Words by Eric Cannon / photos by Jamie Reynolds

A little late on stage tonight but White Rabbits prove they are well worth the wait. Starting their London show with the mesmerising ‘Heavy Metal’. It’s a mellow start for a band that normally shatter my expectations with their intense energy. However the change up in their approach is a refreshing change tonight, the ambient tones encompass the room and take control of the crowd and soon I’m tapping my foot and moving to the melodies. ‘Temporary’ and ‘Rudie Falls’ are delivered perfectly tonight. I can’t explain enough how good these two songs stood out for me tonight, which is surprising because The Plot is normally my favourite of theirs.

The latter always comes alive in a small venue rather than through my earphones and tonight is no different. It’s where White Rabbits really excel, they are an immense live band. The percussions seem to morph into a monstrous force that you just can’t ignore. Make no mistake, if you haven’t seen White Rabbits then you haven’t lived.

Words by Nadia Jenna / Photographs by Marcus Maschwitz

To celebrate the release of their 5th album ‘Weapons’, Lostprophets play an intimate shindig at The Hippodrome courtesy of Banquet Records. For 9 poxy quid you could buy a ticket and get a copy of the new album delivered straight to your door. From the looks of it tonight, a lot of people have clearly taken advantage of this bargain as we’re all packed like sardines in this place. After a quick signing, the band finally take to the stage and put us all out of our misery. As soon as they launch into ‘Can’t Catch Tomorrow’, the crowd go ballistic and a giant mosh-pit engulfs the floor and pretty much lasts the continuation of the show (some people have been waiting two hours for this moment so in fairness the anticipation has been building up).

I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this ‘album release show’ in terms of set-list but they actually only play four songs from the new record. This includes banging new single ‘Bring ‘Em Down’ which everyone already knows all the words to and ‘We Bring An Arsenal’, which it turns out everyone also knows all the words to. It’s catchy as hell and will leave you singing ‘Wayoooo Wayoooo La La La La La La La La La’ in your head for the rest of the night/week. Previously unheard track ‘A Song For Where I’m From’ is given its live debut – it sounds massive and could potentially be the next ‘Where We Belong’ with its weighty and uplifting impression. The focus doesn’t stay on the new tracks for long though as fan favourites such as ‘Last Train Home’ and ‘Rooftops’ make an appearance and of course trigger an appropriate reaction. But it isn’t until ‘To Hell We Ride’ and ‘We Are Godzilla, You Are Japan’ (with ‘Kobrakai’ intro I might add) that they really spoil us. Now that they have five albums of songs to choose from it’s going to be even harder to play a set that pleases everyone but judging by the reaction tonight, I don’t think anyone left disappointed.

As the end draws nearer Ian Watkins asks “Does anyone remember the year 2000? This is what it sounded like” and with that they conclude on the ever faithful pleaser ‘Shinobi’. The place goes nuts one last time and for the pièce de résistance, Luke Johnson leaps over his drum-kit without warning and dives into the sweaty mob before him. Although the Hippodrome is not great for intimate gigs (unless you’re on the floor your view is pretty much obscured), there’s still a great vibe in this room tonight and it’s clear that this show was more about having a party than anything else. All that’s left to say is that these guys have definitely still got it. Will Lostprophets still be pulling this off for yet another decade? I think they just might.

Words by Eric Cannon / Photos by Brendan Monteiro

The Chariot are one a unique bands that has always left me with a weird sensation, a sort of emotional “shit kicked out of me” feeling that no other band has ever come close to imitating. Every time I see them they seem more powerful and energetic than the last and tonight at the Underworld it was business as usual for the Chariot.

Honestly in all my years of going to shows (and I’m not trying to brag and be a douche) but I have never witnessed a band ignite their fans like The Chariot do. From the first second Josh Scogin grabs at the mic, the underworld blurs into a mass of flying legs and arms.

It’s not long after that Jon Kindler thrashes his bass to the ground to get involved trampling heads as he stage gallops the crowd. If face melting was possible ‘Abandon‘ would melt yours off tonight. Josh sings with so much compassion and heart and with a whole lot more crunch than the studio version it’s a whole new beast of a song tonight and definitely my favourite of the night.

