Ignite ? Camden Underworld, Friday 30th May
The more I?ve gone to shows on the mainland the more I realize that UK shows start outrageously early. In the case of the Underworld they get their shows done and dusted as early as possible so that the club night can start smoothly. Why am I telling you this? Well, as a result, I missed 1000 Hertz and Burn The 8-Track, who have been making a name for themselves of late. I was a little bit livid about this, but I think I was still at work when the doors opened. That is the price of punk rock in 2008.
Anyway, c?est la vie and all that. I got there in time at least to see a short but sweet set from Boston?s very own Death Before Dishonor. The problem they had was that their drummer had broken his foot the night before in Peterborough. Which is definitely a stumbling block when you plan to play the drums. A lesser band would have pulled the show, but they played half a dozen songs anyway, using the other drummers on the tour. Craig from Ignite did the last 3 songs, and did a great job. DBD are nothing new, but they are a bit special. You can see exactly why they are at home supporting Terror and Agnostic Front. Most of the crowd had no idea about any of their tunes, but they got a pit going all the same.
Despite impressing me massively, DBD were eclipsed in EVERY way by the band that everyone in a sold-out Camden Underworld had come to see ? Ignite. I didn?t expect anywhere near as big a crowd, but word of mouth about exactly how good ?Our Darkest Days?, Ignite?s comeback 2006 album, actually is has spread far and wide. And I would estimate that half the crowd knew every word Zoli melodically shouted.
Almost the whole set was from ?Our Darkest Days? and 2000?s ?A Place Called Home?, which is testament to the band?s rebirth from its 1990s routes. It?s plain enough to see they are not the same band these days. They are hardcore for the Rise Against generation ? a position I think they probably stumbled across but are happy to take up. You could see the delight on the band?s face to see the crowd shouting every word back at them. They rewarded everyone with a ferociously tight set and the odd joke about how England failed to qualify for Euro 2008. Ever sticking to their morals too, they interrupted their set to let a spokesman on saboteurs of Japanese Whalers say a few words. It?s great to see a band using their position to help things along.
A couple of acoustic songs towards the end of the set sealed the deal for me ? this band know how to write songs, and don?t just hide behind a double pedal and triplet guitar work. Everything about them oozes class.
Here?s to Ignite going on for a fair few years yet.
Mike