GIG: Madina Lake - Electric Ballroom, 8th May

Hmm, Camden. My kind of place. Well, minus all the murder and drug-dealing. And the dangerous traffic. And the dirt etched into every single brick. Madina Lake, in this instance, is then a bit of a brief light in the dinginess. Waving the banner for punk-pop with new album Attics To Eden, tonight is a year on since their last visit to London, and even though they severely lack any real praise for their recorded efforts - I'm in that same boat myself - the live work-out is a bit of a powerhouse.

Deep in the heart of the Camden Electric Ballroom, I manage to catch the end of Flood Of Red, who make enough of an epic noise in their last tune to leave a good impression. Up next are the hip-and-they-know-it The Audition, who the mainly under-seventeen crowd adore. Performing their own soundcheck, it isn't looking good from the start (it may save money, but the result is usually sonic mush). Shockingly, they sound fucking banging. Each song is a sweat-ridden, moshworthy scene-stealer, tightly crafted, sexy, and as loud as lead singer Danny Steven's own confidence. After all, they have been going since 2003, practically making them veterans in a scene famous less for the bands themselves, and more famous for how quickly they disappear off the radar.
Thoroughly satisfied, the question that begs being asked is how can Madina Lake top that? Their Download Festival '08 appearance was less than incendiary, and plus - they're Madina Lake. That's pretty damn uncool. But the fact is, the instant they hit the stage they almost split it in half with energy. That's pretty damn cool.

Blasting their way through tracks from From Them, Through Us, To You and newie Attics To Eden, there is never a boring moment. The acoustics are great, the crowd's giving it some, the band never lets up for a second. The Leone brothers, Nathan on vocals and Matthew on bass, are never egotistical rock stars; though Nate does blab a little too much with his modest and honest remarks. There can be too much of a good thing, you know. The positive sincerity doesn't turn the gig into a gooey emofest though (we have all the ingredients here to make one, that's for sure), as the drums rumble, the falsetto vocals coalesce beautifully and the guitars belch out riffs any metalhead could appreciate. The heaviness is the real star of the show here, and unfortunately this is never really communicated on their albums. Also, you can hear the frickin' bass for once. Bass level at a Madina Lake gig is a rare occurence; their tech must've been swapped. Or shot.
'Here I Stand' and 'Never Take Us Alive' are the highlights: actually, so are black balloons filled with white confetti bouncing all over the place, with Nathan swimming in the audience every other song. Really, it's over almost before it should be, but nevertheless the show is just the right length. The main offender in Madina Lake's pathway to greater sucess is definitely a lack of amazing songs. Sure, there are a few singable tunes, but nothing that's brilliantly written. They're like a desert with a spare few oasises scattered around. Having said that, that hasn't really stopped Youmeeatshit, has it?

Having a new respect for the boys live-wise, I can see why they've gotten hardcore fans already. The loyalty from fan to band is astounding enough, but to actually have that reciprocated is rare. All warm and fuzzy inside, the crowd empties slowly into the ashy air, grey pavements and people trying to sell me hash. I'm already reminded how good a show it was: I managed to forget about this shithole for over two hours.

Overall - 8 / 10