Live Review

Miss May I – Sound Control, Manchester

• 2nd May 2011

Even from my first impressions of the fresh faced and newly tattooed crowd waiting somewhat lethargically on a hot spring evening outside Sound control, a relatively new venue on the Manchester scene, I could tell that the Ohio quintet had their work cut out tonight. Making up part of the Scream it Like You Mean it tour with We Came as Romans at the helm, metalcore outfit Miss May I are an odd choice to accompany the other bands whose joint tendency for the progressive, experimental side of the metalcore genre seems at odds with criticisms facing Miss May I’s 2010 album Monument regarding it’s somewhat generic blueprint. And so being one to always favour the underdog I felt myself feeling apprehensive for them.

First up are This or The Apocalypse, who despite only receiving a lacklustre applause burst into a series of arrogant ‘Rock Star’ posturing. Unfortunately all the spitting and guitar spinning in the world doesn’t make up for the fact that musically they’re a shambles. Their recorded sound is promising with its blend of technical, somewhat chaotic guitars and relentless drumming but live it all seems to fall apart. Their whole set blends into an incomprehensible noise with no distinction between individual songs which results in the band having to rely on half baked clichés like ‘This song is for everyone who lives each moment like it’s their last’, to try and inspire movement from the unresponsive audience. It’s clear that the band is frustrated but their demand of the crowd to show more energy falls on death ears.

It’s at this point that I start to wonder if the heat of the last few days has got to the young scamps attending the gig making hope of enthusiasm a lost cause. But then The Word Alive take to the stage and these fears are swiftly put at bay. Standing in a line on the stage with their backs obnoxiously turned towards the audience I let out an audible sigh of ‘Here we go again’, yet more style over substance, but opening song Epiphany smacks me in my cynical face as the crowd go mental. They manage to blend melody and ambient synth sections with unforgiving drum work seamlessly, despite a few sound issues. Vocalist Tyler Smith interchanges between intense screaming and addictive clean choruses perfectly and remains the focal point throughout the set as he throws himself about the stage and into the crowd with reckless abandon. Next up is another huge sing along Hounds of Anubis which has one of those irritatingly catchy chorus and guitar riffs that’s bound to stay with you for days after and have you waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat wondering where the hell it’s come from like an annoying jingle from a double glazing advert. The energy keeps up right the way through the set accumulating with the epic closer 2012 and its accompanying wall of death at which point I genuinely do fear for the safety of some of the weak little things I’ve seen milling about. Its clear that The Word Alive have fallen victim to the epidemic of having more carefully quaffed hair than most girls I know, rips just in the right places on their jeans and of course the essential vest to ensure that their chest pieces are just as predominant a part of their appeal as their guitar skills. I’m not knocking them mind, fashion has always been a huge part of music and let’s face it, it works, though with these types of bands I find myself disliking them until proved otherwise and The Word Alive did just that with their raw energy and musical ability, so much so that when the crowd erupted into an impromptu chat of ‘We want more’ I have to admit I could have probably heard a few more myself.

Now it’s Miss May I’s turn and they have a tough act to follow. They take to the stage as a stark contrast to the previous bands with their unkempt straight up metal appearance and I feel myself willing them to be good; to win over the crowd that obviously isn’t intended for them. Unfortunately as they unleash their no hold bars metal affair everyone just stands there a little confused and unsure how to react after what’s just gone before. Frontman Levi Benton’s demands for horns in the air and circle pits are ignored by most and done only reluctantly by others. A noticeably older section of fans in the middle know every word and breakdown perfectly but on the whole this isn’t their show. There are some highlights however, popular songs Forgive and Forget and Monument manage to get people moving and fists pumping whilst most other tracks have enough breakdowns to allow those fond of arm swinging to get involved. Again a comment is made by Benton that the crowd seems pretty dead and from there on they begin to lag. Starting at the age of just 16 in 2006 Miss May I are still a relatively young band which makes it surprising that what struck me most about them was their maturity. They performed a tight and flawless set even if there was a distinct lack of personality which increased towards the end. I couldn’t decide how much of that was perhaps due to their music or more affected by the crowd’s disinterest. Perhaps seeing them in a different setting would decide that. Ultimately what should have been their saviour; their no gimmicks, no posturing, no shit attitude, just doesn’t work for this crowd and I’m somewhat sad to say their performance didn’t make up for it either. Enter We Came as Romans complete with Justin Timberlake cover to give the audience what they want…