door. It's only when Dallas Green stands in the middle of the bar and announces their arrival does the whole room fall silent in awe. And so the 'meet and greet' begins.

I was expecting Alexisonfire to be stood behind some barrier as we queue up and greet them one by one, getting our limited edition merchandise signed and photos taken and then hurriedly moving along, but this was not the case at all. Alexisonfire were dispersed throughout the bar giving us the opportunity to talk to each member of the band and ask them questions, it was much more personal than I was expecting. As it turns out, Alexisonfire must be some of the nicest men in music. Not only do Alexisonfire make some of the best post-hardcore out there and take time out of what I'm sure must be busy schedules do grace us with one last farewell tour, but they also take the chance to meet their fans which have been following and supporting them from the beginning, and they seemed genuinely happy to be doing so. It was certainly refreshing. 

Now I've spent enough time ranting about the Meet and Greet, thought I'd have a break and show some pretty pictures of the Meet and Greet bundle stuff and of Alexisonfire :D

Me and Chris Steele

Me and Wade MacNeil

Me and Dallas Green

Me and George Pettit and Jordan Hastings

Signed 7''

Meet and Greet Laminate

Meet and Greet Laminate

Limited Edition Poster signed by Dallas Green

And now for the reviews of the actual shows. It seems like not many people at the shows had any idea who The Ghost of a Thousand were, which was surprising since Alexisonfire and The Ghost of a Thousand had toured together before, so I did think it was a shame that their last ever shows were going to be to a crowd of strangers. However, TGOAT proved me wrong. Opening as always with Small Mercies as an introduction to their raucous live shows, the crowd did not know what to expect. And then Left For Dead kicked in. I always considered Left For Dead their most popular track, but at both shows it received a rather lukewarm response, it wasn't until Bright Lights followed that the show really got started. In both shows, Tom Lacey chose this song to get involved, and hence get the crowd involved. It didn't matter whether you knew who TGOAT were or not, it was impossible to ignore them and to not get swept up in their unique brand of Rock 'n' Roll infused Hardcore Punk. After Bright Lights, TGOAT had certainly grabbed the audience's attention and it remained that way for the rest of set.

One great thing about TGOAT, is that not a single member of the band is anything less than hyper. Even Jag Jago launched himself into the crowd at the end during Bored of Math and Andy Blyth's groovy Rock 'n' Roll riffs possessed the crowd's bodies forcing them to dance along. I always knew that this was going to be an Alexis show, not a TGOAT show, though I really would have like a longer set. That being said, having only released two albums, there wasn't too much left to add to the setlist (which I seem to remember remaining the same for both nights). 

I managed to beg stage crew for a setlist and pick for TGOAT's show (it's the Sunday night setlist, though they were the same for both nights).

And now for the moment we've all been waiting for: Alexisonfire for one (or two!) last time(s). I have never heard an audience cheer so loud at a gig just as the band come on stage. By playing what felt like an incredibly long introduction before they graced the stage, the atmosphere in this rammed out Brixton Academy was buzzing to say the least. How the barrier managed to withstand the sheer pressure of people scrambling towards the front, desperate to get as good a view of Alexis for one last final time, I have no idea.

Having been to both Brixton shows, I was expecting little change in the setlist, I thought I'd be able to predict the exact song coming on next. Normally Alexis open with Young Cardinals, but on the Sunday show, expecting to hear that pounding guitar and bass line of the intro to the Young Cardinals live version, instead my senses were shaken awake by Crisis. And so, evidently on the Monday, I was expecting Crisis, but Alexisonfire surprise me yet again by this time opening with Young Cardinals. Obviously, Alexisonfire are going to be keeping us on our toes on this tour! And so the riot begins.

Farewell and reunion shows are always a bit of a risky move. You have to be sure that every single member of the band is in it 100 percent, that the band remain as a unit, despite breaking up. I obviously don't know what exactly happened within Alexisonfire during the breakup, but I can say this, I honestly don't think I've seen the band so excited to be on stage. Even Dallas was jumping around! George Pettit captured the audience with his intense intimidating stare, while Chris Steele stunned us with his insane moves as he jives and flings himself all over the stage and the floor, he must be my favourite live bassist around!

