INTERVIEW: Tubelord

At the tail end of their UK tour, Tubelord were kind enough to give an interview just before their show at the Kraken Wakes in Portsmouth. Read on for musical insights, thoughts on playing live, and how to have a very, very good time at a gig.

GG: First off, I heard last night’s Water Rats gig was really cool. Was that one of your best?
Joseph (vocalist, guitarist): I think that was one of the best, you know. It was quite fun.
On the theme of live playing, do you enjoy playing live or the studio side more?
Joseph: I think I prefer the studio side… I don’t know. You’re always torn, aren’t you?
I think it was Jeff [Lynne] from Electric Light Orchestra who said he always preferred doing studio stuff instead of playing live. Obviously you get loads of takes recording, but if you make one mistake live you’re pretty much done for.
David (drummer): Jamie literally makes mistakes for fun.
Do you find that’s where most of your creativity comes from?
Jamie (Synth): It’s just instant gratification, you know. For the ladies.
David: We were talking about it today; that playing live and recording are two totally different things. We capture different energies onstage.
Do you find at a lot of your shows, the fans sing your songs back at you?
David: That depends where we are. With some crowds you get really, really reserved crowds; they’d just stand there, sing, and have a really great time but they won’t really rock out and it’s quite hard to engage with them. And with the crowds that go mental, I think you’re going to get a better performance out of us.

Are there any bands or performers that you try and emulate when you play live? Not necessarily musically, but in the way you move about the stage?
Tom (Bassist): I don’t do it, but I’m quite inspired by the guitarist from a band called Drool from Northampton. He literally does the best face.
A sex face?
Tom: No, this mesmerising face.
David: None of us will have as much fun as he has in his band. That’s just fact. We’ve all started taking on each other’s traits as well, and we’ve been touring with Tall Ships.
They supported you last night, is that right?
David: Yes. Matt [from Tall Ships] likes to do jumps. I saw him do four jumps in a row in Gloucester. That was great.

Obviously, you’ve got Alan [temporary singer] playing with you for a few shows. Does that change the make-up of the band, or is the essence still there? Does he bring anything else to it live?
Joseph: Loads, you know. In terms of live, I’m personally not on the microphone anymore, and before it would be quite frustrating when you just want to play guitar.
So you get to concentrate more.
Joseph: Yeah, you get to just dig the band and I’ve never heard us musically before. You get a lot of sound just stuck in your skull; it reverberates through, and this way I get to hear it really for what it is. Alan has given me that insight.
David: I’ve found that I can actually hear Jo’s guitar parts for the first time ‘cause always I’d obviously hear it just with his singing, but with someone else’s voice it’s weird. It’s like both the guitar and the voice are now two separate things. I can concentrate more on the guitar and bass, so now I feed off both of them.
Do you think it’ll remain like that once Joe’s voice gets better?
David: Yeah, but I think it’ll be one of those things where it’s kind of made us stronger as it now means that I’m listening out for a guitar part - so once Joe’s back on the vocals, I’ll still be hearing his guitar parts and his vocals, and it’s nice to hear these little intricacies on the guitar. You’d think, ‘ah that’s neat, I’ve never heard that before’.
So you’ll be able to hear your songwriting come through.
David: Yeah, it seems to have been a really positive thing.

Now, Twin Cities had four jumps. What’s the silliest thing any of you have done on tour?
Joseph: Silly?
Or stupid. Or just debauchery. Anything that you’d want to commit to tape, anyway.
Tom: Jamie poured a drink on my face.
David: Tell the whole story.
Tom: It was my birthday in Falmouth, and I got given a Goblet of Doom. They filled it with spirits. I drunk half of it whilst playing. We got to the end song, and the spirits had caught up with me and I ended up in the crowd, laying on my back still playing bass.
Good way to end your show.
Tom: Jamie was throwing the rest of the Goblet of Doom over my face; I looked back, and Joe wasn’t playing guitar anymore. He was lifting one of the Tall Ships boys up into a crowd surf – his first ever crowd surf – so it’s just Dave onstage playing drums. That was pretty good. But what followed that night in the bar remains a secret, but that was quite debauched as well.

