Gig Review: 3OH!3 (7/11/09)

Originally Published 16/11/09 in Student Direct: The Mancunion and 9/11/09 on http://www.rookiefm.blogspot.com/

"Maybe if we pose like this they'll forget that we used the F word in that song?"

5 Stars

First to open are Bamboo Shoots, and a playlist of enthusiastic but generic retro, dance-funk. With the highlight of their set being a cover of The Black Eyed Pea's I Got A Feeling and the joker-esque purple skinny jeans and green t-shirt ensemble the lead singer sports, they fail to impress with a vibe that is more dull and forgettable than the chilled-out indie-chic they were obviously aiming for.
 If the first band was disappointing then the second; a DJ set from The Blackout’s front man, Sean Smith, surpasses every expectation you could possibly have for a support act. Heavy, energetic , rock remixes of Sweet Dreams, Living On A Prayer and Smooth Criminal, are sliced with recent tunes from the likes of Lady GaGa, Dizzee Rascal and Katy Perry to create the perfect musical appetiser for this evening’s main course.
 Continuing with the night’s rave theme, 3OH!3 explode on to the stage in a whirlwind of catchy choruses, strobe lighting and deliciously crunky, electro, hip-hop beats. Only five years in the making, and with three Warped Tours and stints supporting musical giants Basshunter and Katy Perry under their belts, the two MCs have paid their dues and are now famous in their own right; the success from their double-platinum-certified single Don’t Trust Me translating to the last stop on their UK tour as they are bumped from Club Academy to Academy 1.
 In the same vain as Gym Class Heroes and The Flobots, these dance messiahs have managed to transcend the rock/hip-hop divide, delivering grade A hip-hop music to rock and emocore fans everywhere. All clapping-jumping-dancing, 3OH!3’s repertoire is as varied as the company they keep, putting their university education to good use with intelligent lyrics and humorous themes set to an infectious back beat. They may be bringing hip-hop to a new level but they can still write frat boy songs about girls.
 A rapid string of their best songs is followed by the debut of a new one (heavy on the pop-punk influences) and a new twist on the circle pit: the dance pit. Conducting from the stage the dynamic pair quite literally bounce off each other as they bound around, dancing and rapping, working the room into a rave-frenzy befitting any nightclub.

Verdict: Rock, hip-hop, dance, electro and just about anything else you can think of combines with the duo’s undeniable stage presence and chemistry to create an unmissable, unforgettable and completely irreplaceable experience. Not bad for a band with only two albums.

3OH!3's latest album, Want, released 8th July 2008 on Photo Finish, is available from online stores: http://3oh3.hasawebstore.com/product/INS67223/wantdeluxeedition

Gig Review: Fightstar (27/10/09)

Originally published 9/11/09 in Student Direct: The Mancunion and 3/11/09 on http://www.rookiefm.blogspot.com/

Has Charlie been Busted?

2 Stars

 Fightstar have worked hard to shed front man Charlie Simpson’s pop roots, but the Busted stigma has left a visible mark. Battling years of scepticism the London foursome have all but refused point-blank to let the critics win, instead, emerging, against the odds, as one of Britain’s best young rock bands. But unlike many expected, they have not relied on former fame to aid their career. If anything, Fightstar rebel against their commercial affiliation, working hard to ensure that the only thing they have in common with a certain ex-boyband is a large fan base and strong back catalogue.
 An unusual mix of grunge, soft-metal and rock, previous releases Grand Unification Part 1, We Apologise For Nothing, Paint Your Target and Deathcar, accompany tracks from latest album, Be Human, and a preview of upcoming December single, A City On Fire to make for a strong set. The guys are on form tonight, clearly enjoying the effect their subtle combination of delicate but dramatic metal has on the crowd. Roaming the stage, overseeing circle pits and engaging in more than their fair share of headbanging; Charlie, Alex, Dan and Omar give the impression of a group of lads who really love what they do, putting the crowd at ease and making the academy their own.
 Topping it off with an encore of Palahuniuk’s Laughter, it feels more like an impromptu, private jam session than a big gig.

Verdict: The excitement in the room is palpable but despite a great playlist and impeccable delivery, tonight felt a little flat. A relaxed performance adds a lack-lustre taste to the evening, proving that even rock stars shouldn’t rest on their laurels, (even if those laurels do happen to be cracking songs and impressive guitar skills).

Fightstar's latest album Be Human, released 19th April 2009, on Search and Destroy, is available from online stores: http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=952365

Gig Review: Bowling for Soup (25/10/09)

Originally published 9/11/09 in Student Direct: The Mancunion and 27/10/09 on http://www.rookiefm.blogspot.com/

"Tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want"

4 Stars

Toilet humour, sex, drugs and sister jokes; nothing is off the table tonight as Bowling For Soup return with more of the same silly but cheerful, low-brow, comedic, pop-punk that catapulted them to fame all those years ago. Fifteen years and ten albums into their career, the Texan punks have generated quite a following as young and old gather at the Academy to witness the aptly named Party In Your Pants tour.
 MC Lars kicks off the rock bonanza, joined briefly onstage by BFS lead Jaret Reddick for Download this Song. Zebrahead are next up to bat, hitting a home run with a unique blend of high octane, rap-punk, warming the crowd to boiling point with jumping competitions, "party arms" and a "Wall of Death", (renamed the "Wall of Sunshine, Lollypops and Rainbows" for "legal reasons").
 Bowling For Soup do in fact appear to be 12 year-olds stuck in adult bodies. Backed by a video of them prancing around in anatomically correct erection suits, tracks from new album Sorry For Partying are mixed with classics; Girl All The Bad Guys Want, Punk Rock 101 and High School Never Ends. The orgy of barely-concealed euphemisms, condom balloons (a.k.a. the penis Zeppelin) and lycra hot pants indicate that for America’s most beloved party band, High School really hasn’t ended. An un-inhibited celebration of juvenile humour, they pause and crank up the house lights, posing with beers and dancing to Kool & The Gang's Celebration at the front of the stage, before strutting to the side to give a "Bowling For Soup photo-op".
 They may be the poster boys for fart jokes but one area where fifteen years of experience is visible is the show itself. Bursting with professionalism the no doubt, painstakingly-constructed combination of comedic banter, giddy practical jokes and humorous videos provide constant and consistent entertainment without being awkward, stilted or over- rehearsed.

