2009年 Jan 2日 Friday, 12:58

Gigs

Strung Out - The Croft Bristol

Strung Out are one of the best bands on Fat Wreck and their live show proves this. Intense as hell, shredtastic guitars and a setlist that included: Ashes, No Voice of Mine, Bring Out Your Dead, Velvet Alley, Swan Dive, Analog, Blackhawks Over Los Angeles, Mission Statement, Calling, Orchid, Matchbox, Deville, Firecracker, Blueprint of the Fall.

H2O - The Croft Bristol
Waited a long time to see them live and the Croft was a great venue for their positive hardcore. Mixing new songs such as Sunday, Fairweather Friend, What Happened?, 1995 with I see it in us, Family Tree, Liberate, Role Model, Go, One Life, One Chance, Still Here.

The Gaslight Anthem - ULU London
First headlining show in the UK, amazing being some good mates and a setlist that involved almost every Gaslight Anthem song. The Gaslight Anthem deserve everything success.

Smoke or Fire - Swansea

Great setlist from one of the more underrated Fat bands - Melatonin, California's Burning, Filter, Shine, Cryin' Shame, The Patty Hearst Syndrome, I'll Be Gone, Cops and Drugs, Culture as Given among others. Was totally worth going to bed at 3:30am for it.

Alkaline Trio - Koko London

Reading Festival warm up show which included a very long set by Alkaline Trio, a nice mix between old and new songs. The setlist included Bleeder, I Lied My Face Off, This Could Be Love, Help Me, In Vein, I Found Away, Lost and Rendered, Calling All Skeletons, Love, Love Kiss Kiss, Private Eye, Mercy Me, Clavicle, Armageddon, Goodbye Forever, Warbrain, Blue Carolina, Crawl, Radio, For Your Lungs Only. Truly special gig.

Groezrock 2008

Face to Face

A band who I never thought I'd get the chance to see live, plenty of crowd sing a longs and the classics. Disconnected, Blind, You Lied, I Won't Lie Down, I'm Trying, It's Not Over, I Want, Bill of Goods among others.

A Wilhelm Scream

Amazing set which included 'The King Is Dead', 'Die While Were Young', 'We Built This City on Debts and Booze', 'Killing It', 'Famous Friends and Fashion Drunks' amongst others.

Bad Religion

They busted out the classics: American Jesus, No Control, Big Bang, Do What You Want, Flat Earth Society, 21st Century Digital Boy, Generator, Fuck Armageddon…This is Hell, New Dark Ages, Requim For Dissent, Let Them Eat War, The Defence,Infected,I Want to Conquer The World, Sinister Rouge, Suffer and ending on Sorrow.

Hot Water Music

What a setlist! Wayfarer, Jack of All Trades, Remedy, Trusty Chords, Rooftops, A Flight and a Crash, Paper Thin, Free Radio Gainesville, At The End Of A Gun, Old Rules and their duet with The Bouncing Souls covering True Believers not to mention dueting Radio with Alkaline Trio also

The Bouncing Souls

I finally got to hear Kid played live amognst acoustic renditions of Gone and The Misfits song Hybrid Moments. True Believers, Hopeless Romantic, Lean on Sheena, Better Things, Sing Along Forever, Kids and Heroes, East Coast! Fuck You!, That Song, Argyle, Fight to Live, Kate is Great, Joe Lies.

Also in Belgium it was pure 25 degree sunshine for 3 straight days,lovely festival and a lovely atmosphere, nice prices for beer and food and not to mention meeting The Bouncing Souls and Face to Face.

Albums

Polar Bear Club - Sometimes Things Just Disappear
Intense, melodic that post-hardcore sound with searing and layered guitars, soft and harsh vocals this give album serious playback time. Not quite as stunning as their EP but this is probably the best album I've heard all year.

Banner Pilot - Resignation Day
Gruffy pop punk from Go Kart Records very consistent from the band after their impressive debut with Pass The Poison

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
Not as good as Sink or Swim but still a very accomplished album and soulful and honest sound, The Gaslight Anthem are destined for big and better things.

The Steal - Bright Grey
One of the best hardcore records to come out the UK very short but very sweet.

Failsafe – The Truth Is…
Brilliant second album with some seriously well crafted musicianship and maturity.

The King Blues - Save the World, Get The Girl
More personal then political this time round as the King Blues mix acoustic punk, with folk and reggae for an album that consistent and enjoyable from the start.

Dillinger Four - Civil War
Six years to make a truly amazing album whilst being more poppier and better produced has some true belters with 'Gainseville' 'Americaspremierefaithbasedinitiative' and 'parishiltonisametaphor'.

Less Than Jake - GNV FLA
The album that made me fall in love with Less Than Jake again, they went back to the well and made an album that bridges the sound between Borders and Boundaries and Anthem.

Off With Their Heads - From The Bottom
Great gruff punk goodness and my first exposure to this band, truly great release from No Idea.

Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony

Trio got a lot bad press for this album because it wasn't 'punk' enough. Personally it's different but still a very strong release, Dan really excelled himself on 'Do You Wanna Know' the album was more poppier and over produced then previous albums but it's an album that surpasses Crimson in my estimation and shows perhaps the bands most honest and open album to date.

Notable shouts:

Lemuria - Get Better
Verse - Aggression
H2O - Nothing to Prove
Cancer Bats - Hail Destroyer
Joey Cape - Bridge

EPs

Lagwagon - I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to Lagwagon
Great to hear some new material since 'Resolve' came out, stand out tracks include Errands, Fallen and Mission Unaccomplished

The Gaslight Anthem - Senor and the Queen

Perfect representation of both Gaslight sounds, worth the price alone just to hear Wherefore, Art Thou Elvis?

Against Me! New Wave B-sides

New Wave was trashed by many fans whilst having some good songs it was piss poor in comparison to their older material. However, if these B-sides made it onto the record it would have changed a lot of opinions. 'You Must Be Willing' is one of the best Against Me! Songs I've heard, not to mention other greats songs such as Gypsy Panther and Full Sesh not to mention the very catchy 'So Much More'.

Demos

Thousandaires
Get Bent
Iron Chic

Bad Points

Anti-Flag - Bright Lights of America

One of the worst albums I heard this year, pretty average live also

Fake Problems - Good on CD incredibly poor live.

What to look out for in 2009…..

New Bouncing Souls material
Dear Landlord
New Propagandhi
Dillinger Four possibly touring Europe
Groezrock 2009