DOWNLOAD 2018: The Big Review!

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FRIDAY

Would it even be a Download weekend if there wasn’t at least the threat of rain? It’s grey but holding off as we head into the arena for a day of pure rock and metal shenanigans. The first notable difference is the somewhat extreme, and numerous bag checks. We’d been warned via the site and social media that only A4 sized backpacks and smaller would be allowed into the arena, but didn’t realise that there would also be multiple check-points between the car-park and actually getting in to see the bands. Not to worry though, the checks are pretty quick and efficient, and soon we are cresting that hill for the first amazing sight of the arena.

I’d also like to do a quick shout-out at this point to Download’s ever evolving experience enhancements. Big plastic tracks have been installed around the second stage area making both walking in general and getting to the Accessibility platform via scooter or wheelchair easier than ever, and they have employed professional BSL music performance interpreters for the Main and Zippo Encore stages, giving even more fans access to this incredible event. They have also increased accessibility shuttles from the campsites, provided a wheelchair charging station and increased their accessible portaloos by 50% on last year. This continual thought and attention to feedback is impressive, and Download is one of the few festivals out there who seem to be really improving access year on year, in all kinds of different ways. Bravo.

So, the Arena. If you’re a rock or metal fan and you haven’t been to Download before, all I can say is, it’s like coming home. All the beautiful freaks are right here with their astral hair, their pleather and fishnets, jackets covered in patches and piercings in every available inch of spare skin, tattoos blooming from black tshirts and ripped jeans. Oh and at this point in the day, approximately half of them are jammed in a never-ending queue to buy merch. Bah. Tips for next year DL – employ at least twice as many staff for this please, it was obnoxious.

Extortionately priced t-shirts in hand, we stride down the hill to catch up with the mighty Dragonforce who have gathered a massive crowd for ‘Cry Thunder’, prophetically as the rain begins to spit. Thankfully that’s where the correlation ends, but it is still pretty ridiculous when they yell “We are Dragonforce… we come from right here in sunny England…”. Frontman Marc Hudson also lets us know that they “…are filming every single song of this set… so the rest of the world sees how fucking crazy the UK is” which obviously sparks a frenzy for the next song, only to fall foul of technical difficulties. If sod wrote a law, the page would be titled ‘Dragonforce’ today. Laughing “It’s so great when your mic cuts out in front of thousands of people…” they deal with it gracefully and end on a high with ‘Through the Fire and Flames’. Oh and no, I’m still not over Herman Li’s majestic hair swishing. Werk.

Yorkshire band Marmozets fronted by enigmatic Becca Macintyre are straddling the line of hipster rock, almost too current-cool for Download but they certainly know what they’re doing. Yelling out “Last year I was camping with you lot” Becca hops around in bright pink trousers whilst a Darth Maul in the crowd is going absolutely mental with his inflatable lightsaber.

Over on the Zippo Encore stage, self-professed king of the party Andrew WK has amassed an army of bemused onlookers, if not actual fans. Yes he’s kitschy, yes he rocks up in pre-dirtied white jeans and yes he pulls faces like a more demonic Jim Carrey, but well, he’s our weirdo. The rock community is strangely proud of him. Fan fave ‘She is Beautiful’ is silly and fun and I really rate a dude who can build anticipation with the line “…and now it is time… for me to play a guitar shaped like a slice of pizza”. No really, damn I love that pizza guitar. As if he wasn’t margarita-cheesy enough he calls “It’s not Andrew UK… it’s Andrew DOUBLE UK, double the power!” and then proceeds to do an actual 100-1 countdown for anthem ‘Party Hard’. It is frankly ridiculous that everyone likes this terrible track so very much. I of course am bouncing around with them.

Now for something completely different, in the form of Danish metalheads Volbeat. Now Volbeat are no strangers to DL but they never seem to be hyped up either, someone you know but wouldn’t flock to. Not so today my friends, Volbeat are here to slay. The enormous crowd that has surrounded the main stage is singing along to ‘Lola Montez’ and frontman Michael Poulson’s Elvis-esque lilt is refreshingly different to your standard screamer vs. power vocal camps. As if to highlight the difference in fact, Barney of Napalm Death fame (who have a set later on) is brought in for a quick collab on ‘Evelyn’ with his distinctly unintelligible shrieking, but oh we do love a bit of Barney don’t we. ‘Still Counting’ goes down a storm for their last song and honestly, I think they are arguably the band of the day for me.

On the zippo stage, Hell is for Heroes have about 30 people down the front watching them, which is kinda sad actually as they were by no means awful at all, and their cover of The Cure’s ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ was decent. However, I think they definitely fell foul of their timeslot – everyone seems to be getting their food and booze situation sorted before tonight’s headliners.

That’s something we should really mention actually, the food. It’s been getting steadily better every year at DL but this year was off-the-charts excellent. An incredible variety but also quality, gone of the days of rat-burgers and CMOT-Dibbler style saugages-inna-bun. Truth be told, you can still buy a box of suspect noodles if you want the real Doningtons-past experience but why would you? We instead grabbed ourselves a stack of butter-milk chicken in a brioche bun and a side of poutine. Effing decadent.

In the Avalanche tent Bad Religion are shutting it down, rocking on to an intro of ‘My Sharona’ and looking decidedly less punk than they used to. No worries though, they sound exactly as good as they ever have with the likes of ‘Recipe for Hate’ and Tony Hawk Pro Skater hit ‘You’. Yelling “Everyone gearing up for a big weekend huh? I got some bad news… we can’t stay for the whole weekend… there was a backstage clause, Axl kicked us out…” the band head into the excellent ‘Anesthesia’. ‘Infected’ is the sound of the 90’s and the packed out crowd is straight up loving it.

As we head back out to the main arena for Avenged Sevenfold, as huge crowd has already gathered and though we are donning toastier clothing for the chilly night, we’re still damn thankful for the minimal rain today. To read what we thought of A7X’s headline show, click the link below!

Read our full Avenged Sevenfold review HERE

SATURDAY

Weather report: still holding, patches of sun spotted but we’re keeping quiet because we don’t want to jinx it. Still packed a poncho.

Monster Truck are providing the heavy rock sounds as we head into the afternoon, already drunk people are taking enormous risks with their phones on the high-flying sky-swing (do it for the ‘gram y’all) and lunchtime calls for another foray into the plethora of nourishment offerings. Seriously, vegan sushi, paella, duck fat roasted potatoes, a bowl of crumble and ice cream, wings, burritos, tapas, full roast chicken dinner? You want it, they have it. Oh and the now famous Motley Brew are serving up an array of hot beverages in real mugs, and they even have seats. You can take your Coachella VIP champagne and caviar and shove it up yer arse, we’re British. We like a CUPPA and a GOOD SIT DOWN.