The Chariot play tonight like it’s their last show on earth and it’s this continuous effort to make their live shows so energetic that make me keep wanting to come back. At the end of their set I’m left sweaty as hell with my jaw on the floor and that’s what every band should aim to do.

Words by Jamie Reynolds / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

It’s been a long while since I randomly stumbled across a new band that I instantly love and never before has this happened before I even heard an actual full track of theirs … last week I was walking through St. Pancras train station and the trio that is We Were Evergreen were sound checking as part of the Station Sessions and I knew that I had to stay and watch them play.

I loved what they were doing and bought their EP which I have killed since trying to learn as much of the tracks that I could in preparation for their headline show tonight at The Borderline. The trio are from Paris and have just relocated to London to step up and focus on their music journey together. I really like these guys and because of this I was almost feeling worried for them wondering if people would actually end up coming through to this show. My worries were smashed right out the park when we arrived at the venue to find it EXTREMELY full with a mass of people ready to party … the secret I thought I had was out. I slotted in to the last gap available and 15 minutes later the trio took to the stage.

From the first note I am reminded of that amazing feeling that I got hearing them a week earlier in the station and I get excited for the next 50+ minutes of their set that is perfectly put together. The 3 band members have a connection to each other as well as the music they make that I can connect to with ease. I don’t know all of their tracks but my foot definitely taps along to all of them and everyone around me is dancing and clapping hands.

The three of them play a mass amount of instruments and use live looping to bring together the tracks throwing in a bunch of beat boxing and mouth sounds into the mix. I’ve never really seen anything like this before and all their music has a great feel to it with inspirations of happy days, nursery rhymes, love, dancing and days gone by … it’s really hard to pinpoint any one artist that they are like and I think this is only because their stuff is very unique.

We Were Evergreen are new to me but I know off the cuff, especially after tonight, that I am going to follow them for as long as they are around for. They’re the “cutest” and “nicest” of people and when the show ends I am left smiling along with the full house but then I realize that it might be a while until I get to see them play live again. It’s a pity.

Make sure to look these three up and try to see them live. I guarantee that anyone and everyone can fall in love with what they do … it’s easy.

Words by Jamie Reynolds / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

So Death Cab For Cutie released a new album this year and then came over to London and sold out the Brixton Academy … you wouldn’t think that their next move was a smart one by coming back to London less than six months later to play the Hammersmith Apollo … but they proved us wrong and sold tonight out as well.

I’m a huge fan of these guys and have followed their stuff since the early days when everyone else was saying “Death cute what?” and the band themselves would’ve never dreamed of playing such prestigious venues as this. I’ve also seen them live a few times before and always wondered if each live show was as good as I had remembered … without a doubt they were!

The band play the set tonight with very little effort (meant in the best way) and they’re spot on as a unit … it’s almost like witnessing the perfect intimate 2 hour band jam (rehearsal) and I completely forgot how many people there are until the entire 4000 (plus) crowd harmonises along with Ben leading us like a giant choir (with great songs).

The two girls sitting next to me have gone from “I have never really been a big fan because I find their music to become monotonous after too long” to “holy crap, I’m an idiot for not listening to these guys more” and I love that.

Being a virgin-Apollo-goer I’m blown away by how perfectly clear the sound is tonight … probably my favourite sounding show since White Lies played Brixton Academy in 2009 … maybe even topping that.

For me DCFC can never really do any fault and a show like tonight completely reminds me why I am such a big fan. Their setlist is perfect and the crowd all feel it from start to finish. This is really what shows should be like.

Hopefully it won’t be long again until DCFC grace our shores again … until then I will be killing their back catalogue filled with great memories of nights like tonight.

Make sure to get a copy of Codes & Keys which is out now.

Words by Jamie Reynolds / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

It’s been a long time since Noah and the Whale began rocking our player but until now no one on our team had ever seen the band play live so tonight was something were were looking forward to for ages.

Arriving at Brixton Academy on it’s own is super exciting and until now there has never been a disappointing night spent in its presence … at least on our behalves. We were convinced that tonight we would another one of those really special nights.

