26th May 2008
On their first jaunt over to the UK, Oregon?s punk rock three-piece Broadway Calls manage to impress a rather packed Concorde 2 tonight, despite most of the crowd not knowing who the hell they are. Being signed to Adeline Records, it?s all too easy to make the Green Day comparison, yet Broadway Calls serve as a refreshing reminder that bands can still make fucking great pop-rock tunes in the vein of Berkeley, California?s finest export. The harmonies are slick, the guitars fast and simple, and the lyrics more dimensional than the other two bands gracing the stage tonight. With tracks like ?Call it off? and ?Back to Oregon?, they?re on to a winner with some singalong classics too. (8)
Cobra Starship were always going to cause controversy. It seems that if you?re under 18 and female, they?re probably your new favourite band. On the other hand, if you were ever a fan of Midtown, they?re probably your worst nightmare. Fortunately, tonight?s audience is mainly comprised of the former, and Gabe Saporta?s new found campness seems to make a lot of people here turn moist at the crotch. Being a huge Midtown fan, it?s borderline painful to watch, and it?s hard no to be cynical. Still, Cobra Starship came here to make us dance tonight (apparently), and they did a good job doing just that. (6)
All Time Low are currently sitting atop a severely saturated pop-punk scene, yet their latest release ?So Wrong, It?s Right? confirms they are one of few diamonds in the rough. It?s comforting to see they can pull it off live too, with the all-important lush harmonies translating satisfactorily from the record to the stage. They?re not a band that surprise, but they do what they do extremely well, and that seems to be good enough for tonght?s crowd. Throwing in their cover of Rhiana?s ?Umbrella? and finishing the festivities with the inevitable collabaration with Cobra Starship?s Saporta, it?s an enjoyable set that satisfies the majority. (7)
Andy R