Moving swiftly on, your first album is nearly a year old. Are you excited about the next record? Anything that you’re particularly proud of?
Joseph: You don’t get proud of your song. I think that true pride is something external, you know? If a friend or a close relative or someone I really care about is doing something in public [like a live performance] I get nervous for them. But when they get rounds of applause, I feel pride.
You’re coming back to Portsmouth next month, supporting Oceansize.
David: I’m excited; we’re all going to have to get colourful, ‘cause there’s going to be a lot of dark clothes.
Are you looking forward to the show tonight?
David: Yeah, though only half the PA works. We’ll give it double the show, I guess.

Tubelord are set to tour again next month with Oceansize and Asiwyfa.
Tubelord myspace

GIG: Oceansize - Koko, 1/10/10

The gig's finished, and it's 9:45. Yup, it's an early one for Manchester's finest undefinable, but thank the prog gods it doesn't matter one bit considering the quality tonight.

Playing a lot of material from 'Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up' which is still warm from the shelves, Oceansize do manage to drop in those classics. However, opener 'Part Cardiac' definitely sets the scene; brooding, technical, emotive are just some of the words you could throw about concerning the sound. Studio efforts in the past include some of the best work any band this side of the century has committed to tape; 'Music For a Nurse' in particular shines, its melody and sheer simplicity coming across poignantly in the midst of the more heavy tunes present. Speaking of which, 'Self Preserved...' is their most hard-hitting record to date, most apparent in the wild thrashings of 'It's My Tail and I'll Chase it if I Want To' and the utterly, utterly show-stopping coda of 'Silent/Transparent'. There are few times I've heard an audience gasp after a full-stop.

It all comes to a chest-beating, euphoric climax with 'Ornament / The Last Wrongs', and then the sombre encore 'Women Who Love Men Who Love Drugs'. The last five or so minutes are incredibly affecting: lead singer Mike Vennart is alone centre-stage, looping a guitar arpeggio for what seems an aeon, a frozen photograph of life in noise. As simple as it sounds, it's the perfect ending to a bravura night, the guitar eventually fading into the ether and replaced by loud applause. Starting and finishing early to make room for Club NME seems almost offensive, but at least they made the damn most of it.

8.5 / 10

GIG: Brand New - Wembley Arena, 23/01/2010

Some bands have got it, others don't. It's that simple. When it comes to stepping up the act to arena-size proportions, the cracks really start showing. Unless you're fantastic. Unless you're Brand New.

Trudging your way through the incessant pitfalls of the music biz is not an easy thing to do, and less easy to make any success from it. But the real difficulty - the proper nut-buster - is coming out the other end with your integrity intact. Writing songs you want to hear, not what the label demands. It is a hard life, and obviously Brand New are one of the few groups out there who have made it to this size with said nuts hanging firmly in place.

But that's digressing. I seem to be good at that. Turning our attention the evening at hand, we have three bands on the bill (including headliners BN), all of which intelligently attract the same crowd. A veritable Mecca for the disenfranchised. Judging by their appearance, the audience most definitely all belong to a scene (and almost all are wearing checked shirts), but their passion for the music goes undimmed. First up we have Thrice, moody post-hardcore rockers who do well to whip up a snail tornado of gutfelt singing and shimmering, dirty guitars. Glassjaw fit the music nicely, but their drab sound mix deflates any real opportunity for headbanging. I hear you screaming down the mic, Daryl Palumbo, but not about the same thing I'm thinking right now.

'Welcome To Bangkok' was made for these cavernous venues in mind. This fitting ear-filler announces Brand New's arrival, with the following 'Sink' establishing proper touchdown. Their minimal stage set-up - a couple of retro lights, a white banner with monochrome images projected upon it - does well to suit the songs, and doesn't overpower the member's own onstage prescence which for the most part, is pretty low unless they're throwing their guitars in
the air or jumping around like maniacs. Which is awesome, by the way. Before you know it, they've rolled out sleeper hits 'The Quiet Things That No-One Ever Knows', 'Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't' to a crowd going apeshit, and those not even released as singles elicit an even deeper response ('You Won't Know').