One very notable thing on walking/squeezing around the arena today – it is RAMMED. Day sales for G’n’R must have been good this year because it is truly packed. Local lads The Struts give it big on the main stage shouting “You know we used to live in Derby just down the road… and we used to come to this festival and stand where you’re standing now… it’s incredible to be up on this stage” to a roar from the crowd. We love a hometown hero, but I’m less convinced on their actual show. I mean, they’re not bad as such, just a bit wet compared to everything else I’ve seen this weekend. The Temperance Movement however, muster all the southern soul a grey afternoon needs to get with the programme, and indeed they seem to bring out the sun a little. ‘Trouble’ and ‘Midnight Black’ are phenomenal and it’s more than a little hard to believe boho frontman Phil Campbell, with his maracas and tambourine, swaying in a lace shirt – is actually Glaswegian.

Thunder step on stage to AC/DC track, er, Thunderstruck. Well, why wouldn’t you. ‘Wonder Days’ and ‘River of Pain’ are pretty epic, it’s so great to see a band who are just absolute pro’s at what they do. Joking “Hands up who wasn’t even born in the 90’s” makes for disturbing viewing (thanks for that, Thunder, so kind) but they are absolutely killing it so I’ll let them off.

Over at Zippo Encore, there is no longer any visible section of floor. This is the busiest I’ve ever witnessed this arena without it being a headliner for sure. It seems like Babymetal’s fan base is a lot larger than anticipated and to be honest, sheer fascination seems to be driving a large portion of people in rather than actual fandom. Podium platforms for dance showcase the three firecracker leads who are sporting gold and black Xena-warrior-princess style outfits. Yeah it’s super kawaii nonsense but the music is actually decent and hit ‘Chocolate’ is both ridiculous and annoyingly catchy. I sort of love them.

Onto something we can pretty much all agree on. Kentucky kings Black Stone Cherry are Download’s biggest love story. A band championed by fans ever since their first showing here back in 2008, a decade of repeat requests for their billing, and it’s no wonder why. They are honestly flawless, vocalist Chris Robertson is arguably one of the best rock and roll singers going, he soars through ‘Blind Man’ in the now blazing sunshine, and everyone around us is singing their hearts out alongside him. Thankfully this time ‘Rain Wizard’ doesn’t coincide with a hideous downpour, as it did a few years ago, and ‘Me and Mary Jane’ has the entire crowd bouncing. A cover of Hendrix’s ‘Foxy Lady’ is made for this Wayne’s World worshipping crowd – yes, we did dance like Garth, yes it was magical. ‘Like I Roll’ and ‘Blame it on the Boom Boom’ see crowd-surfers flailing towards the front and ‘Lonely Train’ is just, incredible. Closing up with ‘Family Tree’ from the new album, this has been yet another epic showing from BSC and we hope to see them back again soon.

With a huge chunk of time before Guns’n’Roses we lope off in search of sustenance, beer and portaloos as the evening draws in. It’s been an incredible day here at Donington and we are suitably amped up for the closest we’ve ever been to a full G’N’R lineup…

Read our full Guns’N’Roses review HERE

SUNDAY

WOAH. It is HOT today. Not England hot, like equatorial hot. Everyone either has the sheen of well slathered sunblock or is already burnt to a crisp and the whole place after three days of booze and no showers, smells like an armpit. A rowdy afternoon starts with the likes of Turbonegro and Kreator on the Zippo Encore stage and Hatebreed are throwing down on the main stage, yelling “This is for Dimebag, Lemmy, Chris Cornell, Chester (Bennington)… I wanna see every fist in the sky” for ‘Perseverance’. It is at this moment that a small bi-plane flies overhead with a banner reading “Jesus loves every 1 of U” and the fists become horns. Hard to tell whether it’s a joke or we’re actually the subject of some local zealot’s fear, but either way everyone is laughing and trying to take poor phone photos of it.

In This Moment bring the strange and unusual next, with everything from priestess costumes, skulls and pentagrams to choral music and interpretive dance. I don’t really know what to make of them if I’m honest. They sound like metal-Bjork. Is it a good thing? I mean I do like the toilet-paper costume, but their mini cover of Metallica’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ is a little upsetting. I did laugh at the Game of Thrones Cersei-style ‘Shame’ poster situation, but there is a nice sentiment behind it all; “…this is what I was told when I was just a girl, that I would amount to absolute shit, that I would become nothing at all… this last song is about rising above other people’s perceptions” – for ‘Whore’, accompanied by huge white balloons being batted around the crowd.

Black Veil Brides sport pyrotechnics and screaming, standard. It’s decent but they are eclipsed by next up: Shinedown. Super appropriately it is scorching hot right now and they are smashing their way through some straight up great rock and roll. Motivational as ever, frontman Brent Smith invites everyone to shake hands with a stranger next to them, and hit ‘State of my Head’ goes down a storm. “Take a look at the history you’re making this afternoon… ladies and gentlemen you look absolutely spectacular today” yells Smith, and I must sincerely disagree, we look fried, tired, sweaty and smashed. But I do appreciate the love.

Over in Avalanche, happy pop punk legends A are playing to a packed out tent, which is suspiciously full of pale people avoiding the sun-monster. Riffing on their age “hands up if you’re over the age of 30… hands up if you’ve got 2 properties… you know when bands re-form and they’re like 20 years older and you’re like why are they bothering? We just really fucking enjoy this” the band speaks to a place in all of us, who are genuinely here for the same reason – even if we’re sort of proper grown ups now. Oh and they start an over-30’s circle pit, cause it’s funny to go home to your office job with two black eyes, right?

Now, was anyone else truly alarmed by the sight of Marilyn Manson in daylight? I was. I thought he was going to spontaneously combust, burst aflame, incinerated by the power of sunlight. I mean he’s so pale as to be almost translucent – at one point he turned sideways and I swear I could see a passing plane through his face. However, it’s an absolute treat to have the master of the macabre here at Donington and he does not disappoint, rolling in with ‘Irresponsible Hate Anthem’ backed by a giant inverted monochrome crossed American flag.

Sporting a knuckle-duster mic and a long black trench, it takes all of about two minutes before he looks as though he’s sweating his ass off and has to ditch the look, pogo-ing down the runway he calls “Thank you for coming out in daylight… it’s like the opposite of our lives… do you like daytime? I don’t… we’re kind of stuck here together with daytime… let’s deal with it” perhaps displaying a little animosity towards the scheduling. It’s true, his show and music both lend themselves to a dark and brooding atmosphere, it’s a little hard to get caught up in the bloodlust when the big tattooed bloke standing next to you is eating a 99 with a flake.