Verdict: Ending with 1985 (choruses sung in "your best Antonio Banderas accent" and "falsetto", respectively), the band who are "much too old to be this damn young" score an A for effort.

Bowling For Soup's latest album, Sorry For Partying, released October 12th 2009 on Jive, is available from online stores: http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=272123  

Gig Review: The All-American Rejects (15/10/09)

Originally published 26/10/09 in Student Direct: The Mancunion and 18/10/09 on http://www.rookiefm.blogspot.com/

"It ends tonight"

5 Stars

 First support comes in shape of The Upwelling, waistcoated, tousle-haired perfection signed by AAR themselves, who play a few of their own grunge-influenced rock tunes before paying tribute to fellow New Yorkers, The Ramones, with a fantastic cover of I Wanna Be Sedated. Anyone who can rock out in a waistcoat is ok by me.
  Second onto the battle-front are punk-rockers American Steel. With their catchy riffs and boundless energy (surprising from what looked like a group of middle aged men) they are the evening’s biggest surprise, heralding a new age of pop-punk. Definitely a band I’d see again. Predictably, the highlight of the night was, of course, The All-American Rejects.
 Any other band would still be reeling from lead singer Tyson Ritter’s unexpected leg infection and the subsequent operation that forced them to cancel three shows and take two weeks off. But AAR seem to take it in their stride. Ignoring doctor’s advice to stay off stage for a while, they rocked into Manchester, the second leg of their sold-out U.K. tour, bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to tout their own brand of dance-tinged pop-rock to the masses.  The stage resembles a sugar-induced Mardi Gras hallucination, as amongst the flashing neon lights, Tyson bounces around in full Native American garb, complete with body glitter and a feather headdress. Apparently for The All-American Rejects Halloween is a month-long affair.
 Clearly re-fuelled by their recent vacation, the guys are nothing but professional, delivering wall to wall songs and incredible sound quality despite technical difficulties with the mics. Peppering a few tracks from their new album When The World Comes Down, with mandatory hits Move Along, Dirty Little Secret, Swing Swing and It Ends Tonight, keeps the set from spiralling into the tedious obscurity that often plagues the pop-rock scene.
 Losing the headdress during I’m Waiting, what isn’t lost is the enthusiasm and energy, which stays constant from start to finish.

Verdict: Tyson points to the bar; “you guys need to go help that guy out, you’re way too fucking aware for nine thirty”, but this isn’t a gig you need a stiff drink to endure. Fun and sexy, when they say they’ve been putting their "heart into the band for ten years" it’s actually believable.

The All-American Reject's latest album When The World Comes Down, released on Doghouse, 16th December 2008, is available from online stores:  http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=761427

Gig Review: Maximo Park (8/10/09)

Originally published 19/10/09 in Student Direct: The Mancunion and 13/10/09 on http://www.rookiefm.blogspot.com/  

4 Stars

 Skinny jeans are out in force tonight in Manchester, though none looking quite as good as they do on Hot Club De Paris, who play an impressively tight set despite battling against a half-empty venue.
 The place quickly fills for the main attraction and eventually, amidst disco lights and a smokescreen, they emerge, launching straight into A19; “we are Maximo Park” hear us roar.
 A welcome break from the usual indie uniform of checked shirts, black wire frames and ironically asymmetric haircuts; in their smart suits and trilbies, Maximo Park are every inch sophisticated, film-noir chic. It’s rare to see a drummer in any type of shirt, much less one with a collar and cuffs, these guys are definitely serious contenders for Britain’s best-dressed band. The Apollo serves as an epic, theatrical stage for what is more a cabaret show than a rock gig; an observation validated when, after rattling through a few of their best singles, a five-piece brass ensemble join them to give latest album, Quicken the Heart a cool, retro edge.
 The band are on form, but despite a flawless delivery, are quickly overshadowed by frontman Paul Smith, offering little more than background music for Smith’s energetic onstage antics. He acts out every lyric, punching a megaphone triumphantly into the air to screech out the chorus to Quicken The Heart, and clutches the mic stand for emotional support whilst belting out the Parisien Skies in unison with the crowd.

 The stage suddenly takes on an element of horror, and the lighting glows as Smith stalks the stage during Russian Literature, his shadow super-sized on the wall behind him as the crowd jostle to get closer. It’s hard to believe that this ex-teacher ever thought that he "wasn’t frontman material". Crooning out an encore of Acrobats and Our Velocity, they save the best for last as the latter of these generates the closest thing to a mosh pit I’ve seen all night.

Verdict: A good show but it’s Smith that sticks in your mind: his effortless showmanship makes for an electric atmosphere. Maximo Park? Try The Paul Smith Experience.

Maximo Park's latest album Quicken The Heart, released on Warp Records, 11th May 2009, is available from their online store: http://www.recordstore.co.uk/maximopark/