Frontman Jesse Lacey is depressing at the best of times. So when he plays and sings solo through the majority of 'Limousine', a tune concerning the death of a seven year-old at the hands of a drunk driver, the clock is striking thirteen very, very loudly. The incredible moment when the rest join in en force toward the end, then, is bizarrely uplifting and powerful. Immediately afterwards we're treated to new album opener 'Vices', pouring out all the angst built up over the last few minutes. A set that flows so organically like this almost becomes a living thing unto itself, breathing in deeply for 'Jesus', the singalong ballad of the night, then taking the plunge for the utterly fantastic revisiting of their debut 'Your Favoirite Weapon'. 'Jude Law And A Semester Abroad' and 'Seventy Times Seven' never sounded so vital.

With the number 'Play Crack The Sky', its duality of downbeat lyrics and major key stylings serve for a perfect, satisfying close. There is no encore: at first I'm disappointed, but gradually realise 'what's the point?' When you've just dished out music of this emotional and technical calibre, what is the real point of saying everything you've already said, but with a little rehash tacked on the end? Rock and Roll stylings don't suit Brand New, and Brand New do not suit Rock and Roll stylings. Neither have they ever wanted to. They've shown to play Wembley friggin' Arena on your own terms is the real nut-buster.

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Rating: 9 / 10

GIG: Oasis - Wembley Stadium, 12th July

The Gallagher brothers truly are the scum of the earth when it comes to their nazified opinions on music, and I would definitely like to have a go with a baseball bat. It's ridiculously annoying then, that they made Definitely Maybe and (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, albums which both stand the test of time, their universe-sized choruses and riffs standing up there in the pantheon of the greats. For this odd chemistry alone, I went along to see the forever maligned and worshipped band at their third date at Wembley Stadium.

First up though, is a support line-up that fits the billing very nicely. Reverend and The Makers have a great sound mix, but the songs themselves make sleep sound like a more interesting premise. Fuck off, Reverend. We now have The Enemy, who are fantastically shit on record but surprise me here live with their dogged confidence. The one mesmerising aspect of their show though is how incredibly ugly their frontman is; I mean, real fucking ugly, stupefiyingly so. Really though, jesus christ. I mean, come on. No-one should be allowed to have a face like that. It should be downright illegal. Erm, oh yeah - Kasabian. More Northerners taking to the stage, I know - but these have a massive live performance promise, and deliver that to a tee. 'Clubfoot', 'Empire' and 'LSF' are beasts from your worst musical nightmare, and echo around the stadium with the weight of their own cosmicness. Even new single 'Fire', which is shit, gets practically everyone in the place jumping like a madman with absolutely no prompting. Quite a feat, quite a feat.

This moment I like to call The Moment Of Truth. It's the point in a show when the artist has come onstage, looks around at the audience confidently, but hasn't yet sounded a single note, but instead just basks in the excited cheers coming his way. And when the actual music starts is when he'll be judged. So we have it, Oasis the Abbhored / Adored strut their stuff into the fray, Liam looking like an angry turtle with his massive green coat, Noel looking like a confused primate. The launch into 'Rock N' Roll Star' begins, and hey - it sounds good. Pheeeeeeeeeeew.
We're then treated to the likes of 'Lyla', 'Cigarrettes and Alcohol' and 'Roll With It' amongst other classics and newbies, with Liam sneering like he was back in the nineties and actually had something to be angry about. The real first mass singalong of the evening is the surprise acoustic rendition of 'Whatever', then even more so for 'Half The World Away'. Honestly, when Liam buggers off and leaves Noel on lone acoustic guitar, the whole show settles comfortably and allows itself to transcend the confines of its own self-shy, laddy pretensions. Or maybe it's just that Liam's a terrible singer.
'Songbird' sounds fantastic; 'Slide Away' is as moving as it's always been. Though it's 'Wonderwall' and 'Live Forever' that gets the nostalgia really flowing. Of course. These gigantic anthems are almost something more than what they actually are, and a packed venue of this size singing its utter heart out to these tunes, that don't lyrically mean a whole lot, is really testament to the power of not just live music but all music in general. While most of the crowd here tonight are rowdy fuckfaces who would tear each other apart on a whim on any other day, are now united brotherhood-style. And the really impressive thing is that the band who manages this are rowdy fuckfaces who tear each other apart themselves. They do it on a daily basis, however.
The encore opener is a hushed version of 'Don't Look Back In Anger': while it promises to crash in with the plomp of the original but sadly never does, it does allow the crowd's voices to be heard. Which is also a bad thing, because it's fucking defeaning. And the band's real crowning achievement, 'Champagne Supernova', simply sounds eternal. It's all frenzied up one last time in the form of The Beatles' 'I Am The Walrus', their version a nasty, heavy, LSD head trip. And it rocks. After the final glorious ruckus, the band leaves, and the crowd is left to an incredibly long, sweaty and achey ride home on the tube. Fucking Jubilee line closure.