Unfortunately we missed the support band making it just in time as NATW took to stage. It was immediately imminent that the band had put a lot of thought and effort into their stage setup tonight surrounding the stage with an influx of lighting at different heights all aimed directly at the band members resulting in an intimate setting regardless of the 5000 pax crowd (give or take).

The band open up tonight with Give A Little Love, in the most beautiful way ever, followed by Just Me Before We Met and the sound tonight was spot on perfect. They go through a collection of “greats” tonight including Life Is Life, Blue Skies, Our Window, L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. and Tonight’s The Kind Of Night, which they have broken into two perfectly named phases being the Romance Phase and the Good Times Phase … to be honest, the Good Times Phase was when it REALLY began for me.

Charlie is the perfect frontman coming across as cool as ever and is supported by the entire band 100% through every track. They play instruments that not many people could pull off as being cool but they do it well.

Everyone in the crowd has definitely had a great time … Tonight’s the Kind of Night … with hand waving and clapping constantly, mumbled singing, dancing and couples cuddling.

Definitely one of my favourite shows this year and I totally understand why the band has already sold out tickets for their show at The Royal Albert Hall in about six months time. If you can find any spare tickets or know a friend of a friend then we recommend that you head down because these guys are super fun … we know we will be trying.

Featuring: Dave Hause, Chuck Ragan, Dan Andriano and Brian Fallon

Words by Eric Cannon / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

It’s been a long wait for The Revival Tour, my anticipation for this show was at a breaking point the day it was announced and the excitement has been building up like no other show before. The atmosphere inside the venue is like nothing I have ever experienced before, it’s what I would imagine it would of been like to see Clapton unplugged at MTV or Metallica with a full orchestra. To even begin to try an explain in detail would probably never end up doing the show enough justice and all I can suggest is that you experience first hand.

The night starts out with Dave Hause. I have to admit that I had no idea who Dave was before hand but from the moment he unleashed his voice he had me hooked. He has this intense rawness to his vocals that just sits so perfectly with the acoustic tones. Honestly I had a proper man crush on his voice. From mid way through Dave’s set I lost all sense of time the rest of his set and that of the others just swept by way too quick. The atmosphere was just to overwhelming to be sidetracked by anything other that what was going on in front of me.

Next up was the man behind the whole revival tour, the manliest man on earth, Mr Chuck Ragan. I think everyone secretly has a crush on Chuck and the love shown for him tonight is well deserved. He powers through an amazing set including a goosebump inducing duet with Dave Hause.

The more I see Chuck play live the more and more I get in to everything he does. His music, both Hot Water Music and his solo material, is slowly becoming the soundtrack to my life.

Alkaline Trio are an amazing band and Dan Andriano brings there songs to life tonight, within seconds of his first notes he has the entire venue in a sing-along. Classic trio material mixed with his own material makes for an interesting set and weirdly it’s his own material that really sticks out for me tonight.

Brian Fallon takes to the stage to thunderous roar from the crowd. ‘Here’s Looking At You Kid’ has never sounded so good as it did tonight.

Brian is running on all cylinders tonight, he is such an entertainer and literally has everyone in the palm of his hands. By this time the atmosphere just builds and builds to the point where you just feel lost in it all.

I could go on and on but would never be able to capture the essence of this show. It was magical, a night you would never ever forget and personally one of my favourite shows ever. Big thank you to Chuck Ragan and his wife for putting on such a good show.

Words and Photos by Sean Gibson

It’s pretty impressive to think that the Deftones have been together for 23 years, no mean feat in the dog eat dog world of rock ‘n roll. This longevity has resulted in a very family-like feel to the band and this is immediately demonstrated to me by a sign at the guest list window requesting a £5 donation from everyone on the list to go towards Chi Cheng’s medical bills. I’m impressed by how only one of the several people in front of me bitches about this (obviously not a true fan).

With a big slot way up the bill looming at the Reading and Leeds festivals in a couple of days this one-off treat for London is definitely serving as a warm-up for the guys before the weekend and it looks to me like they’re having all the more fun for it. Chino strides onto stage with a big grin on his face and they rip into a couple of new tracks off Diamond Eyes, with ‘Rocket Skates’ getting the crowd behind the photo pit literally frothing at the mouth.

