With Support from 84mm, The Auteur & Not Advised
Brighton Freebutt, 4th December 2008
By the time Punktastic arrives at the Freebutt tonight, Not Advised are mid-set and showing a reasonably-packed room how high the standards of UK pop-punk are at the moment. The Southampton fivesome are a slick and energetic act, and with tunes such as ?Right Now? and ?Jane Says Left?, watching them onstage is a punch-your-fists-up kind of sing-along experience.
Current Punktastic Band of the Week and local boys The Auteur take to the stage next. It?s always great to see a band that you love on record really shows some balls live, and The Auteur, fortunately, did just that. New track ?To Cut a Short Story Shorter? kicks off proceedings, and for a first live airing, it?s bloody flawless. ?Welcome Home? and ?Hey! Watch this? sound bloody massive, and are perfect examples of why these guys are ones to watch out for in ?09.
With 84mm, things get substantially rowdier, as they bring their brand of Alexisonfire– meets-The-Blackout screamo to the stage. Despite suffering from throat problems, frontman Luke Henton can produce one hell of a scream. They do what they do better than bands with decades experience over them – don?t let their young faces fool you, 84mm are a bloody talented bunch.
2008 has been a brilliant year for Attack! Attack!. They?ve released their debut album, they?ve played Reading & Leeds are are currently wrapping up the last few dates of their epic tour with Funeral For a Friend. While their recent London date with Funeral saw them on an off day, tonight they?ve brought their ?A? game. Ploughing through the majority of their LP, they?re energetic, warm and musically excellent. ?Honestly? and ?Lights Out? sound incredible, and by the time they?ve brought things to a close with the epic ?Too Bad Son?, things are over far too quickly. I anticipated perfection from Attack! Attack! tonight, and they damn well delivered it.
Andy R