‘Disposable Teens’ is obviously solid gold but it’s more than a little amusing that due to there being no option to control the lighting, we get to see people rush on an off stage during the show to dress Manson in various different outfits. More amusing still is that it is genuinely too hot for any of it and he keeps having to peel it all off himself within minutes. He’s clearly frustrated about it too “It’s very difficult, but together we can accomplish it… like having sex with the lights on”.

‘mOBSCENE’ comes with a vampiric Manson backdrop and during ‘Kill4Me’ he drags a crowd-surfing mega-fan on stage with him. She’s head to-toe Manson-merch and is sporting an “I’d Kill 4 you” flag, obviously ecstatic to hug him as he slaps her ass and sends her on her way, before togging up in an enormous Howl-like (of Moving Castle fame) black feathered trench-coat. Think, demonic Big Bird.

Talking to us as he emerges from a corner of the stage “I was just having a moment with my personal physician, with my eyesight and the sun…” it’s not clear whether that’s a joke or he’s ahem, getting medicated, but it seems extremely apt that we head into ‘The Dope Show’. ‘Sweet Dreams’ is breathy and brilliant, there’s some writhing around a smoking podium which looks rather uncomfortable, and a little bit of using drum sticks to hit a bass guitar. It’s a bit off, and I can’t put my finger on why. Dani Filth joins the action for ‘The Beautiful People’ and unfortunately he finishes up a little slow with ‘Cry Little Sister’. I’ll be honest – Download have definitely seen him better, and I hope next time we can at least give him the night.

Closing up the Avalanche for the weekend are Sweden’s mischievous mayhem peddlars – The Hives. We’ve seen them in white suits, we’ve seen them in black suits, and today – they’ve sown them together for half and half suits. Aesthetic on point. Yelling “Did you miss us? It’s good to see again isn’t it? Did you miss this face?” it’s clear they are here for fun, and they have lost absolutely none of their famous energy and life. ‘Die, Alright’ is awesome and ‘Hate To Say I Told you So’ brings back a wave of college memories, of afternoons in dingy pubs and cover bands. “We have come to the part of the show where we expect way more applause than we are getting…” garners a massive roar from the absolutely packed tent, and “…this is reparations for all the shit we stole from you in Viking times… we’re giving it back in the form of musical treasure!” makes everyone laugh. They are an unstoppable force, jumping from amps and swinging mic stands around their heads with wild abandon, they just look like they’re having the absolute best time, and so are we.

As the sun begins to set we head back to find a spot in the main arena, cover up our burnt bods and grab a beer before our final headliner – Ozzy Osbourne. It has been yet again an incredible weekend and if you’ve never experienced Download before, I can scarcely describe it to you without gushing. It’s a well-oiled machine and you don’t get this kind of bang for your buck anywhere else, I have witnessed a host of the best in rock and metal, in a field with my friends. Does it get better than that?

Read our full Ozzy Osbourne review HERE

© Image courtesy of Download Festival: Kyle McLoughlin

Ozzy Osbourne at DOWNLOAD 2018: Reviewed!

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It’s possibly the sunniest day of Download’s entire history and we’re collectively scorched after spending our Sunday rocking out to a wealth of amazing bands and artists. The swirling masse of black clothing is now contrasted by a beautiful tinge of red sunburn and vampiric-sorts are cowering under their parasols awaiting The Prince of Darkness himself… Ozzy Osbourne.

O Fortuna rings out heralding Ozzy’s return, both to Download – having performed last with Black Sabbath in 2016, and been a previous host of festivals at Donington with his own Ozzfest before – for this metal Brummie, it’s pretty much home. Two giant rectangular screens flank a cross-shaped one in the centre of the stage, which begin to scroll through a timeline of Ozzy-through-the-ages, including a school mugshot which elicits an ‘ahhh’ from the crowd. Like some kind of surreal supermarket of the damned, Ozzy’s unmistakable disembodied call comes across the tannoy “I can’t fuckin hear you… louder…”. Anyone who’s ever seen him before knows that this is pretty much all he’s going to say, for the next two and a half hours, no matter how much you yell back. He probably genuinely can’t hear us.

Anyway, finally legging it out in a black leather trench coat – and I do mean legging it, this is actually a pretty spritely Ozzy we’re getting tonight, and at 69 years old it’s no mean feat. Starting off with a site-wide howl we’re treated to ‘Bark at the Moon’ replete with moon and wolf visuals and Ozzy very literally throwing his head back for a howl. I was genuinely concerned he was going to tip over backwards at one point but was immediately distracted by guitarist Zakk Wylde’s indominable shredding on his signature swirl Les Paul. The man can honestly do no wrong.

As a crowd-surfing inflatable T-Rex bobs along the front row, Ozzy ditches his jacket revealing a sparkly bat top – it seems old tropes never die, and 1980 release ‘Mr Crowley’ harks back to a time where bat-munching was just, so on trend. Black Sabbath track ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ has the whole arena singing along but it’s not easy to forget the magic of seeing Iommi himself rocking this a mere two years ago. Truth be told, it doesn’t have the same gravitas.

‘No More Tears’ and ‘Road to Nowhere’ are both heavy hitters but it’s once again the Black Sabbath tracks that really get the stamp of approval with this crowd. The stage screens are aflame and air raid sirens wail in the night; ‘War Pigs’ is a wall of voices chiming in on a veritable metal anthem. If you don’t know the lyrics you’re basically desecrating Donington’s unholy ground, to be honest.

Ten minutes worth of Tommy Clufetos’ rumbling drum solo has everyone cheering, and gives Ozzy a bit of a break before heading into ‘I Don’t Want to Change the World’ and ‘Shot In The Dark’ which is accompanied by the most magnificent 80’s Tron-esque visuals. With a chant of “one more song” arena-wide, ‘Crazy Train’ is as massive as it ever was and Ozzy is doing a frankly stellar job considering he’s just shy of 70 and basically pickled with his history of drugs and alcohol. After a brief interlude, he’s back on for ‘Mama I’m Coming Home’ to the dismay of many (it is crap though isn’t it…) and as per the technology age we view a blanket of phone-lights in place of cigarette lighters thrust into the air. Anyway, it’s all quickly made up for with a rousing performance of ‘Paranoid’ to cap off the night in style.

Say what you will about Ozzy’s singing – he’s pretty much always sounded like that, I will always be appreciative of getting to witness one of heavy metal’s greats in the flesh, because there’s nothing in the world quite like live music, and this is history in the making.

© Image courtesy of Download Festival: Matt Eachus

Guns’N’Roses at DOWNLOAD 2018: Reviewed!