So, it's been surprising. Oasis were actually good, and I'm thankful for that. And no powercuts either - the first night was besieged by them. Unfortunately there was no airing for Acquiesce, one of my personal favourites, but you can't have everything. Another nag was that by the time the band finished, even though they played for two hours, it was still light, so the whole stage set-up was never able to work its full magic. Still, it was fun. Not the greatest stadium show I've ever seen, but the band knew their stuff, Liam didn't have a tantrum and do a walkies, and the crowd were mad fer it. Sorry.

Overall - 8 / 10

FESTIVAL: Download Festival - 12th, 13th, 14th June

It's that time of year again. Headbanging until your neck breaks, running around in circles like a complete loon, and throwing yourself into each other violently. Oh, and there's music too. This year's stellar line-up sees bands you thought you'd never see live (Limp Bizkit, Faith No More, Journey), to bands so ridiculous it's actually fantastic (Limp Bizkit, Faith No More, Journey. Ahem). So let the incredible weekend that is Download at Donington begin! Or rather, let me talk about it fervently. As before, ratings for bands are in Gs (G for Gary, geddit?? Ks can kiss my arse). It goes like this: G = Terrible, GG = Pretty poor, GGG = Enjoyable, GGGG = Very good, GGGGG = Incredible.

Friday, 12th June
The first band to kick things off on the Friday are Hollywood Undead (GG) on the main stage. Whilst their faux rapping does not impress, the way they get the crowd going does; how can everyone bopping their heads rap-stylee at a mainly metal festival not be enjoyable? Thankfully The Blackout (GGGG) kick it into rock mode. Sean Smith's performance is slightly compromised by being absolutely knackered by the looks of it, but that's soon overcome with their raucous Korn/Bizkit/Faith No More medley. Over on the second stage, A Day To Remember (GG) are alright enough, but do little to make me want to listen to them for more than two seconds. Sorry. Parkway Drive (GGG½) on the other hand are ridiculously tight for their type of music - deathcore? - as other bands with a similar sound usually fall into a mess live. Not true for these Aussies thankfully, but Dir En Grey (G½) truly aren't anything to write home about. Japanese shock-metallers, their hideous songs purely makes me want to rip my eardrums out and stamp on them repeatedly. Fucking awful. Whilst the songs aren't exactly revelatory, the way that Killswitch Engage (GGGG) handle the stage is blinding. Not only possessing a fantastic sound, their onstage banter is almost more entertaining than the music. At least if KSE go under in the music business, there'll be a job waiting for them in stand-up. The band that follows them are legends, for good and bad reasons. But today, the good definitely overshadows the bad. Limp Bizkit (GGGGG) blow me away with tightly performed hits like 'Break Stuff' and 'My Generation', amongst other fan favourites such as 'Nookie'. Wes Borland is a crazy motherfucker; the way he is dressed today is the same way my worst nightmare is dressed. Fred Durst sports his classic red cap, and raps in the classic Fred Durst way. The highlight would be 'Rollin' ' and closer 'Take A Look Around', but that award goes to Limp Bizkit actually being, surprisingly, fucking awesome. Korn (GGGG½), the nu-metal pioneers, put on another astonishing performance. Yet again the tightest band of the weekend, 'Freak On A Leash' and 'Here To Stay' invoke mass hysteria, but delve too far into the less well-known material, thus sacrificing the momentum a truly great festival performance needs. A brilliant rearrangement of 'Falling Away From Me' does stand out, however. It's up to Faith No More (GGGG½) to live up to the stupid hype the Download organisers have bestowed upon this headlining performance, and they surely live up to it. They arrive onstage as a past-it jazz lounge band, complete with Mike Patton leaning on a cane. Things, of course, erupt then on in, Patton's majestically trained vocals searing over the rest of the band's equally intense output. 'Easy', 'From Out Of Nowhere' and 'Epic' are heard in all their ludicrous glory, and while grey hairs tell the truth, Faith No More perform with all the slickness of youth. It's a shame, then, that pretty much none of the crowd know their fucking songs.