Furthermore, as far as musicianship goes, they were spotless. As always, Dallas Green's voice was faultless and beautifully serene, as soon as he opened his mouth the audience went silent. He made songs like The Northern and No Transitory his own with his hypnotic angelic voice. The combination of Wade, George and Dallas on vocals was incredible, as every single one of them was on top form and effortlessly weaved in and out of each other.

However 23 songs is a long set! The crowd did have trouble keeping up. I even felt that across the two nights, people had tired out. I'm sure there were many people in the crowd like me who had gone to both sets and were still suffering from the Sunday night, so unfortunately there was a bit of a lull on the Monday night. That being said, it didn't withdraw from Alexisonfire's incredible performance and sure enough the crowd managed to gather up all the energy they had left for the encore as people piled over the barrier. Both nights ending with the classic Happiness by the Kilowatt, it was a perfect finale to a perfect career.

And it's over, Alexisonfire leave the stage to never return.

On a lighter note, George Pettit handed me the setlist and the end of Sunday's show, here it is:

Also thought I'd upload pics of my Alexis tattoos just for fun :)

Hundred Reasons @ The Coronet London 22/11/2012

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their revolutionary album Ideas Above Our Station, Hundred Reasons return to London to grace the stage of the Coronet and play homage to their breakthrough album by playing it in it entirety. Due to the phenomenal rate at which tickets sold out to their show at the HMV Forum on the weekend, they announced an extra show, fortunately for those of us who weren't lucky enough to get a ticket first time round. Joined by Hell is For Heroes, playing their album The Neon Handshake and Cable, playing their first shows since 1999, this was certainly going to be a trip down the post-hardcore memory lane.

Before Hell is For Heroes (7/10) had even come on stage, the venue was already bursting at the seams. Arriving a little late at the venue, I was confused to be told by the security to go upstairs. After asking why, they said it was because I wouldn't be able to see a thing. I ignored this response and went straight downstairs to stalls and sure enough, the security guard was right. There was hardly any space left on the floor to even place my feet let alone see anything. Ashamedly I have to admit that before this gig I had only listened to Hell is For Heroes a couple of times, god knows how they didn't cross my path, but after this performance, I'm sure to be listening to them much more. Although I had an awful view of the stage, thanks to the sound at the Coronet, I still didn't feel as though I missed a thing. It's rare for every song on an album to be a live hit, but The Neon Handshake appeared to be an exception. Slow songs and heavy songs alike drew equal attention from the crowd such as Slow Song, which at the finale of this track managed to create the biggest pit of the set, and Out Of Sight. Overall, it was quite an enjoyable set, though not spectacular.

Fortunately, as everyone moved back to the bar during the break, I managed to squeeze into front row for Hundred Reasons (7/10). Expecting Hundred Reasons to come out blasting with I'll Find You, the first track off Ideas Above Our Station, I was surprised to say the least to hear instead Broken Hands. It became clear very quickly that this wasn't going to be your stereotypical Hundred Reasons set, it wasn't even going to be a stereotypical album show. The one Hundred Reasons set morphed into three completely different and contrasting sets. Firstly, was you could say the most classic of a Hundred Reasons set. Much of the set was compromised of old Hundred Reasons songs mostly from the album Kill Your Own, such as This Mess and The Perfect Gift. Even though for some people in the audience hoping for a set filled with newer songs from Quick the Word, Sharp the Action when not playing Ideas Above Our Station, I thought it fitted perfectly into the set. As they were celebrating their 10 year anniversary of an album, it made sense that this gig was going to feature plenty of nostalgia, especially since it's been 5 years since they have released an album. Once their initial 7 song set was over, Hundred Reasons confusingly left the stage leaving us wondering whether this was going to be the Ideas Above Our Station show that we were told. But, sure enough, after a brief but much needed break, they came on to perform arguably their best ever album. It was evident that the audience had come prepared as every member was singing along to every single word. Even though Hundred Reasons sure have aged a fair amount since the release of Ideas Above Our Station and perhaps lost some of their energy, they were still remarkably lively and seemed genuinely happy to be playing their debut album, the album which thrust Hundred Reasons into the limelight. The only problem with playing your best album in its entirety, it doesn't really leave you with many songs to play in the encore. And so the third set commenced: the encore. It was again a song weighted on older material, even featuring Remmus off EP2 and My Sympathy off Shatterproof is Not a Challenge, though finishing on a high with the well know Kill Your Own.