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Day two of Download and arguably the most anticipated revival in rock history topping the bill tonight. Yes yes, we’ve all seen some other iteration of Guns’N’Roses… the one where Axl turned up an hour late, got bottled and slipped over… the one where everyone hated Chinese Democracy… the one where Slash just came and did his own thing and everyone completely loved it and uh, Velvet Revolver. But this is it. As close as we’re ever gonna get to a feud-less, most-members, sort-of-real G’n’f’n’R. For those of us born too late to have worn snakeskin and chains in the heyday, when leather was acceptable for every item of clothing, it’s a chance to jump into a bit of history and live the 80’s Sunset strip for a couple of hours.

In an extraordinary turn of events (which I am led to believe is mainly due to extremely fierce contract rules) the band hit the stage BANG ON TIME. It’s so incredibly unlikely and unheard of, it appears to take the crowd by surprise and a frantic legging-it-back from portaloos and food stalls ensues as the first notes of ‘It’s So Easy’ ring out.

Emerging in jeans that are more rip than denim and the inevitable plaid shirt tied around his waist, Axl’s unmistakable nasal tones signal the start of something special. Massive runway steps around the stage promise great views for even those at the back of the main stage arena, which is helpful considering this is probably the most packed it has ever been here at Donington.

Blasting through ‘Mr. Brownstone’ with hilarious backing vocals by… everyone, we’re so happy that even ‘Chinese Democracy’ itself doesn’t upset us. This is undeniably what we came here for, I mean even if Axl isn’t rocking a kilt and wellington boots, Slash looks precisely the same as he ever did (have we ever seen his actual head before?), Duff is still rocking a Prince logo on his bass, visuals of the band logo are plastered over all available screens and they sound downright incredible.

A crowd-wide Guns-and-Roses chant arises as the epic intro for ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ begins, and of course Axl milks the “you know where you are?” part. I just wish, just a little bit, that he’d have customised it for “you’re in Donington baby!” but oh well, he’s donned a different leather jacket and a hat for this so I guess that’s, interesting.

Classic Wings cover ‘Live and Let Die’ is spectacular, but honestly they kinda ruined Velvet Revolver’s ‘Slither’. It’s just not made for Axl’s rasp. ‘Rocket Queen’ in the blazing sunshine is the stuff rock and roll dreams are made of, and Axl has swapped into a fetching white leather jacket with a Crocodile Dundee-esque hat. I’m not sure I totally understand the outfit swaps to be honest, are they just all his favourites? Like a kid taking too many soft-toys to bed? They don’t seem to bear relevance to the set list, I mean if he’d come back on stage dressed as a rocket, or for that matter a queen, I’d be considerably more impressed.

Now I won’t lie, there’s a bit of a lull here in the middle. It’s a 3 hour set which seems to have been set up to include Appetizer, Siesta, Dessert, as far as planning goes. There are some absolute highlights of course – Terminator track ‘You Could Be Mine’ with a host of tron-esque graphcs is amazing and obviously any time Slash is rocking a solo you just shut up and enjoy. The Godfather theme tune ‘Speak Softly Love’ isn’t exactly ripe for the sing-along, but it is pretty spectacular.

Now clearly ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ is going to be well received no matter what, but Axl-more-changes-than-RuPaul-Rose goes wild, with er, a red bandana and tan hat combo. It’s a dream to hear live and the entire crowd is air-guitaring along with Slash, as it should be. A beautifully soulful cover of ‘Witchita Lineman’ has the younger contingent scratching their heads a bit, and Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ is top notch too, but it’s now dawning on us that at least half of this 3 hour behemoth of a set isn’t actually going to be Guns n Roses songs. Go figure.

‘November Rain’ sees a raft of on stage pyro simulating rain due to the unusually dry conditions this year, which we are all super thankful for by the way, and a giant black grand piano is wheeled out, with a teeny weeny motorbike stool for Axl to sit on. It’s more than a little bit comical. Sorry. Then again I’m sure he cares not a jot, seeing as we’re treated to some up-close shots of his hands tickling the ivories, and one of them is adorned by an obscenely huge rectangular sapphire ring that looks like it could knuckle-dust you into another dimension. Slash is now up on the top gangway wailing for all he’s worth, and the skies are turning pink and blue above us, it’s so perfect I want to puke. As if that wasn’t enough, we’re treated to (yes, another cover…) Soundgarden’s ‘Black Hole Sun’ with an intro suspiciously familiar to Westworld fans in the crowd, which honestly makes me wary that Axl has actually been replaced by a host. It’s the only explanation for his turning up on time.

Snapping back to the big guns we’re treated to ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ with Axl in a fringed jacket, and then the absolute classic ‘Night Train’ before an extremely brief pause for the encore. The signature whistle signals the intro for ‘Patience’ and Axl quips “…we’re going to play an English folk tune” before launching into a cover of The Who’s ‘The Seeker’ whilst wearing a Union Jack emblazoned hat. Finishing up with a final change into a studded leather jacket we get the big one, ‘Paradise City’. It’s everything it should be, loud, large and classic. Fireworks top off what was an incredible, if slightly lengthier than it needed to be, show. There’s no denying Guns’n’Roses were meant for Download Festival, it’s been a long time coming.

© Photo courtesy of Download Festival: Sarah Koury

© Photo courtesy of Download Festival: Sarah Koury

Avenged Sevenfold at DOWNLOAD 2018: Reviewed!

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The rain has held off all day, we’ve weedled our way into the middle of the black sea of metal-tees – beer in hand, and it’s time for the first headliner of Download Festival 2018 – Avenged Sevenfold. Heading out onto the Donington stage for the first time in 2006, A7X have been firm favourites at the festival, returning in 2011 and then 2014 to headline, but this is something else entirely.

The stage is set with a raft of giant screens depicting stone murals and front-man Shadows appears in his now signature garb of a red and black plaid shirt and an Axl-style bandana strapped around his head, yelling something or other about Jesus, as the band scream straight into the entirely apt ‘The Stage’. ‘Afterlife’ is heralded by a bombardment of pyrotechnics in the form of massive flame cannons, which serve to singe the whiskers off anyone in the front five rows, and to the surprise of many around us – they’re absolutely nailing it. I suppose the problem with A7X has always been their willingness to explore so many different styles of rock and metal, from prog to hardcore and everything in-between. They’re not ‘that’ polarising band that you either love or hate, they’re just somewhere in the middle, where a song or two might chime with what you like. As such, it can be hard to accept their set as anything other than a mash-up of whatever they feel like that day, but honestly, today it’s more like an expert tour through metal as a genre.

