Support: The Dolly Rots, Forever The Sickest Kids & A

Words by Jemma Dodd / Photos by Matt Higgs

From the moment I saw tonight’s line up I knew I was in for one hell of a show. With a four band line-up consisting of two of my favourite bands, a classic and a band I’d heard being raved about in the past, I was definitely expecting a fun filled night.

Opening up are Los Angeles band The Dolly Rots who clearly represent young, teen rebellion both in their punchy songs and punk, rock glam. Lead singer Kelly comes across as a younger, softer Courtney Love. Although the main room of the 02 Academy is still yet to be filled the crowd seem to enjoy the whole set from The Dolly Rots. Most memorable from their set is their song Brand New Key, their own version of I’ve Got A Brand New Carbine Harvester to Brand New Pair Of Roller Skates as well as a special appearance from Bowling For Soups’ Jaret and Erik, which definitely gets the crowd going.

Second up are American, pop, punk, party rockers Forever The Sickest Kids. Opening to a soundtrack, they instantly received a great reception from the younger fans of tonight’s audience. ‘Whoa Oh (Me Vs Everyone)’ has the whole room with their hands up in the air and swaying along to the breakdown. This six piece band play with constant energy and have the crowd bouncing along and clapping to their every demand. Their set included a mix of songs from their latest album ‘The Weekend:Friday is here’ As well as classic hits ‘My Worst Nightmare’, ‘Believe Me I’m Lying’, ‘She likes (Bittersweet Love)’, ‘Hey Brittany’ and finally finishing with ‘She’s a lady’.

A open up with a much more heavier, funky rock. Although they don’t seem as popular with the crowd, it’s not much shock, when the majority of the audience consists of much younger members, who although appear to not know many songs they do make an effort in joining in. The band line up includes Dan Carter on bass, announced by Jason Perry as the first time in seven years they have played back in Birmingham together. A play with great energy including songs such as Starbucks, which the older members of the crowd sing and bob along to. No surprise when their set comes to an end, they finish with the hit Nothing definitely the highlight of their set and the best song to finish on.

Having been entertained by three bands, who each played quite lengthy sets, tonights crowd are more than ready for Bowling For Soup, the screams and cheers go on endlessly, whilst the band prepare to walk onto stage, to an opening song being played of ‘Hey Bowling For Soup’. Appearing out on stage with personalised, cowboy hats ( a gift from a fan) to an immensely loud and excited crowd, the band open with Star Song. Bowling For Soup immediately make sure the crowd are jumping like mad and clapping along, this band is the definition of fun when it comes to their live shows. My Wena and Punk Rock 101 are played and even though the band seem to be talking a lot, cracking jokes, the crowd don’t seem to mind and hang onto every word they say, as well as cheering and screaming when required to do so.

To the screams of the crowd, Bowling For Soup provide a photo opportunity for fans, standing and posing on stage to ‘Cee Lo Green’s ‘F**k You’ and dancing in their own special way. Following this songs include High School Never Ends, Disney Channel Kids programme theme tune to Phineas and Ferb Today is gonna be a great day, You’re a B*tch, a special cover of The Tings Tings Not my name, 2113 and other hits Girl All The Bad Guys Want and 1985.

Heading off stage the crowd instantly start chanting B F S in preparation for an encore, whilst the band then return, also with Jaret’s nephew who they strip into a vest top and make to don one of the cowboy hats. After this one last bit of fun they then pull the night to an end with A Really Cool Dance Song which states it all in one and has the crowd all hands in the air, jumping about for one last time.

Forever The Sickest Kids have released their video for their energy-packed track ‘She Likes (Bittersweet)’. The video sees the band competing against each other in a mini golf tournament, really fun and worth checking out if you get a chance. The track was taken from the first of their three part EP series ‘The Weekend: Friday’ which was released in the UK last month.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rMG8YJWRPc

You can download the mp3 from here – http://bit.ly/cJdvXF

Veterans of three straight summers rocking Vans Warped Tour with their fresh and insanely hummable blend of classic-lined power-pop, punk energy and space-age electronics, breakthrough band FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS are currently touring the UK with “You Me At Six” and “We the Kings”.

The tour coincides with the first release of the six-track album “The Weekend: FRIDAY” and single “She Likes (Bittersweet Love)” arriving in March 2010, the first of three mini albums to be released in succession in 2010, the group’s innovative approach to following up their successful Universal Motown album debut UNDERDOG ALMA MATER. Their 2008 debut album was released in a deluxe version in July 2009.

