Live Review

The Blackout – Manchester Academy 3

• 17th Oct 2007

What do you expect when you walk into a venue to see hundreds of 14 year old boys and girls with bleach blonde hair and silly emo fringes, along with t-shirts with slogans like “I’m a riot”? Something very scene, and probably metal. Now I’m a fan of all music but there’s I was not expecting to enjoy tonight’s show as much as I did.

Flood of Red opened and though the room was pretty full they put on a show that wasn’t worth the crowd. They have talent and will become big on the scene but there was something not quite show stopping about their performance.

Pierce the Veil came on to a more expectant crowd, and being the “least screamy of the lot” as described by band member Vic, they were actually pretty good. From San Diego, USA, they wowed the crowd with their American charm and a great set.

The Blackout, after keeping their fans waiting entered the stage to the opening track of their album, and from the first song had the crowd really going, with great banter and great stage presence. Not caring if they had any epileptic fans in the crowd, the light show was fantastic and really put an edge to their show. Including Madonna’s “like a prayer” in the middle of one of their songs, and even Gwen Stefani’s “Hollerback girl”, the Blackout proved that they can get more scene point by being funny and talented. Somehow I found myself singing along and dancing to far more of the songs than I expected, and High Tide Baby, and I’m a Riot were the real crowd pleasing songs of the set. The audience seemed to be involved from the off, right until the end, and were rewarded with an encore, which the band “only do for crowds that we like, and you guys have been incredible!”. Their encore included “Life and death in space” from the album, which they have never played live before, and their cover of Limp Bizkit’s “My Generation” which they have done for the Kerrang! CD. Watch them for bigger things, like Taste of Chaos this November, you’ll be surprised at how much you like them.

Jess Kempner
www.myspace.com/theblackout
www.myspace.com/floodofred
www.myspace.com/piercetheveil