Against Me! at Academy 2, Birmingham
Against Me! – Birmingham Academy 2 – 3rd June 2010
Words and Photo’s by Matt Higgs
After playing Slam Dunk Florida’s Against Me! dropped into the second city to promote their new album White Crosses out later this week. Joined by ex Hold Steady keyboardist Franz Nicolay the man with potentially the greatest moustache in the world, the band gave one of the most passionate sets I have seen in ages.
The night admittedly started slow, a long wait from doors till the nights only support band Canterbury came on to the stage, saw the crowd build up from an empty room to a respectable crowd.
Canterbury have great potential, the young Hampshire group playing some great rock songs that while maybe not the most suited to warming up Against Me!, bring reserved respect from the crowd. Finishing on ‘Friends Were More Like A Gang’ the band get their best reception with the catchy chorus being sang out even after they have left the stage. At their best with their heavier songs the band have a sound really well developed and with their album being available for free from their website their worth checking out.
After more of the crowd shuffles into the venue the anticipation begins to mount. The rooms not packed out like I thought it would be, but with the crowd eager to get involved the room has a great atmosphere and feels busy.
Opening with new song High Pressure Low the band burst into the show. From the outset it is obvious that Tom Gabel is loving every second, when he is not singing his heart out, his face is lit with a grin. From start to finish of the show it is obvious that the band are not just reeling off songs from their established discography, but playing the music that means as much to them as it does to the fans that sing the words back to them.
White People For Peace is belted out with balls and energy, every song seems to create more of a buzz as the crowd mirror the bands passion and scream the words back.
Against Me! switch between more traditional punk to that mixed with folk , Gabels voice almost becoming similar to that of Gaslight Anthems Brian Fallon. Every song has heart and it is obvious that these are more than just simple words but have meanings.
New single ‘I Was A Teenage Anarchist’ has grown on me a lot since its release, given how well it went down tonight and along with the other brilliant new songs White Crosses could end up being one of my albums of the summer.
The band finish before the encore with Thrash Unreal, the crowd knew it was coming and both audience and artist didn’t disappoint. The band turn up the gas to the final level and the crowd help set it on fire. Looking around it is obvious that these songs are more than just listened to, they are part of the soundtrack to the lives of these fans, and what a soundtrack it is.
The night finishes in sweat, smiles and the literal hail of plectrums, drum sticks and set lists the technicians chuck out. Everybody in the crowd gets the best thing to take home tonight though, the memories. Against Me! tonight proved what live music should be about, the music.