Vengeance and Synyster are back to back, playing intricate harmonies and it’s clear that from a sheer musical perspective, they deserve their top of the bill spot here at Download. Yelling “It’s our favourite goddamn place in the world to play” is always guaranteed a roar from the crowd in the UK, whether it’s true or not, but the sheer force and power of ‘Hail to the King’ rings the sentiment true, and here’s where it gets interesting. Taking more than a small cue from metal legends Iron Maiden I’m sure, a giant zombified king is ushered in from the back of the stage to ‘crawl’ above the band and inexplicably, to sing along. This kind of production is usually the reserve of giants like Maiden or Viking Power-metal bands who just really believe in their storyline, but hey, maybe that’s what the current festival scene is lacking? The 90’s and noughties saw a phase of rock and metal where any kind of gimmick or even loud clothing was considered tacky and unprofessional, leaving a hole in big-scale shows which covered the entertainment factor, as well as musical prowess. Are we due a proper resurgence of pantomime metal? I’m not sure it’s a bad thing, it keeps things interesting in a long set at the end of a busy day of bands, and who doesn’t love an enormous skeletal king having a sing-song anyway?

With a sobering video tribute to former drummer James “The Rev” Sullivan who died in 2009, they head into ‘So Far Away’, followed by the massive ‘Nightmare’. Yelling out “…we’re taking it back to the beginning, none of that shit we’ve been playing all year, this one’s just for you” the band roll into a track from their second album – ‘Eternal Rest’. Just when you thought it couldn’t get weirder, yet another giant installation is floated out above them on stage… a humungous skeletal space-suited spectre, as grim as it is spectacular, and the screens change to dark starry skies as the night truly sets in over Donington Park as the band hit the ahem, high notes of ‘Higher’.

A cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ is dedicated to celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, who was reported to have committed suicide in the early hours of the morning, and Shadows implores anyone who is struggling – to seek help; “…we lost Anthony Bourdain today. It may seem silly but he’s a guy that showed us all different cultures and different people… that we’re all equal… so reach out, we all feel the same way”.

Bringing things back to a safer, louder space ‘Shepherd of Fire’ inevitably sees the stage… well… on fire. Pretty much all of it in fact. You’ve got to wonder what their total carbon footprint is for this entire set. Joking “We’re gonna have some fun… all the people who hate us have gone back to their tents”, A7X finish up with ‘A little piece of Heaven’ a delightful song about murder and necrophilia, and then ‘Unholy Confessions’. No really, and the entire crowd is singing along as if it were as normal as a school assembly hymn. I mean, metal has always been known for hitting up risqué topics but there’s something undeniably jolly and therefore unnerving about this. If there’s one thing you can say about Avenged Sevenfold, it’s that they’re not afraid to go there. Well, anywhere really. Tonight was a triumph of their absolute willingness to do whatever the fuck they want. Bravo I say.

© Image courtesy of Download Festival: Matt Eachus

© Image courtesy of Download Festival: Matt Eachus

Slamdunk Festival 2018 – Midlands

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After national rail disruptions and flash floods in and around Birmingham it didn’t stop the hauls of music fans descending on the NEC Birmingham this bank holiday weekend for Slamdunk Festival 2018.

It was time to go see The Audition who more than six years ago disbanded but this festival weekend the pop punk heavyweights reformed to play a nostalgic set at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival.

Band members Danny Stevens, Seth James and Tim Klepek who are the original members of the band were joined by Cartel’s Kevin Sanders and Jack’s Mannequin’s Jon Sullivan to perform on the Monster Energy Stage; which sent fans back to their teenage years singing along to this band in there bedrooms.

So it’s back to the Monster stage to see the Scottish rockers that are Twin Atlantic. Now Dressed in a dark floral shirt with striking red trousers and jacket, vocalist Sam McTrusty came out on stage playing the intro to Gold Elephant: Cherry Alligator which set the fans into a craze.

His impressive vocal range shone throughout the entire set and had fans singing at the top of their lungs to the likes of Make A Beast Of Myself and No Sleep.There set was energetic and anyone in that room could be seen to having a good time.

Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes were about to take to the Jagermister stage and if you’re a former Gallows fan you’ll know vocalist Frank Carter is renowned for his on-stage antics, and well his new band have got the same reputation.

Frank and co. did not disappoint by the second song Frank decided to go for a walk in the crowd and this wasn’t going to be the last time Frank “Took a walk” which would get the whole crowd involved.From the first notes of Juggernaut the band were whipping across the stage back and fourth and The audience quickly followed suit; with hit tracks Wild Flowers, Snake Eyes and Devil Inside Me creating absolute pandemonium inside the NEC with what I would say were the biggest circle pits of the day.

Even though chaos was breaking out onstage and offstage vocalist Frank regularly interacted with the crowd and promoted a safe environment in which everyone could have fun.

Following Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes were PVRIS who last graced the Slamdunk stage back in 2015 on the tour circuit of their debut album White Noise and here we are seeing them again touring their second album All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell.

Justin took his place behind the drum kit then soon after Alex, Lynn and Brian took to the stage; it was dark and backlit creating a moody, somewhat spooky atmosphere. They opened up with Heaven, which was the debut track from AWKOHAWNOH album back in 2017.

SETLIST:

Heaven
St. Patrick
Half
You and I
What’s Wrong
Winter
Anyone Else
No Mercy
My House

The PVRIS CVLT (as their fans are known) were singing along to every word and in all the right places knew when it was time to jump and dance along which seen vocalist Lynn Gunn climbed down from the stage to be among the fans along the barrier during the track No Mercy.

Following a mammoth line up on the Jagermister stage it was time for the Headliners who were none other than Good Charlotte and well what can I say cannons exploded with streamers; which resulted in the Main Arena looking like it just got “TP’d” as it all hung from the ceiling. The fans crowd were hit with flashing lights and the heat from the pyrotechnics as the band jumped into hit song The Anthem.

The band ploughed through their extensive back catalogue to take fans on a trip down memory lane with tracks The Story of My Old Man, Keep Your Hands Off My Girl, Predictable and Girls and Boys.They also through in Life Changes and Actual Pain which has only just been recently released, yet the fans seemed to know all the words already.

Each song showcased the tightness and experience the band had with Joel Madden’s powerful voice, his brother Benji’s and Billy Martin’s impressive guitar skills, Paul Thomas’ catchy bass lines and Dean Butterworth’s strong drumming.The night was coming to a close and the famous track Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous marked the end of an impressive live performance, closing Slam Dunk Festival 2018 with a crowd united through their love of stellar live music.

We also managed to catch the sets from Crown The Empire, Dream State, Devil Wears Prada, Knuckle Puck, Sleeping With Sirens and more. All photographs from these artist can be found on our social media sites.

 

UK’s First Floating Festivals Announced for 2018 Two Cruises: Throwback – the 80’s Music Festival At Sea – starring The Human League, OMD and Erasure’s Andy Bell Stages – the Musical Theatre Festival At Sea – featuring MICHAEL BALL, Collabro and Beverley

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The fabulous and flamboyant pop music of the 1980s and headline performances from stars of the West End and Broadway will be celebrated with two new cruises in 2018.