Deftones are a phenomenal stage act, all the guys looking more than in their element up in front of the packed house. Stand-in bassist Sergio Vega on the right hand side of the stage is a great counterbalance to a traditionally fairly static Stephen Carpenter on the left. He bounces around large tracts of stage, feeding off the hurricane that is Chino Moreno. Moreno is an amazing front-man and I’d love to see him with more room to move on a stage somewhere like Reading. At one point he loses his in-ear monitor and his poor roadie has a hard time getting him to stand still long enough to hook it up again. I think it’s a pretty good indicator of just how aggressively he involves every part of his body in the music that his microphone is swaddled in gaffer tape all around it and about a metre down the cord to protect it from the beating it takes. It needs it, trust me.

With the all the brilliance of this band and their vortex of energy spinning up on stage I’m feeling let down by the sound tonight. It’s muddy and Moreno’s voice is getting lost somewhere. The drums and bass sound great but something’s happening in the mids that’s detracting from the performance, which is a pity because Chino is holding some of the best vocal cords on any stage anywhere and it’d be nice to hear them properly. Still, that aside it‘s a great gig and with 6 albums of material to pick from we’re treated to whole range of their stuff with ‘My Own Summer’ raising the roof and ‘Digital Bath’ getting everyone singing along, hands reaching high.

The atmosphere I mentioned earlier of this feeling like a good-time, warm-up show for the band is evident in the few mistakes they make (and they are few) tonight and the their reactions to them. As they’re going through the spooky sound-scape that leads into ‘Digital Bath’ Abe Cunnigham cracks the snare a couple of bars too soon which gets all of them laughing, sharing the moment, and it makes me a little jealous. I want to be in an awesome band with my closest mates, having a good time on stage and laughing at each other’s cock-ups.

Author’s Side Note – Thank you to the security staff at The Empire and the PR lady for the band. You guys were super friendly, made us photographers feel more than welcome and did your work efficiently and with a smiles on your faces. I’ve been to most of London’s bigger venues and you guys outshine ‘em all.

Words by Nadia Bensihem / photos by Heather Fitsell

Set in the serene surroundings of Port Lympne Animal Park in Kent, Hevy Festival 2011 is quickly becoming one of the essential outdoor events of the summer; even though it’s only in its third year. Boasting its finest bill yet, this year’s festival reached epic heights as it played host to some of the best hardcore, metal and pop-punk bands around. On Friday 5th August, a few thousand fans gathered to enjoy a weekend of music, moshing and getting smashed.

Although there are no main stage acts, the first day of Hevy is still jam-packed with some of the UK’s best up and coming and established talent including the likes of Straight Lines, The First, Basement and Flood Of Red. But on Friday, it is party rockers Don Broco and hardcore revellers Lower Than Atlantis that steal the show. Having shared the same stage at Slam Dunk earlier in the year and coincidentally playing similar time slots tonight, these two bands are heading for stardom at a similar pace. Kick-starting with the brilliant ‘Thug Workout’, Don Broco get the party started by showing everyone how it’s done. They also show us how not to do a wall of death as vocalist Rob Damiani gets tripped up and slaughtered within his own doing

But luckily he comes out alive with a big fat smile and still manages to sing about being on ‘Top Of The World’.

A few moments later over on the Etinies/Front stage, Lower Than Atlantis cause chaos as they ignite their fiery set with bangers like ‘(Motor) Way Of Life’, ‘Beech Like Tree’ and ‘Far Q’. Scenes are rowdy as security struggle to control the amount of sweaty bodies flying through the air. Amongst the mayhem, there is a moment of poignancy as they perform a heartfelt ‘Another Sad Song’- Mike Duce’s vocals are hardly perceptible as the crowd sing along at the top of their lungs.

Tek-One turn things up a notch and end the night in suitable fashion with their bassy dubstep. The tent is rammed as they blast out remixes of Skindred’s ‘Cut Dem’ and The Blackout’s ‘Higher and ‘Higher’. Mischief continues into the night as the Front girls hold an after-hours party for those of us to hyped to sleep. However, the tent quickly turns into a bit of a sausage fest and when drunken chants of “get ya tits out” are met with no avail, many return to their campsites. But those that stick around are entertained by DJ’s who play the likes of Limp Bizkit and Lostprophets for us to get crunk to.

