A Skylit Drive (& Support) - O2 Academy2, Birmingham - 30th September 2011 (Live Review)
Monday, 10 October 2011
Written by Matt Turner
After Californian exports A Skylit Drive's latest album 'Identity On Fire' received a rapturous reception, it was merely a matter of time before the post-hardcore outfit announced their first set of UK shows since April 2010. With a suitably promising line-up and the idea of a sold-out show at the O2 Academy2 in Birmingham, I was incredibly excited to see what each band had to offer.
The first band to come on stage was Sleeping With Sirens, and as it was their first time overseas, I got caught by surprise as the guitar kicked into their first song and the packed venue went wild. Although they're the 'softest' band on the tour so to speak, the crowd were at their rowdiest. Frontman Kellin Quinn had an excellent vocal range and stage presence. He seemed genuinely amazed at the reception they got throughout their short yet energetic set, which contained a few tracks from their latest record, 'Let's Cheer To This' and a couple from their previous album, followed by their most popular track 'If I'm James Dean, Then You're Audrey Hepburn.' These guys are a band to watch out for, with the reaction they received from the crowd, it would not surprise me if they were back headlining a similar sized venue in the near future.
The next band onto stage were Woe, Is Me (small pic), another band who had never been to the UK before. After Tyler Carter's departure from the band after Warped Tour, this was their first tour with new clean vocalist Hance Alligood. As the lights darkened and the band came on stage, it was obvious that they were here to prove a point that they were stronger and better than ever. They proved this point immaculately, new vocalist Hance Alligood was on fine form, especially during 'Hell or High Water' where he exceeded any expectations after hitting some notes that I once considered impossible, and the pulsating screams from Michael Bohn sent the crowd wild and begging for more. After ordering a wall of death (which left many bruised, including myself) to 'Our Number[s]' they proceeded to finish their set with '[&] Delinquents' followed by a brutal breakdown featured on their cover of 'Tik Tok' by Kesha. Everything about Woe, Is Me was on spectacular form that night, and for that reason they were my band of the night. After Woe, Is Me's set finished, themselves and Sleeping With Sirens proceeded to chill with fans for the rest of the night, which I thought deserved a mention. A rare occurrence in today's music industry.
It was then Isetmyfriendsonfire's turn, a band who always divide opinion. Their latest album 'Astral Rejection' was deemed a total flop by some, but received rave reviews from others. The venue wasn't as packed as it was for the first two bands, and their were some heckles occasionally, and although the vocals were exceptional, the energy wasn't there and compared to the first two bands, they were quite lacklustre. After blasting through a few tracks from their latest release, they played some favourites and the crowd responded with appreciation as they played 'Things That Rhyme With Orange' and 'Ravenous Ravenous Rhinos' to finish.
As the long-waited headliner A Skylit Drive came in, more of the crowd flocked in from outside to watch them, as they opened with two of their tracks from their latest release 'Identity On Fire'. The energetic frontman Michael Jagmin didn't disappoint the crowd as his distinctive vocal capabilities were what set the band apart from any other post-hardcore band in the live music industry. As they alternated between old tracks and tracks from the new album, a track that stood out was 'The Cali Buds,' which sent the already violent crowd into chaos. Just when I thought the dedicated crowd couldn't get any wilder, the band came on for a two song encore, finishing on my personal favourite track 'Wires and the Concept of Breathing.' It's safe to say that this post-hardcore tour line-up left many critics and fans alike expecting big things, and I can confirm that this concert did not disappoint in the slightest.
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The next band onto stage were Woe, Is Me (small pic), another band who had never been to the UK before. After Tyler Carter's departure from the band after Warped Tour, this was their first tour with new clean vocalist Hance Alligood. As the lights darkened and the band came on stage, it was obvious that they were here to prove a point that they were stronger and better than ever. They proved this point immaculately, new vocalist Hance Alligood was on fine form, especially during 'Hell or High Water' where he exceeded any expectations after hitting some notes that I once considered impossible, and the pulsating screams from Michael Bohn sent the crowd wild and begging for more. After ordering a wall of death (which left many bruised, including myself) to 'Our Number[s]' they proceeded to finish their set with '[&] Delinquents' followed by a brutal breakdown featured on their cover of 'Tik Tok' by Kesha. Everything about Woe, Is Me was on spectacular form that night, and for that reason they were my band of the night. After Woe, Is Me's set finished, themselves and Sleeping With Sirens proceeded to chill with fans for the rest of the night, which I thought deserved a mention. A rare occurrence in today's music industry.