The new entertainment concept of Floating Festivals is the brainchild of Jonathan Blackburn, supported by a unique partnership with Royal Caribbean and leading live music promoters Cuffe and Taylor to launch two brand new cruises aboard the Navigator of the Seas.

Floating Festivals will launch in October 2018 with two themed cruises setting sail from Southampton – Throwback and Stages.

Packages are available now from www.FloatingFestivals.co.uk

Throwback is a party-fuelled three-night roundtrip cruise Southampton/Southampton including a full day stop in Bruges, celebrating all things 80s and will feature a line-up of chart-topping legends from the decade including headliners The Human League, OMD and Erasure’s Andy Bell, along with Jason Donovan, Sonia and Imagination featuring Errol Kennedy, while Captain Sensible will be helping steer the ship back to the 80s.

Stages is a luxurious four-night roundtrip cruise Southampton/Southampton, including a full day stop in Amsterdam. Stages will feature an incredible array of West End and Broadway stars including the nation’s favourite, two time Olivier Award winning, musical theatre star Michael Ball, the world’s most successful musical theatre group Collabro, and the divine Beverley Knight star of The Bodyguard, and Cats.

Thrill to the voices of Lee Mead (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wicked), John Owen-Jones (Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera) and Sophie Evans (The Wizard of Oz, Wicked).

Be amazed by the vocal dexterity of two-time Drama Desk Award Nominated actress and diva impressionist Christina Bianco, and delight in a truly unique performance from the Olivier Award-winning West End production, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical.

Stages will also feature internationally acclaimed choreographer and TV personality Arlene Phillips who will present her stage show Arlene – The Glitz, The Glamour and TheGossip. There will also be an In Conversation with… featuring legendary lyricist Don Black, while award winning West End musical star Marti Webb will join Don to perform some of his biggest hits.

Unlike other chartered cruises, Floating Festivals will not just replace the usual cruise ship entertainment programme, they will transform the ship into a full Festival at Sea.

As well as a packed programme of live entertainment and shows, passengers on both cruises will be invited to take part in a myriad of experiences with abundant opportunities to meet both stars of the stage and pop charts.

Jonathan Blackburn, one of the key innovators behind Floating Festivals, said: “We are all absolutely thrilled to be working together to launch the UK’s first ever Floating Festivals experience.

“Both cruises offer something completely different and whether you are a fan of musical theatre or you fancy throwing yourself back to the heady days of 80s pop, we are confident both will be very popular.

“These are not just cruises with a theme, these are festivals at sea. The moment the passenger enters the cruise terminal at Southampton they will start to revel in an experience of which they will be a vital part for the duration of the cruise. 

“We don’t want to give too many secrets away but I think it’s fair to say the guests are going to have a few surprises along the way.

“We want our passengers to experience both Throwback and Stages in the most magnificent way. We have a fantastic array of stars and performers for both cruises as well as many special features which will really make both these cruises a truly unforgettable experience.”

As well as being part of the UK’s first ever Floating Festivals passengers will be able to enjoy all the amazing features of the Navigator of the Seas including a 9-hole miniature golf course and separate Golf Simulator, the unique FlowRider surf simulator, the signature Royal Caribbean Rock Wall, ground-breaking virtual balcony cabins, the Vegas style Casino Royale, luxurious Vitality Spa & Fitness Centre, three pools, six whirlpools, Video Arcade and a selection of luxury Boutique Shopping experiences.

Jonathan added: “The Navigator of the Seas is a beautiful ship and while we look forward to seeing passengers having an absolute ball with all the entertainment and shows, they will also be able to sit back, relax and enjoy all the fantastic attractions included on this wonderful ship.”

All Floating Festivals packages also include complimentary à la carte restaurant and buffet dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Speciality restaurants are also available for an additional charge.

The Throwback cruise will depart Southampton for three nights from 12 October 2018 and includes a full day in Bruges (from Zeebrugge).

The Stages cruise will depart Southampton for four nights from 15 October 2018 and includes a full day in Amsterdam. 

For more details go to www.FloatingFestivals.co.uk

 

The Long Road Festival – Major New UK Outdoor Country, Americana And Roots Festival To Take Place In Leicestershire

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Major New UK Outdoor Country, Americana And Roots Festival To Take Place In Leicestershire

**Lee Ann Womack, Angaleena Presley, Una Healy, Billy Bragg, The Shires, Aaron Watson, Brent Cobb, Danielle Bradbery and more confirmed for The Long Road at Stanford Hall in September**

Grab Tickets here

A major new greenfield music and lifestyle camping festival is set to bring the world-famous, inimitable sights and sounds of the country music scene to the UK in 2018. Taking place within the grounds of Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from September 7th – 9th 2018, The Long Road will present one of the UK’s largest, most authentic celebrations of country, Americana and roots music featuring five stages of live performances, bespoke food events and a wide range of themed outdoor activities.

 

Curated by Tennessee-born country music specialist and radio presenter Baylen Leonard, The Long Road will present a broad array of artists, from iconic US stars to up-and-coming home-grown talent, and the first wave of acts to be announced for the inaugural event includes US country star Lee Ann Womack,
acclaimed singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Angaleena Presley, British country duo The Shires, popstar turned country music singer Una Healy and Texan singer and winner of The Voice USA Danielle Bradbery. Reflecting the extraordinary surge in popularity that country music has enjoyed in the UK in recent years, The Long Road will also feature a strong contingent of rising star UK acts across the weekend including hotly-tipped London-based duo Ferris & Sylvester and country-soul singer songwriter Yola Carter.

Much more than just a music festival, The Long Road will embrace all aspects of the country and Americana scene and, alongside its live music offerings, will incorporate an array of themed activities including Moonshine and bourbon tasting, instrument and songwriting workshops, wild swimming, a Southern-inspired food & shopping village and much more, providing festival goers with a unique, authentic country music lifestyle experience.

 

Marking the first time the platform has teamed with a country music event, BBC Music Introducing will host their own stage at the festival, which will be fronted by presenter of BBC Radio 2’s weekly country show Bob Harris and will showcase some of the UK’s best unsigned talent. The festival has also partnered with a carefully selected pool of specialist country and Americana organisations including The Birthplace of Country Music, which showcases the role that Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia played in the birth and development of country music, The Bluegrass Situation (BGS), an online music magazine and curator promoting the continued growth of bluegrass, roots, progressive folk rock, Americana music and culture, The Americana Music Association UK, and independent UK label Loose Records, who celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2018. These organisations will all be involved in bringing artists to the festival to showcase a broad array of talent from across the spectrum of country, Americana and roots music.

 

Angaleena Presley:

“I'm so excited to be a part of The Long Road Festival. I love the inclusive vibe. I'm not only looking forward to performing, but also hanging out and enjoying all the fixins'. Great Food, good old fashioned country music and salt of the earth people. It's gonna be yeehawsome y'all.”