For many, Saturday’s cracking line-up is kicked off by Arcane Roots in the Rock Sound/Macbeth tent. Having wowed crowds at their own headline show at The Lexington a few days previous, they show us exactly why they’re worthy of opening today. For those still half asleep, their big destructive, At The Drive-In/Biffy Clyro-esque sound is like a hard slap in the face wake-up call and truly electrifying to watch live. For such a new band they are incredibly impressive and so is vocalist Andrew Groves’ Simon Neil resemblance.

Watford’s latest buzz-band Spy Catcher follow on with a set full of tracks from their stunning, newly released debut album ‘Honesty’. It’s great to see how much they’ve progressed and their self-proclaimed ‘grit-pop’ creates a perfect party atmosphere. ‘Remember Where You Were When Michael Jackson Died’, ‘Honesty’, ‘Good Times’ and ‘I Don’t Like People’ are highlights but the band struggle to get the crowd moving (who are probably still trying to recover from Arcane Roots).

However, they have no problems going mental for Me Vs Hero, who continue the momentum with their cheeky antics and energetic stage presence. It almost feels as if the sound has been amplified because their pop-punk anthems sound absolutely massive in this tent. With an infectious melody and bounce-friendly beat, ‘Days That Shape Our Lives’ is the jam that causes the most commotion.

Still riding off the success of their critically acclaimed debut LP ‘End Measured Mile’, Make Do And Mend are a popular choice as fans and press alike gather to enjoy the gravelly melodies of this Connecticut/Boston band. Their set mainly consists of tracks from the aforementioned record as they open with the brilliant ‘Oak Square’ and progress with ‘Unknowingly Strong’, ‘Transparent Seas’ and ‘Night’s The Only Time Of Day’. For variation they chuck in tracks from their earlier EPs and split with fellow wave band Touché Amoré, sparking a near perfect performance.

Over on the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage, Floods are about to commence and I’m not talking about the result of too much rain. The Hertfordshire post-hardcore/punk quintet are just one example of some of the great new bands playing this weekend. But with such a strong line-up elsewhere, the RBBJ stage suffers from lack of attendance as many choose what they know over new music. So what do you do when the crowd won’t come to you? Go to them of course- and that’s exactly what Floods do. Vocalist James Powers’ wild crowd antics are entertaining to watch whilst their brutal breakdowns and fiery stage presence impress enough people to stick around for the whole set. With an upcoming tour scheduled next month with fellow RBBJ contenders Acoda and a possible new album imminent, these guys are definitely worth keeping an eye on.

A massive crowd draws as The Ghost Of A Thousand take to the main stage for their final ever show before calling it a day. It’s an emotional affair for many but they make damn sure to go out with a bang. With ‘Left For Dead’ as a starting point, they melt our faces with a scorching set-list comprised of material that spans their seven year stint. The crowd go pretty mental but frontman Tom Lacey ensures that there will only be happy memories from this gig as he demands a conga line and wall of hugs and high-fives over a wall of death. They conclude with an explosive performance of ‘Bored Of Math’ before an entertaining cover of AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’. As they bow to a show of appreciation, they leave us with watery eyes and one thought in our heads: ‘why the hell are they splitting up again?’

Squashed in-between The Ghost Of A Thousand’s farewell show and Dillinger’s anticipated headline slot means that Architects have a hard act to follow and intimidating one to precede. To add insult to injury, the sound on the main stage is pretty shaky at the best of times but with a set full of crowd pleasers largely drawn from latest album The Here And Now, the Brighton tech-metallers give it an admirable, gutsy shot. This is powered by confidence as they open with banger ‘Day In Day Out’. Whilst a lot of their sound seems to unfortunately get lost in the wind, this hard-hitting performance proves that they deserve to be getting as big as they are.

On the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Stage, which is parked right next to the main stage, Acoda have the biggest crowd of the day watching them (well at least listening) as people prepare to watch Dillinger. They make the most of the opportunity and go all out as they blast out the handful of songs they have to their name. With an impending debut album in the mix and the prospect of winning the RBBJ competition, this Midlands metal outfit have a promising bright future ahead of them.