This show will certainly stand out for me with it's outstandingly refreshing yet nostalgic set. Though there did still seem to be something lacking, and it may have been that Hundred Reasons aren't as relevant as they were. Without a new release for 5 years, it forces people to wonder what was the real intention for these shows?  

Basement's last-ever show @ Camden Underworld 17/11/2012

The day we've been waiting for and dreading is finally and unfortunately here: the day which Basement will take to the stage for the very last time. It's our final chance to bear witness to that emo infused melodic hardcore which we have all grown to love so much over the past few years. It's always a sad day when a much loved band breaks up, but in this case, it was even more so than usual. It was just over a mere year ago that Basement played Hevy Festival, on the tiny Etnies stage to a remarkably modest sized crowd. Yet on 17th November 2012, we see Basement play a sell-out gig at the Underworld. It is astonishing to see how much Basement have grown in just a year, setting this gig up to be one hell of a send off. 

But first up is Brutality Will Prevail (6/10) with their own brand of grudge-y distorted hardcore. Despite their incredible album 'Scatter the Ashes' which was released last week, they don't quite accomplish that thick sound that they achieved on record, live and the tracks that demanded the most brutality were still from 'Root of All Evil' . At least the mic did seem to be turned up since Breaking Point, but Ajay Jones' vocals sounded comparatively weak to those on record. That being said, they did possibly attract the largest pit of the night. Personally, I have never been a big fan of straight edge hardcore shows filled with windmilling and those other 'hardcore moves' named in various hardcore parody videos; nevertheless, considering the time of day, I was impressed by the energy Brutality Will Prevail possessed and radiated around the room.

And then for the big surprise of the day: Daylight (7/10). Daylight, a slightly Title Fight reminiscent melodic hardcore band from the states, who are long time friends of Basement, were the special guests of the night. And special they were. Even though their presence at this gig was kept secret until the the doors were opened and the Daylight merch stand was revealed, the size of their crowd rivalled Basement's. Admittedly, I hadn't listened to them prior, but now they have now become my new favourite band and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Unfortunately, they did suffer from some technical difficulties, which severely disadvantaged them and put a massive downer on what would surely have been a great performance, especially since neither vocalist was particularly skilled at talking to and interacting with the audience. Musically, they were fantastic and I'll definitely be buying a record, but I'm not too fussed about seeing them live again.

Finally, last but certainly not least was Basement (8/10). Never in my life have I ever heard so many people sing and scream so loud and so enthusiastically so many lyrics at a gig. Erupting with the momentous trio of Whole, Covet and Fading, the crowd is immediately launched into an hour of emotionally wrenching melodic hardcore by the catchy riff blasting out of the amps at the beginning of Whole which is oh-so distinctive of Basement, and then the grunge-y and haunting vocals of Covet: 'When I'm with you, I don't want to be with you'. Though Fading was the stand out track of this trio, as we are reminded of that hardcore sound that made Basement who they are today. Though with such an incredible run of songs, it was hard for Basement to maintain the momentum, especially since with such early doors, half the audience already seemed to be tiring. Despite this, the lull didn't last long as songs such as Spoiled and old favourite Ellipses drew the crowd back in the Basement rapture. The set was a perfect combination of new and old, slow and fast and soft and heavy. It gave us both the chance to reminisce about the old times and bathe in the glory of the new and more mature Basement established in Colourmeinkindness. Unfortunately, the gig came to an end way too soon, ending with a trio, rivalling the opening, consisting of the gentle and sombre Comfort, the uplifting and culminating Wish and finally ending with Crickets Throw Their Voice which invited the inevitable stage-invasion as everyone wanted to get one last piece of Basement and cement this day in history.

There was definitely a potent sense of desperation and despair among us as we were very much aware that this was the end, this was it, we had to give it our all. Even though much of their set was solemn and bleak, much like Colourmeinkindness, ending the gig on a high with the upbeat Crickets Throw Their Voice left the audience with a smile on their face as we all knew that Basement ended their short-lived career the best they could: with a fantastic album followed by a sell-out show at the legendary Underworld.

R.I.P Basement. You will be missed.