The Long Road’s Creative Director Baylen Leonard:

“Being from Tennessee and having lived in the UK for close to 20years, I’m thrilled to bring the music and culture of both together in one festival. The dedication and passion of the UK country community is so amazing, we wanted to put together a festival that celebrated the music and lifestyle they love as a thank you to the fans for supporting country music. Whether you're a country fan, an Americana fan, or a fan of great music in general, we wanted a welcoming place where everyone could come together to celebrate. This is a festival for the fans and we’re excited to share it with you.”

The full line-up to date is as follows:

Angaleena Presley
The Shires
Billy Bragg
Striking Matches
Danielle Bradbery
Una Healy
Ashley Campbell
Brent Cobb
Aaron Watson
Lee Ann Womack
Danny and The Champions of the World
Catherine McGrath
The Wandering Hearts
The Wood Brothers
Megan O’Neill
Two Ways Home
Holloway Road
Kevin McGuire
Twinnie
Laura Oakes
Ruby Boots
Jess and The Bandits
Gary Quinn
Parker Millsap
Yola Carter
Treetop Flyers
William The Conqueror
The Arlenes
Joanna Serrat
Ferris & Sylvester
Kasheena Sampson
Danni Nicholls
Midnight Skyracer
Worry Dolls
The Lone Bellow
Frontier Ruckus
Folk Soul Revival
Amythyst Kiah
Andrew Alli

The Long Road will take place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from September 7th – 9th 2018. Day tickets start at £40*, Weekend No Camping tickets at £85* and Weekend Camping tickets start at £99* (*plus booking fees).

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday April 12th and are available from www.thelongroadfestival.com.

 

SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL – STAGE SPLITS

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Slam Dunk Festival is also proud to announce the stage splits for this year’s festival where the Jagermeister Stage is set to play host to pop-punk titans Good Charlotte as they make their Slam Dunk Festival debut, alongside arena rockers PVRIS and ferocious Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, as well as amazing acts such as State Champs, Knuckle Puck, Four Year Strong and of course, Sleeping with Sirens and Creeper.

The Monster Stage will be the place to catch emo-rock legends Jimmy Eat World as they celebrate their 25th anniversary with their first performance at Slam Dunk Festival. Showing them how it’s done will be Taking Back Sunday who will unite the crowd with heartfelt singalongs with additional performances from  Lower Than Atlantis, Moose Blood, and Twin Atlantic, the Monster Stage will also see unmissable reunion performances from The Audition and The Dangerous Summer.

This year’s Fireball Stage will see fan-favourites Reel Big Fish’s return to Slam Dunk as this stage’s headline alongside Californian legends Goldfinger, Brit reggae-punks The Skints, with Zebrahead and Capdown as they join Save Ferris, King Prawn, Guttermouth and Templeton Pek for the biggest punk & ska-party of the year!

This year’s Fireball Stage will see fan-favourites Reel Big Fish’s return to Slam Dunk as this stage’s headline alongside Californian legends Goldfinger, Brit reggae-punks The Skints, with Zebrahead and Capdown as they join Save Ferris, King Prawn, Guttermouth and Templeton Pek for the biggest punk & ska-party of the year!

Known for bringing the heavy, the Impericon stage has all bases covered this year with American hardcore punk rockers Every Time I Die topping the bill. In addition to these incredible heavyweights, the Impericon Stage also welcomes the return of Canadian leaders Comeback Kid, Northlane, Crown The Empire, The Devil Wears Prada and Astroid Boys. Counterparts, Brutality Will Prevail and Loathe will be appearing here at Slam Dunk Festival for the first time ever.

Over on this year’s Signature Brew Stage, Patty Walters will be leading As It Is to the top, following highly-anticipated sets from UK pop-punk front-runners ROAM, Trash Boat and Woes and favourites Can’t Swim and Broadside. New additions Me Vs Hero & Homesafe will be also now joining them!

One for the new music aficionados, the Rock Sound Breakout Stage will see the hottest new bands perform. Canadian troupe Palaye Royale, American favourites Chapel and Dream State will appear alongside Grayscale, Holding Absence, Milestones, Sleep On It, Stand Atlantic and The Faim.

Paying homage to Slam Dunk Festival’s humble beginnings, the acoustic Key Club Stage is packed with some of the most exciting acts in contemporary rock music. Warming up the stage for headliners Speak Low If You Speak Love will be UK natives Rob Lynch, Luke Rainsford and Cavetown before an American invasion of Four Year Strong, PVMNTSand Selfish Things.

In the biggest line-up to date, Slam Dunk Festival 2018 is set to play host to an unparalleled exhibition of pop-punk movers and shakers as it welcomes blistering performances from co-headliners Good Charlotte and Jimmy Eat World, a reunion exclusive from The Audition (Worldwide exclusive) as well as highly anticipated sets from the likes of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, PVRIS, Taking Back Sunday, Creeper, Every Time I Die, Sleeping With Sirens and many more. Whether you’re at Leeds City Centre on May 26th, Hatfield Park on May 27th or Birmingham’s NEC, Slam Dunk Festival 2018 will be the ultimate alternative party of the summer.

This is a Festival you dont want to miss out on so make sure you buy your tickets soon and get planning who you'll be seeing this year!

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets on sale now and are available from http://slamdunkmusic.com/
Cost £49 or £55 including the infamous afterparty. All subject to booking fees.

SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL – FINAL ACT ADDITIONS

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Today Slamdunk Festival annouced the final acts to join the 2018 line-up and there none other than Watford mob Lower Than Atlantis, emo icons Say Anything, Chicago favourites Homesafe and easycore heroes Me Vs. Hero will join the impressive line-up.

A true phenomenon within British rock music, Lower Than Atlantis began last year with a blistering headline show at London’s prestigious Brixton Academy following the release of their fifth studio album ‘Safe In Sound’ which achieved #8 in the UK official album charts. Armed with an arsenal of anthems from their critically-acclaimed back catalogue, the Watford troupe’s appearance Slam Dunk Festival will make for a truly undeniable display of British rock excellence.

Mike Duce of Lower Than Atlantis says;
“Slam Dunk is one of my favourite festivals in the world! The crowds are always up for a laugh and I feel like almost every band’s sets feel like a headline set. It’ll also be really nice for us to see all our mates that are in other bands. Social media content for days, a banging rock n roll show and then we make the big party!”

The brainchild of frontman Max Bemis, Say Anything are undeniable pop-rock figureheads, steadily releasing exemplary album after album despite multiple lineup changes in their long-standing career. Responsible for the powerfully imaginative single ‘Alive With The Glory of Love’ and subsequent hit tracks such as ‘Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too’, the electrifying ‘Give A Damn’ and theatrical ‘Boyd’ which featured Sherri Dupree-Bemis, the Californian kings are set to storm the stage when they return to Slam Dunk Festival in May, following their last appearance at the festival in 2012.