Saturday, 13th June
Ah, the main day of the festival. Devildriver's (GGG) Guinness-smashing circle pits are a ferocious way to start up the day on the main stage, followed up with Fightstar (GG½) on the second stage. They lack many great songs, 'Deathcar' and 'Pahlanuik's Laughter' being the exception, but put just enough energy into the actual performance to save it from being rather pedestrian. Down (G½) do not bring the goods unfortunately. Oh Pantera, how we miss you. Dragonforce (GGG½) lighten the mood, cutting the crap by launching straight into 'Valley Of The Damned', and closing proceedings equally astonishingly with Guitar Hero wankfest 'Through The Fire And The Flames'. Next, Pendulum (GGGG½) put on yet another stunning festival performance. Of course, it's naturally not going to be as off-kilter as their Download debut last year, but a rearranged setlist and segues more than make up for anything that may be a little unrevolutionary about today's show. Plus, 'Propane Nightmares' will always get any crowd moving. For a dance-rock mashup act winning over a metalfest, you'd have thought the God of Fuck himself could have mustered up a reaction. Not so. Marilyn Manson (G), please, just stop. The lamer-than-lame setlist choices are bad enough ('Disposable Teens' and 'Beautiful People' are the only big songs we hear today), but when you have to stop after every song to get a fill from an oxygen tank, you know it's time to fucking quit. You staggered off during the last song. You have nothing left to give to the world in your current state. Go home. After such a massive letdown, we have the best band of the three days to the rescue: Slipknot (GGGGG). Their live show has always been highly praised, and tonight, their long-awaited headline slot sums it all up. A purely riotous blast of '(Sic)', 'Eyeless', 'Wait and Bleed', 'Get This' and 'Before I Forget' tears Donington a new one, while 'Vermilion' 's schizophrenic refrains cement the fact that this is a band at the top of their game. Even the slightly duff 'Dead Memories' sounds gigantic, and is sung back at the nine-piece at the top of their lungs. Things really kick off though, during 'Duality', 'People=Shit' and 'Surfacing', topped off with probably the biggest 'sit the fuck down / jump da fuck up' Slipknot have ever had with 'Spit It Out'. And on that note, the performance to remember is over.

