Live Review

New Found Glory – The Forum, London

• 29th Nov 2014

New Found Glory finally brought their Pop Punk’s Not Dead tour across the pond to the UK, and it showed that the genre is far from having past it’s better days. This tour has some of the genre’s most dominating figures as well as newcomers who will soon become household names.

Ahead of the team of US bands were Irish upstarts Only Rivals, leading the pack as the first support act. Their version of alt-rock is missing these days, but their short set was packed with songs from their Details EP as well as a couple of numbers from their forthcoming debut album – one which is already a hotly anticipated for next year.

They were swiftly followed by Candy Hearts, whose sickly sweet version of sugar punk is either for you or it isn’t – but it is a tough thing to get right, which CH do without fail. Then, doing exactly what it says on the tin are State Champs, the very definition of pop-punk.

Their first album, The Finer Things, turned a year old on the second London date of this mammoth tour, and the guys gave it the justice it deserves. Hugely entertaining and dreadfully catchy, State Champs put on a show which was always going to be tough to top.

The Story So Far did their best to match the quality the preceded them, and just about hit the mark. They were by no measure on bad form, but it almost felt like they were on the wrong side of the bill to State Champs. That being said, ‘Swords and Pens’ was an absolute stomper.

Then came the main attraction, New Found Glory. In what can only be described as a difficult year for the now foursome, they put on a show as if it was their last. Hit after hit is the best way to describe their set, one which crossed each of their eight album career span.

A guest appearance from Hayley Williams of Paramore fame on ‘My Friends Over You’ was a delight to everyone in the building, but the stars of the show were undoubtedly the headliners. Performing with more energy than most artists 10 years their junior, NFG showed us that pop punk couldn’t be further from going six feet under.

Venue: The Forum, London
Support Band: The Story So Far, State Champs, Candy Hearts, Only Rivals