Gig Review
Hell Is For Heroes
This Is Greed, Sixdaysober
Eddie's Rock Club, Birmingham
6th december 2008
               

Hell Is For Heroes      This Is Greed      Sixdaysober
        
Photo Of Sixdaysober © Copyright Helen WilliamsHell is for Heroes play their penultimate date on their farewell UK tour tonight, and it’ll be sad to see them leave. Having seen them last in 2003 in a small venue, they haven’t progressed to a larger crowd; but the bunch who are here tonight are a dedicated fanbase, who have been there from the start. The local support acts are both good choices, and provide HIFH with a more than decent backing.

As the first support, Sixdaysober, take to the stage, the crowd is still forming. It reminds me of the beginning of a school disco where everyone seems to be stuck to the walls. It’s a shame, because Sixdaysober are a fantastic new band, and the lack of enthusiasm from the crowd doesn’t dampen their spirits. They play a short but tight set of catchy songs with incredible bass lines. The lead vocalist, Stuart, bounds around the stage: I would have liked to have seen the other members of the band being less stationary, too.

Photo Of This Is Greed © Copyright Helen WilliamsThe second support, This is Greed, manage to coax a handful of people closer to the stage after much encouragement. They are another excellent choice of support, with their music in a similar vein to the main act. Daniel, on vocals, is so full of passion, I rarely catch him with his eyes open. The other members are energetic, too, especially the dreadlocked bassist, who does plenty to entertain the small crowd.

The crowd has summoned the courage to approach the barrier by the time HIFH come on, and finally there’s a generous gathering. They play a good mixture of old and new material, pleasing everyone. Every single song is gratefully received, especially the more popular ‘I Can Climb Mountains’ and ‘You’ve Got Hopes’. It’s hard to take your eyes off frontman Justin; he commands so much attention as he engages the crowd with his intense expressions. The other members don’t let the side down either, and you have to admire their incredible musical abilities.

Photo Of Hell Is For Heroes © Copyright Helen WilliamsThey return to the stage to perform their encore, and offer their fans a microphone to make suggestions of what to play. They decide upon ‘Slow Song’, and most of the audience begin swaying their arms. Throughout their set, I try to detect whether there is a hint of animosity between the band members - perhaps giving a clue as to why they’re splitting - but there’s none to be seen. They laugh and joke with each other between songs, and seem genuinely at ease. There isn’t a feeling of sadness either though, and it seems that they are all content that things are coming to a close now. They have enjoyed a successful career, and as Justin points out, they’ve been doing this for ten years. At the end of their thankfully long set, their fans bid them a fond farewell. I’m sure I’m not the only one that secretly hopes they change their mind.

Sixdaysober - 4/5
This Is Greed - 3.5/5
Hell is for Heroes - 4.5/5

Review and photos By Helen Williams
 Hell Is For Heroes


Justin Schlosberg (vocals)
William McGonagle (Guitar)
Tom O'Donoghue (Guitar)
James Findlay (Bass)
Joe Birch (drums)

 Sixdaysober


Stuart Hammond (Vocals)
Daniel Law (Guitar, Vocals)
Adam Brett (Lead Guitar)
James Rogers (Bass Guitar)
Andy Price (Drums & Percussion)

 This Is Greed


Daniel Crossan (Vocals)
James Thompson (Guitar, Vocals)
Matt Lewis (Guitar, Vocals)
Davey Bennett (Bass)
Duncan Pugh (Drums)

 Band Related Links
Hell is For Heroes Myspace
Sixdaysober Myspace
This Is Greed Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?