Forever The Sickest Kids are one of those bands
that you’ll either love or you’ll
hate, über-American and over enthusiastic,
they do have a tendency to get on your nerves.
Yet they do know how to write a damn fine pop-punk
song, and everyone in attendance at the Manchester
Academy tonight seems to be lapping them up. Having
seen FTSK live many moons ago, it is notable that
they have considerably improved upon their live
performance, songs such as ‘Believe Me I’m
Lying’ and ‘Hey Brittany’ do
sound like they are suited to a venue of such
magnitude. Everybody is allowed a guilty pleasure
– Forever The Sickest Kids are mine.
Having reformed last year for a UK stint with
The Wildhearts and then a tour with This City
at the back end of 2009, ‘A’ are back
once again and they sound better than ever. With
a welcome return from bassist and Radio 1 DJ Daniel
P Carter, this almost feels like it could be 2002
all over again. Hi-Fi Serious is still an album
that has the same effect on me as it did eight
years ago, it is British pop rock at its best,
and if nothing more, it is a lot of fun.
Dipping into their extensive back-catalogue ‘A’
produce crowd pleaser after crowd pleaser with
‘Old Folks’ and ‘Starbucks’
receiving some of the nights biggest cheers. However,
it is not until the end of their set when they
reach their crowing moment with the stunning rendition
of ‘Nothing’. Jason Perry seems to
relish every moment that the band are on stage,
here’s hoping that they plan many more UK
jaunts very soon.
No matter what you think of Bowling for Soup,
they must be doing something right. Having recently
celebrated their sixteenth year as a band, along
with a new release pencilled in for early 2011
and armies of adoring fans, the band show no signs
of coming to a halt any time soon.
Few punk rock bands put on a show as entertaining
as Bowling for Soup, but aside from their mischievous
onstage antics, it is their songs that have truly
stood the test of time. Whether it is new fans
getting giddy over ‘My Wena’ or the
oldies skanking to ‘2113’, Bowling
for Soup know exactly how to please their fans.
Drawing their set to a close with ‘Girl
All The Bad Guys Want’ and the SR-71 cover
‘1985’ is a sure fire way to ensure
that people will come back next time, and the
time after that. Long live Bowling for Soup.
Forever The Sickest Kids 4/5
A 5/5
Bowling For Soup 5/5
Review By Ben Connell
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