 
 Its a cold damp evening in Birmingham, but that
hasn't stopped people coming out in mass to the
O2 Academy. There's a headliner on at each academy
but for once the security seem to be getting people
in quick and they need too as San Diego post-hardcore
band Pierce The Veil are due on stage any second.
Pierce The Veil come running on stage jumping
around full of energy, the crowd get straight
into them as they are all ready to enjoy this
night of punk and metal. The sound is pretty off
but this is due to the set up and not the band,
as the levels are clearly out. The singer 'Vic
Fuentes' keeps the crowd entertained and even
joins them during one of their tracks, the guitarists
jump around in synchronized moves and the drummer
is great, playing hard fast rhythms. The band
rap up their set with the single 'Caraphernelia'
which means they are joined by ADTR's vocalist
Jeremy McKinnon which gives the crowd a taste
of what else is to come tonight.
 Next on is Bayside a punky 4-piece from New York.
The band are another high energy fast paced band
with ripping solo's and heavy bass. Unfortunately
the sound was still off but this doesn't stop
every ones fun. The sound is very basic, but it
is broken up with nice little drum beats and solo's
that make the band more interesting. Bayside are
good but I think they should have opened up tonight
as they just help pass time before ADTR appear
on stage.
The building is a sell out, but I've been to
sell out gigs here before and they have never
felt as busy as it does tonight. I pop out for
my guilty pleasure of a cigarette between bands
and find out how busy the academy is, I spot lots
of people sneaking in from the balcony section
to the standing section and I'm informed that
people have paid touts £50 on the door just
to get into the balcony so people are trying their
hardest to get into the mix.
I arrive back into the main room to find the
stage covered by curtains hiding ADTR's stage
set up, the lights go down and the curtains open
to reveal a knock out of a stage, which is decorated
with big punch bags and ramps round the drums.
The band line up on stage and a big bang is heard
as confetti cannons fire up confetti into the
crowd and immediately the Florida rockers kick
into their unique style of pop-punk metalcore.
The massive crowd go crazy and the band blast
into tracks from their new album "What Separates
You From Me".
 ADTR are the most energetic band of the night
and that says something about how much enjoy playing
to people, they don't seem to be able to stand
still as they run around the ramps and keep changing
mics. They're stage show is great and they even
brake up tracks by blasting clouds of gas up on
the front of stage. Jeremy McKinnon interacts
with the crowd well and tells the audience "Birmingham
is definitely the warmest show on the tour, so
that means your rocking the hardest" they
then keep up the pace by playing some heavy tracks
from the last two albums.
They're setlist is great and mixes all 4 albums
really but they keep the crowd happy by playing
most of their third album Homesick. The crowd
love it and toilet rolls are flying all over the
place. The band rap up their main set with 'You
Should Have Killed Me When You Had The Chance'
but the song has a few sound issues with the music
cutting out but unlike the first two bands this
is their first and only problem.
Jeremy and guitarist Keven Skaff come back on
stage and slow things down with and acoustic number
of 'If It Means A Lot To you' which is a great
calm before the storm as they kick into they're
big finale of 'The Downfall Of Us All' going into
'The Plot To Bomb The Pan Handle'. ADTR go down
great and everyone has had a great night. All
Bands where enjoyable and A Day To Remember cement
the fact that they're getting stronger and stronger
and they'll definitely be around for a long time
to come.
Pierce The Veil - 4/5
Bayside - 3.5/5
ADTR - 5/5
Review By James Daly
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