Dillinger Escape Plan are the band many have been waiting for all day and they appear on stage amid excited and admiring cheers as they are received like returning heroes. As they launch into ‘Farewell Mona Lisa’, to my dismay, the sound is crap. It’s unlucky because this is a band that particularly require technical perfection. Saying this, they still sound absolutely massive and their powerful, schizophrenic and complex riffs hypnotise everyone watching. As Dillinger are many people’s choice of headliner tonight, it means that the turn out for Bouncing Souls isn’t as big as they deserve. But nonetheless, the punk pioneers play a fun and upbeat set to a lot of delighted, drunk-dancing people. Their top anthem ‘True Believers’ puts a smile on everyone’s faces and leaves us suitably pumped to party the night away.

On Sunday morning, many of us are equipped with hangovers and hazy memories of the free-bar related shenanigans of the night before, but soon get back to important business because today’s line-up is nothing short of stellar. First on the list to check out is Man Overboard, who prove that they are still defending pop-punk with a set full of bouncy beats, gang vocals and playful lyrics. The loveable New Jersey four-piece are still fairly new to the game but they look like they’ve been a band for years as they play with natural confidence and ease. Vocalist Zac Eiestenstein beams at the turn-out and tells the crowd to “come do weed with us”- they obviously don’t take themselves too seriously and that’s their appeal. (Well that and the fact that they look like the nerdy science club gone bad).

Following on from their current tour buddies, Polar Bear Club are slightly more grave in their delivery. Their gruff voiced melodies are well received; particularly the Hot Water Music/Gaslight Anthem tinged ‘Living Saints’.

It’s safe to say that the wave bands are creating the most buzz this weekend with Make Do And Mend, Touché Amoré, Defeater and LA Dispute all gracing us with their presence. First on the bill today are Californian outfit Touché Amoré who have people spilling out of the tent before they even appear on stage. From the onset their energy is ridiculous and with their punchy, passionate hardcore, they tear up the Rock Sound/Macbeth stage and give us an ear-drum battering in the process. Their early material provokes the most raucousness but tracks such as ‘Uppers/Downers’, ‘The Great Repetition’, ‘Home Away From Here’ and ‘Amends’ from new record ‘Parting The Sea Between Darkness And Me’ are also positively received. As they conclude with ‘Losing Sleep’, vocalist Jeremy Bolm climbs the stage scaffolding and watches as the crowd scream the last few utterances in unison, unaided by music. Not even the brief technical glitch could prevent this from being one of the most formidable sets of the day.

Over on the main stage, a lot of introductory commotion is built up as We Are The Ocean prepare to come on. They appear on stage clearly psyched but as they launch into first track ‘What It Feels Like’, it actually feels like a bit of an anti-climax. The fact that they are burdened with poor stage sound doesn’t help matters and whilst Liam Cromby’s vocals sound great, it doesn’t quite compensate for it. But the band certainly look like they are having a ball and that’s the most important thing. If there is something this fivesome are not lacking, it’s a bulk of impressive songs- particularly newer material such as ‘The Waiting Room’ and ‘Runaway’. It is these tracks that show just how much they’ve matured as a band over the last few years.

As I’m forced to bail early and wonder over to the Rock Sound/Macbeth tent, we soon realise why We Are The Ocean’s audience was looking a bit thin- it’s because the whole world had come to see Defeater. Like their wave contemporaries, this Boston quartet are a must watch and we soon find out why. Opening with the gentlest song heard all weekend, the lyrical beauty and rich, acoustic tones of ‘I Don’t Mind’ are heart-warming as we get to hear Derek Archambault’s lovely singing voice before he proceeds to scream the place down. As predicted, this song is the calm before the storm as they begin to stir up a fury with ‘Dear Father’. But nothing could have prepared us all for the passion exuded in fan favourite ‘Cowardice’, a beast of a song and surely melodic hardcore at its best. The compelling ending propels atmospheric level through the roof as each band member effortlessly plays their heart out. Whilst this would have been a suitable place to end, they out-do themselves even further with an explosive performance of ‘The Red White And Blues’, making this the most convincing and arguably best show of the whole weekend.