Homesafe, one of the hottest new names in pop-punk in recent years, see Knuckle Puck’s Ryan Rumchaks switch from bassist to frontman to deliver one of the most-anticipated sets of the weekend as they will be their debut UK performances. Live performances of ‘Relapse’, ‘Resolve’ and ‘When You Left’’ are not to be missed.

In addition to these names, Slam Dunk Festival are proud to announce the exclusive reunion show of their old and treasured friends, Me Vs Hero. Mixing up pop-punk, hardcore and occasional heavy metal breakdowns, the original UK kings of easycore are back for Slam Dunk, playing their debut album ‘Days That Shape Our Lives’, in full over the weekend.

Make sure you dont miss out!

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets on sale now and are available from http://slamdunkmusic.com/
Cost £49 or £55 including the infamous afterparty. All subject to booking fees.

SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL NORTH – SATURDAY 26TH MAY –  LEEDS CITY CENTRE
SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL SOUTH – SUNDAY 27TH MAY –  HATFIELD PARK
SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL MIDLANDS – BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 28TH MAY – BIRMINGHAM NEC 

http://slamdunkmusic.com/festival/

Lower Than Atlantis @ Cambridge Junction 3/4/2018

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Over the years, Cambridge Junction has played host to many great artists. On Tuesday 3rd April the venue welcomed English rock band, Lower Than Atlantis.  The quartet, who are originally from Watford in Hertfordshire, first formed in 2007.  They released their first EP in 2008 and then went on to release their first full album "Far Q" back in 2010.  

The live music gig was being held in the main stage room at the venue.  Upon arrival, the room was covered in a blanket of dim blue lighting and was quickly filling up with a relatively young crowd.  With drinks and chatter flowing nicely the audience was soon introduced to the other acts that would be joining the guys from Watford.  

For the evening, Lower Than Atlantis were joined by support acts The Faim and Milk Teeth.  

The Faim were the first of the night's acts to take to the stage. With an excited crowd of people in front of them, they jumped straight into their first song of their set, titled "My Heart Needs To Breathe" before then introducing themselves.  

This four piece pop/alternative band first formed on the 20th November 2014. The band members themselves have stated that their music has been influenced by artists including, 5 Seconds of Summer, Blink 182, and Fall Out Boy. I will also mention that their debut single "Saints of the Sinners" was also co-written by Pete Wentz, also known as the lead vocalist of rock band, Fall Out Boy. The first thought that came to my head upon hearing them perform was "they sound just like Fall Out Boy". And now I know why after doing my research. 

The Faim are a band that have a great stage presence with high energy and know how to work the crowds well, an example of this was asking the audience to jump along with them during their performance.  They are a really likeable band and when performing live it is clear to see that the four lads are very passionate about their music. As the stage is flooded with blue and green lighting, the band performed songs including "A Million stars", "Midland Line" and "Infamous". They brought their set to a close with a performance of their single "Saints of the Sinners" which is not only (as mentioned previously) their debut single release but is also about "making their mark in the world". What's worth mentioning is that the down to earth band members were also seated at their own merchandise stall at the back of the room after their set, with their family members.  Who doesn't love a good family support network? 

After a short break the second of the evening's acts graced the stage.  

Milk Teeth, a punk rock band from Stroud in Gloucstershire, are full of energy and clearly enjoy making interesting facial expressions when performing. The band are Becky on vocals and bass, Billy and Chris on guitars and Oli on drums. Unusually, just like fellow support act The Faim the drummers were set up front alongside their fellow band mates for this gig.  The band's guitar players were great at rallying the excitement from the crowd of fans in front of them. The band members also encouraged the audience to shine lights from their phones during their set.  They performed their original songs including "Nearby Catfight" – which was also the song they entered the stage to, they also showcased "Stabbed" and "Swear Jar". 

After an energetic set from Milk Teeth, along came another short interval as we stood waiting for the night's main act! During this break the venue did continue to play music into the sound system as we chatted amongst ourselves. Some rather unusual releases featured on the venues 'interval playlist'.  What stood out for many people there was the moment when Aha's Take on Me came blaring through the speakers.  It was like being at a gig in the 80s. The whole room sang along and was filled with buzzing energy.  Continuing with their vintage playlist, we were then treated to Uptown Girl which was originally made famous by Billy Joel back in 1983! The well known single got as far as the end of the intro before being turned off to welcome the night's main act. This did not go down well with ticket holders as the room was then filled with Boos and sighs of disappointment. Although these negative emotions were soon forgotten about when the band members of Lower Than Atlantis walked onto the stage.  

The band's drummer, Eddy Thrower was the first to take his place.  He sat at his drum kit and began to build the atmosphere with a small drum solo which was accompanied by synchronised strobe lighting.  He was quickly joined by fellow band mates Declan Hart on bass, Ben Sanson on guitar and then lastly the band's front man and vocalist Mike Duce.  And what strong entrance they made! They started their set with their amazing single "Had Enough".

Further into their set, vocalist Duce had requested the audience to run and mosh in front of him, before he then came down into the viewing area to begin crowd surfing with his fans.  After being carried back to the stage the band continued to play more of their music until once again their front man returned to the middle of the crowds of people.  He stood in the middle of the room with his guitar to play an acoustic version of their song "Another Sad Song".  The atmosphere was so relaxed and calm, with people sitting crossed legged on the floor in a circle around him.  Not something you'd typically expect to see at a rock band's gig. It could have been likened to sitting around a bonfire singing campfire songs. 

This was one band that certainly knew how to work a crowd! It is clear to see how much their value their fans after seeing them live.  The band's lead singer asked the audience "if anyone's got a beer then raise it up!"  he then encouraged drinkers to  consume their beverage of choice while all members of the band and fans chanted "CHUG CHUG CHUG"  and when they played "Beech Like The Tree" they managed to encourage plenty of people to crowd surf.

As the majority of musicians that perform live, Lower Than Atlantis' set appeared to come to an end after finishing their song "Words", which of course, wasn't their last song of the evening.  The band members exited the stage for a very short space of time before returning for once more for an encore.  They all thanked their fans for all of the support they have received over the past 11 years and then stated "otherwise we would be working in Morrisons, although there's nothing wrong with working in Morrisons". Nice cover up lads! 

The gig came to a close with the band's last two performances of the night which were "English Kids" and my personal favourite of theirs "Here We Go". 

Lower Than Atlantis is a band that is undoubtedly worth seeing live, they offer familiarity with their hit singles and also something completely different when interacting with their fans! Our photographer and I are now new fans of The Faim.  All three bands are continuing to tour this year with tickets still available.  

All photos by KANE HOWIE

For more photos visit HERE!