Well
I arrive at the venue later than planned due to
the chaotic traffic on the Birmingham express
way, an hour late for my interview with first
support The Wonder Years and by the time I get
in its only half an hour till they go on stage.
But due to them being such nice guys I still get
an interview with lead singer Soupy as he and
the rest of the band are getting ready. After
the interview I go out and take my place by the
barrier and shortly after....
 The Wonder years come out on stage, this Philadelphian
6 piece were great when I saw them back in February
supporting Good Charlotte, so I was hoping that
tonight they’re just as good, but I was
wrong, they were so much better! They kick off
to their latest single, “Come Out Swinging”
and although most of the crowd are hear for some
emo and violins this pop punk outfit get people
moving. After 2 songs there singer Soupy, declares
to the crowd "this stage is the smallest
tackiest stage I've ever played on, I’ve
almost fallen off it 5 times" and so decides
to get off stage and take it to the audience,
performing in a circle of people, most have no
idea what's going on, but it's fun and the rest
of the band are rocking out on stage! He eventually
goes back on stage for the last few songs, and
his ear piercingly strong vocals demolish the
audience. The room is hot and sweaty now and everyone
is warmed up and ready for the next act
 After a good wait, Saves The Day finally come
on stage, there given a warm reception, the room
isn't set alight but people look happy enough.
The New Jersey 4 piece hasn’t played in
the UK for 7 years so I was expecting the crowd
to go wild, seeing as this was a joint headline
tour! They’re set list is rather a long
one which in the most is pretty boring. The singer’s
high pitched voice grates me by the time they're
4 songs in. If you want a night of slow sways
and high pitched ear bleeding then Saves The Day
are for you. I know they’re emo legends
and 10 years ago try where huge, but it seems
like they're stuck there, I can't tell one song
from another and they luck rather uninterested
be to on the stage, I know each band member had
about 500 pedals and it’s hard to have fun
whilst concentrating, but come on your playing
a gig, cheer up!
At least I can say they sound alright, but it’s
just stringy guitar chords, and some flowing bass.
Halfway through they slow it down which is hard
to do seeing as most of their songs are as slow
as treacle coming of a spoon. As you can tell
I wasn't impressed with Saves The Day and a hour
and 15 minute set is way to long for me and most
of the audience to bear, with only a handful of
people dancing and singing in a sold out venue!
The only saving grace is at the end of the set
they play mega hit “At Your Funeral”
which sets the room on fire, and even the band
seem happy! At least there last song has got the
crowd going again and luckily Yellowcard are up
next and they don't take too long to set up and
get the crowd more pumped!
 Yellowcard instantly get everyone moving, it seems
they’re the band everyone came here to see!
The Floridian rockers come out to For You And
Your Denial which goes down well but their second
song Way Away brings the house down, everyone
is singing along and the band find it hard to
believe, the Violinist Sean Mackin is High Fiving
the front row in-between his parts and the energy
of the crowd feeds the band as they start jumping
and spinning around. This energy is fed back to
the crowd and it’s hard for people not to
be on their feet moving around! Their sound is
great, the levels are just right, it's not over
powered with violins or bass, it's mixed up great!
They were last meant to play the UK back in 2007
but the tour got cancelled and then the band went
on hiatus for two years, so people of the UK haven’t
had chance to see them in six years, they did
support All Time Low early this year but by the
time they were announced most shows where sold
out, this is something the band seem overwhelmed
by “Six years and a sold out show, I can’t
believe the reception we’ve been  getting
here in the UK this year!” says singer Ryan
Key. They want tonight to be better than the gig
than last night in Glasgow and by word the Birmingham
crowd pull it off! Yellowcard play a stonking
set of old and new including classics such as
Lights and Sounds, Light Up The Sky and Only One
before finishing there set with the song that
put them into the big time back in 2004 Oceans
Avenue.
Yellowcard where amazing, much better than on
their support slot with All Time Low early in
the year. I would have said The Wonder Years where
the best band of the night but Yellowcard blew
me and everyone in the venue away, a pure 5 star
performance. I can’t wait to see them and
The Wonder Years in the future, but I hope I don’t
ever have the misfortune of seeing Saves The Day
again.
The Wonder Years – 4/5
Saves The Day – 1/5
Yellowcard – 5/5
Review By James Daly
|