Sunday, 14th June
The final day is already here. Wipe those tears away though, for another day of music lies ahead. Sacred Mother Tongue (GGG½) rock the hell out of the second stage with their tremendous sound, the icing on the cake though is the bassist running off the stage and into the moshpit whist playing the song perfectly. Wow, that was impressive. Trigger The Bloodshed (GG½) do well putting effort into their set, but their muddy mix ruins what they have to offer. Suicide Silence (GGG½) are the band of the moment, and everyone here is excited to see them. Their huge-ass breakdowns are more than enough for me to enjoy greatly. Very different are classic rock - yet heavy - Black Stone Cherry (GGGG), who I don't want to give so many Gs to because they're basically a bunch of rednecks. But very, very good rednecks. Journey (GGGG) put on an alleviating performance from all the insert-tag-herecore, complete with the statutory 'Don't Stop Believin' '. Too fucking right. Dream Theater (GG), unfortunately, alienate everybody: due to the unbelievable length of their music, they play about three tracks then fuck off, the last just being a jam session. Surely incredible at their own gigs, and very enjoyable studio-wise, a festival appearance just isn't right. ZZ Top (GG) are just boring. And beardy. Very, very beardy. Cousin It has taken to the stage. I catch Sabbat (GG) who should die out, then afterwards new retro-rock sensation Steel Panther (GGGG) who are the natural successors to Spinal Tap. Hilarious stuff, but when the crowd are this excited about a new band who is drawing from the past, it makes you worry a little bit. Whitesnake (GG): ah even more classic cock rock! Brilliant. I fuck off over to the second stage for Papa Roach (GGG½), who are gladly on energetic form, throwing out the hits like 'Between Angels And Insects', 'Getting Away With Murder' and 'Last Resort'. Over at the Red Bull stage, Attack! Attack! (GGG½) rip it up with their vivacious pop-punk. Back on the main stage, it's time for Download Festival 2009 closers Def Leppard (GGGG½). For a band whose heyday was in the eighties, it's quite hard to see if it's died out at all since then. The answer I draw from the audience's reaction is, apparently, a big fat 'no'. Drawing from their last Donington appearance - Monsters Of Rock, their first performance since drummer Rick Allen's amputation of his left arm - it turns into a rather spiritual show, massive hits like 'Animal' and 'Let's Get Rocked' get an even bigger reception. Hair metal should rightfully die out, but I do have to say: this is great stuff.

GIG: New Found Glory - The Forum, 30th May

'Pop Punks not dead' - the merch reads out a quite potent message. The skate-pop scene never really died out, at least when particular avenues led to bands like New Found Glory, who are testament to this fact. Going since 1997, the band have played London eight times - this being the glorious latest addition.

The bill includes Tonight Is Goodbye who, to be quite honest, are pretty out of place here. Their twitchy scenester fumblings do not impress, but Attack! Attack! bring it all the way back with their sheer likeability. Tight songs, tight stagecraft, tight everything - sounds like a night at the local S&M bar. Only difference here is that you're getting raped by music instead. After a damn energetic set, we have main support Bayside who are PP veterans themselves. It's quite surprising how good some of their songs are despite the typical trappings of the genre: catchy intro; angsty or somehow downtrodden verse; massive, I-don't-care-that-you're-a-girl-and-you-don't-want-to-go-out-with-me-'cause-I'm-shy-and-I'm-a-loser kinda explosion of a chorus; repeat. They mix in almost metallic heaviness, Ska-punk influences ala Less Than Jake, and gild it all with a generally bastardly singing style (of course, with the obligatory nasal whine). And the crowd love them. Bless.

New Found Glory, in turn, deliver a rollicking set worthy of the craziness it duly ellicits. 'All Downhill From Here' is a natural shot-in-the-arm opener, its stupidly good shoutalong 'and you keep pulling me dowwwwwwwwwn' simply gets everyone bopping. As if they actually need any prompting anyway: before the first note even sounds, I'm on the inner wall of a moshpit that seems to have opened up from underneath. Mmm, promising.
What ensues is NFG classic after NFG classic; 'Head On Collision', ''Dressed To Kill' and 'This Disaster' all spring forth from the band's exuberant characters. Jordan Pundik, lead vocalist, looks a little cream crackered now and then, but his energy picks up during the night, and by a quarter of the way through the show, he is on fire. Chad Gilbert, the band's outspoken guitarist, keeps the momentum going with s few scattered speeches, some silly, some meaningful, and some slightly pretentious. Most niggling of all though, is his guitar sound: it's too fucking quiet. Alas, it never gets turned up, so at points when he launches into a riff, I can only guess where the beat is and headbang as much in time as is possible. This is the aural equivalent of playing one of those Whack-a-Mole games, only the Moles never fucking appear.
The sweat never stops pouring, and neither does the whole crowd singing along. To every single line of every song. No joke. They should be getting paid for choir work at this gig. It's clear how long-reaching the legacy New Found Glory have, and the tunes certainly make a point of how undeniable that should be.