As I return to the Jägermeister stage, still stunned from the show I’ve just witnessed, excitement kicks in because Welsh lovelies and UK post-hardcore pioneers Funeral For A Friend are up next. With a ten year spanning career under their belts, this is a band that thoroughly deserve their place on the main stage. Frontman Matt Davies’ humour provides the laughs as their familiar hits provide nostalgia and mass sing-a-longs. They delve into their back-catalogue and dust of their early records as the likes of ‘Juneau’ and ‘Roses For The Dead’ are played for our hearing pleasure. As well as the classics, they throw in tracks from new album Welcome Home Armageddon, which along with this gig, shows them returning to form. Even after a decade, this lot have still got it.

With only one band left to enjoy, we’re all spoilt for choice with Your Demise, The Bronx and Four Year Strong headlining simultaneously. In an attempt to not miss out, I decide that my Hevy festival experience should be closed with the The Bronx and Four Year Strong. As I made my way to The Bronx, I’m surprised to find that the tent isn’t that packed, but there were still plenty of people ready to get rowdy for this band. As soon as the gripping, opening riff of ‘Knifeman’ drops, the crowd go ballistic and the tent turns to carnage. As they progress more into their set, chucking the likes of ‘Six Days A Week’ and ‘History’s Stranglers’ at us in full force, people react by diving into the crowd from raised platforms like they are diving off a springboard into a swimming pool or something. Although highly dangerous, it was entertaining to watch- well until a girl got up there and started pole dancing in a way that can only be described as cringe-worthy.

Having survived the carnage, I decide to head towards the main stage for some Four Year Strong action. With absolutely no chance in hell of getting a close enough spot, I discover that the view of the stage and crowd is much better from the press area. Already well into their set, it seems that crowd participation has been taken to another level as people shout along to hits from the bands’ brilliant three records; with ‘Story Of A Girl’ provoking the loudest sing-a-long of all. They’re clearly not too impaired by the loss of Josh Lyford and his keyboard earlier this year as tonight they sound tighter than ever. They formally conclude on the brilliant ‘It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now’ before returning for an anthemic encore of ‘Wasting Time’. This band are the perfect end to a great weekend.

It’s a bittersweet feeling as the crowd depart- we all have smiles on our faces from the experience but are sad to see the end of it. Hevy Festival 2011 exceeded expectations and brought together an intimate community of great artists and fans to share a mutual love of music. With many bands commenting on how stoked they were to play amongst such an incredible bill, it’s promising that many of them will have no problem returning in the future. Fingers crossed next year will hopefully match and even surpass the success of this weekend because I can’t wait to come back. But for now, I’m going to give my poor battered ear-drums a well needed rest.

Words and photos by Brendan Monteiro

It’s an average day in London town apart from the simple fact that a mere 2 miles down the road from the Garage a bunch of delinquents are running riot on the streets. Rather than cancel tonight’s show, Zebrahead show some balls and opt for creating a punk riot of their very own.

Rescue Me sends kids into an early frenzy and although nobody’s getting free shoe’s, there is a palpable chill of excitement in the air tonight. Zebrahead know all to well how to work this and throughout the night they feed off every bit of energy thrown at them from the crowd. Their relentless punked up party tunes keep the sweat flowing constantly in the pit, especially new favourite Ricky Bobby.

Back on stage on Zebrahead have the same effect on themselves. Ali and Matty run the show and keep the crowd interaction going while Greg, Ben and Ed keep the mayhem rolling along with a solid performance. At times it’s uncanny how much of a swing this band has on a crowd, from a heaving kaleidoscope of jumping bodies and swinging appendages to a little sit down on the floor by everyone in attendance.

The Set Up end the night on a sweaty stellar high, and Zebrahead march off triumphant. Highbury may be two miles short of the disaster that is ongoing on the streets of London tonight but the Garage did not manage to come out of this show unscathed, although the plasma’s are still in tact thankfully.

Setlist: Resue Me, Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right, But Three Rights Make A Left, Jag Off, Ricky Bobby, Postcards From Hell, Truck Stops And Tail Lights, Hell Yeah, Hello Tomorrow, Blackout, Mike Dexter Is A God, HMP, Nudist Priest, Girlfriend (Avril Lavine Cover), Mental Health, Just The Tip, Playmate Of The Year, Get Nice, Falling Apart, Anthem, The Set Up