Piebald

The Worst

Aficinado

Take Steps

Tonight was a night for those of an eclectic taste. From acoustic to passionate screamo, tonight had everything to offer. As six great acts made their way into a tiny room in Brighton, it definitely had the makings to be a night to remember.

As the crowd started to move into the venue expecting to see Kerouac, they were instead greeted by a larger than life Swede by the name of Old Kerry Mckee. The one man band was a pleasant surprise to everyone, using everything at his disposal to make a noise to add to his sound. To understand what the sound of this man was, it was like witnessing a one man modest mouse.

Finally it was time for Kerouac to take centre stage. The only English band on the bill had a lot to live up to. Not to be out done by their international counterparts, Kerouac gave a full blooded performance. I have been fortunate to catch Kerouac several times and each time they just get tighter as a unit and more inspirational as musicians. Their gritty hard guitar riffs just sound huge, which are complimented by a thunderous scream which really shows how well UK music has developed.

As tonight was the story of two different tours crossing paths, it was the first of the touring bands to come up. Playing a modern brand of pop punk which seems to be pushed to the forefront was Aficionado. Using a great blend of two sets of vocals, male and female, to make a very catchy sound. As well as feeding off each other, the whole band played with a great energy which meant the band gaining a lot of new fans tonight. People were walking away comparing them to Tigers Jaw and Lemuria to name a few.

Next was the first of the screamo crew. Three piece, We Were Skeletons, launched into their set at a ridiculous pace with intense screams to match the ferocity of their music.  Despite the fact the bands bassist was very ill the band powered through to produce an incredible set. The band also gave a sneak preview of some new material which is on the horizon for this incredibly intense band.

With time constraints now becoming a bit of an issue, Self Defence Family jumped on stage to play a very brief set.  It really was a shame that they didn’t have longer as they were completely mesmerizing. Like Aficionado they played a more chilled approach compared to Kerouac and We Were Skeletons, yet was just as incredible. Watching Self Defence Family you couldn’t take your eyes off their front man. Watching him was like watching someone who was fighting off their demons. It really was an incredible experience and one I would recommend anyone to go see if they had the chance.

Finally to close the night were the ever so humble The Saddest Landscape. Once again with time being a factor the band apologised that they would have to keep it brief and proceeded to power through their set. It wasn’t until the very last act that members of the crowd finally started to show some life, but they couldn’t have waited for a better band. You could tell that the band have put their heart and soul into the music, as it really comes across in their live performance.