Ending their set, obviously but appropriately, with 'My Friends Over You', the crowd erupt once more, the band give it their all and they are done once more for the night. As Gilbert said earlier, 'what else would I want to do with my life, than play music in New Found Glory?', that question has now been answered: nothing, if it's as good as this all the time.

Overall - 8.5 / 10

GIG: The Blackout - The Forum, 29th May

Little emo kids. Everywhere. I cannot escape them.
Bearing the correct fringe, I manage to blend in well enough to not attract attention to myself, but lordy - everyone looks the same.
It's my first time here at the Forum (sorry, 'HMV Forum' for you politically-correct whores out there), and amongst the mopey rabble is actually a very nice venue. It reminds me of the late Astoria, albeit smaller and with a nice sit-down area at the back. Yeah, like hell are you going to sit at this gig.

Unfortunately missing first band The Urgency, I am instead treated to The Hollywood Undead. What label thought these misfits were a good idea? If you're going to do the whole mask thing, don't do a below-par Slipknot rip-off. If you're going to do the whole rap-rock thing, have at least some decent songs. And if you're going to rap, please - by all means - rap. But don't mime. Let the sample play out naturally, don't pretend to be singing the obvious autotuned playback. Also: if you're going to do any of this at all, be funny about it. A few jokes about how ridiculous you are wouldn't go amiss. Scary though, that most of the audience know all the words. Stupid emos.
Silverstein fare much better, though are hampered by a pretty poor sound mix. Guitars just aren't loud enough, drums don't rumble as much as they should. However, they do manage to get the crowd going like crazy, and Shane Told's falsetto notes hit the right places. Surprisingly heavy for their generic screamo pigeonhole, by the end of their set they manage to rock the hell out of the place. So kudos to them, really.

Now for the main course: Kerrang! darlings, The Blackout. Delicious but slightly superficial, their music isn't groundbreaking, but sure makes for a succulent dining experience. I don't know what's with all the gastronomic references; perhaps it's simply the way they make me want to gorge myself with heavy riffs and scorching vocals. Yum, yum and yum again.
The last time I saw them, their tightness as a band was only matched by their own onstage humour. I'm glad to report they remain as jocular as ever, and have honed their craft to a very professional degree. Professional at sonically ripping your head off. The first few songs are incendiary (I love that word), but bizarrely the crowd don't seem as kinetic as they were for Silverstein. This is reciprocated (another great word!) by the band themselves, and so while their effort does not dip, the average happiness they exude remains relatively low. I calculate it like this:
Crowd energy = C
Band energy = B
Happiness = A
So, C + B = A. Both C and B can be hampered by D, which is any accountable thing such as the quality of their sound mix, etc. Whatever values the first two have, they both have to come together well for the band to be happy with the show they put on. It's a simple equation, but it's an important one. Also, remember to divide B by E; the number of piss bottles being thrown at them.
Nonetheless, they throw everything they've got in the form of mass singalongs, sit-down-jump-the-fuck-up shenanigans and the like. A floor-encompassing circle pit for 'I'm A Riot? You're A Fucking Riot!' is the highlight of my night. But a message to the emo mosher: mosh when there's something to mosh to. Don't come in on the completely wrong beat, it just kills it. Stupid emos.

All in all, a good evening of to-the-moment, hip rock music. Though the 'rock' is slowly being taken out and replaced with 'fuck', what with all the sleazy grooves and verbal parleys The Blackout offer through their set. This is definitely not the best I'll see them - give it less than two weeks, they'll be brewing up a storm at Download Festival. But even if I wasn't completely taken with the tunes tonight, at least I can become a true emo gig-goer: a tight-fitting T-shirt for a fiver outside completes my transformation. As long as my internal organs don't collapse under the sheer skin-hugging tautness, I'll be able to go to the next Hollywood Undead concert *choke*. Stupid emos.

Overall - 7 / 10