Well this was exciting for more than one reason, firstly because this gig consisted of 4 of the great names in modern alternative rock. Secondly because I WAS DRIVING! My mum’s Micra mind but still. I hadn’t driven since over a year ago. So I spent the entire morning aimlessly driving around Goole and Howden. I even made a practise run to Reedness (where I picked Hayley up from). So yeah, I picked Hayley up later on and away we went to Leeds. I hadn’t been to Leeds Academy before (about the only academy I haven’t been to) yet I pretty much knew what to expect. I wasn’t far off wrong, yet there was some surprises.
Once in Leeds (with the help from Mr. Tom Tom) we had to find somewhere to park. Luckily (again after last week’s luck in London) I know someone in Leeds! So big thanks to Sean for letting us park at his house. We got to the city centre and it was apparent where the academy was from hundreds of young girls and boys draped with colourful skinny jeans and more colours in their hair than the McFly song. I already felt old. This also meant the queue, an hour before the gig, was already massive. McDonalds it is then. After been fed and watered we headed back to the Academy. By this time, the line was almost entirely round the building (which by the way didn’t look like a typical o2 ‘warehouse’ academy, more like an old bank). So we did what all gig goers know best to do in this situation, find someone you know to ‘get your ticket off, your bus was late’......honest. With this trick we ended up near the front of the queue at the door opening time. The amount of blankets and even duvets being chucked around suggested some of these kids had been there since the morning. The inside of the academy once we got in was unusual. It seemed smaller and the balcony was about twice as high as the Sheffield branch. It felt more like an opera house than a gig venue. This aside we were stood so I didn’t care. Cloakroom, merch stand, crowd. Where I ate my free cheeseburger from McDonalds, it was nice, and prepared to have my socks rocked off.
First band on was the rock dance act My Passion. Been the opening band for the tour I didn’t expect what was about to come. They came on stage wearing smart all black clothes, playing matching guitars with their logo on. It seemed all very professional and well funded. Not to mention the remarkable likeness of the guitarist to bi-sexual Chris from Hollyoaks. Nether the less, they performed and performed very well indeed. The crowd jumped up and down to every song. Highlight for me was the song ‘Play Dirty’ and ‘Fabulous Blood Disco’, both being just as dancy as rocky. The band themselves were full of energy and talked to crowd plenty. They genuinely seemed to be flattered to be there.
Next on the bill was the pop punk band Young Guns. Now these seemed more genuine in their rock roots. As far as matching attire goes about the closest these guys had were skinny jeans. As for their set it was pretty standard. With only an EP out and a free downloadable single currently out, they didn’t have much sing-a-long effect. They made up for this with energy on stage and atmosphere. The crowd took this and went crazy for it. Gustav the lead singer jumped into the crowd at one point and seemed to get lost within the sea of people. The song ‘The Weight of the World’ really stood out as anthem for them, great song, pretty decent band.
Welsh post-hardcore band The Blackout was next. Now I do like this band, and have both albums of theirs so I was excited for this. Last time I saw them they impressed me except the fact as singer Sean is an absolute tool. This hadn’t really changed. Although this time it was a form of humour rather than just him been a dick. The fact that his stage ‘sign’ is him sticking middle fingers up at the crowd seemed a bit arrogant and self aware. The gig itself though was outstanding. Opening with ‘Children of the Night’ they burst onto the stage, first thing Sean did was clumsily climb up the stage frame to eventually sing the last couple of lines of the song upside down. The crowd lapped this up and went mental, pits opened up and the hundreds of kids jumped up and down in unison. They went on the play the majority of the newest album ‘Best in Town’ and a few big hitters of the first. The thing that makes The Blackout different to the rest was the crowd participation; they got the entire crowd to wave, click, and clap and even sit down throughout the gig. This made a great a great atmosphere into an amazing one. Last 4 songs made the night if I’m entirely honest. I even went into the pit and ended near the front of the stage to jump up and down like the crazy kids I was surrounded by. The final song ‘I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot’ was superb with the band going crazy on stage and the crowd to match, I was singing and shouting so loud my throat felt like I’d swallowed barbed wire by the final scream. They went off stage and I eventually found Hayley again, who also went a bit mental....nothing unusual about that though ;) (Trust me I’ve seen her see Fightstar).
The tour headliners up next in the form of All Time Low. The reason the majority of the kids turned up was for these. I can see why. They came on stage and played one hell of a set, full of all the hits and fan favourites. An All Time Low show consists of great pop punk hits mixed with the humour of Bowling for Soup. Great match. They opened with the song ‘Lost in Stereo’ followed by ‘Stella’ and ‘Break Your Little Heart’. Then they did the usual Hello’s and what have ya followed by a ‘We want to finger you all’ announcement..... They went on to play more songs with plenty of humour. Including confusion between ‘YORKSHIRE, YORKSHIRE’ and ‘YOUR SHIT, YOUR SHIT’ and a long chant for a kid called ‘Brian’... Alex (lead singer) decided to get him a girl and in an almost royalty fashion this kid was crowd surfed to the girl at the other end of the room, greeted with a snog. Lucky little bugger. After more laughs and songs, they went off stage. Encore time. However it was the most obvious last 2 songs ever thought of by a band. The fact they hadn’t played their biggest 2 hits made it apparent that they were saving the ‘best till last’. So ‘Damned if I Do’ and ‘Dear Maria’ it is then. This set up the biggest sing-a-long of the night. With my Moment of the Night (an award I’ve decided to include in this blog. (Why the hell not?)) being the first 4 lines of ‘Dear Maria’. Just the words ‘I got your picture, I'm coming with you, Dear Maria, count me in....’ sent energy into my lungs and feet. I was bloody knackered by the end.
So that was the end. With me and Hayley had our socks well and truly rocked off. We headed home. Bloody TomTom got us lost... but we still made it home alive. Great night, same again soon I hope.
Next gig – Fightstar (with Hayley....)Corp :D 12th Feb.
Peace
x
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