The Dallas-based six-man group (Austin Bello, bass & vocals; Kyle Burns, drums; Jonathan Cook, vocals; Kent Garrison, keyboards; Marc Stewart, guitar and Caleb Turman, guitar & vocals) was formed in 2006, and within four months, had recorded an EP, Television Off, Party On, written many of the songs for their eventual full-length debut, and been booked for the indie stage of Warped Tour.

FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS MARCH 2010 UK DATES:

Tuesday 9-March Birmingham O2 Academy
Wednesday 10-March Newport Centre
Thursday 11-March Sheffield O2 Academy
Friday 12-March Manchester Apollo
Saturday 13-March Newcastle O2 Academy
Sunday 14-March Glasgow O2 Academy
Tuesday 16-March Leeds O2 Academy
Wednesday 17-March Nottingham Rock City
Thursday 18-March Southampton Guildhall
Friday 19-March Norwich UEA
Saturday 20-March London Brixton O2 Academy

ftskonline.com
myspace.com/foreverthesickestkids
twitter.com/officialftsk
facebook.com/ForeverTheSickestKids

Words and photo’s by Brendan Monteiro

Pop punk goes hand in hand these days with 14 year old girls screaming to the point that their lungs give in, so I found myself approaching this show with an ounce trepidation. On the other hand when you go into something with no expectations chances are the event will surpass your presumptions, which it did. First off the bat are Blackpool’s Me Vs Hero, within seconds the dullness of chilly London life is transformed and although not everyone is fully involved, there is a great deal of noise from the crowd for them nonetheless. Sam Thomson leads the way with a far more edgy voice then I was expecting from a quick visual glimpse at their myspace. Their song’s at time venture to the outskirts of hardcore and it’s these moments that really tug my attention and with a recent feature in Front Magazine I am sure that we will be hearing a lot more from this lot.

As the waiting draws on the feverish excitement for the headliners becomes almost unbearable with girls running down the stairs belting out ear numbing “whoo hoo’s” and soon enough the empty spaces sweep away. Forever The Sickest Kids finally make their way on stage and don’t waste any time to get the party started. Beats fill the air with bass and percussion and soon enough the whole place is in a spin. Jonathan Cook stands at the edge of the stage almost looming over the crowd and looks as if at any minute he might jump right in. What Do You Want From Me is a party stomper and when it is unleashed half way through the set the night fires up a notch, the chorus is like an anthem for a keg bash and Jonathan does not battle to get the crowd participating.

There are two things that I really found amazing about Forever The Sickest Kids. First is that every member seems viable as a front man, they all share the spotlight and bask in it. They all share the stage instead of just playing as a backdrop to their singer and it’s this fact that I think will make them stronger than most pop punk acts. Secondly is the absence of immature jokes that so many bands from the same genre force on crowds, as far as I am concerned if your going to do it you have to do it ably and I have not seen bands do it properly other than Blink 182 and Guttermouth. FTSK definitely have their humourous side but it’s in moderation and actually comes out funny rather than forced and tactless.

As the band make their way off stage the calls for an encore grow louder and louder and just before a riot is imminent the boys come back for one final song. The mass of fans make their choice between a cover of Kesher or Whoa Oh (Me Vs. Everyone) and soon enough the room is in total chaos. Arms and legs become a blur and in the blink of an eye the entire stage is invaded, it looks like a giant pile up and Jonathan, Marc, Caleb, Austin, Kent and Kyle are all the victim. In the end I think I wasn’t the only person who had their expectations completely blow away, I don’t think FTSK themselve could ever have expected such a stand out show.

Setlist: Tough Love, Hey Brittany, My Worst Nightmare, She Likes (Bittersweet Love), Phone Call, Believe Me, I’m Lying, What Do You Want From Me, I Don’t Know About You…But I Came Here To Dance, Hip Hop Chick, She’s A Lady. Encore: Whoa Oh! (Me vs Everyone)

ONE OFF LONDON HEADLINE SHOW ANNOUNCED AT THE BORDERLINE ON MONDAY 8TH MARCH 2010

Veterans of three straight summers rocking Vans Warped Tour with their fresh and insanely hummable blend of classic-lined power-pop, punk energy and space-age electronics, breakthrough band FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS have announced a one-off London headline show on Monday 8th March 2010. Tickets, priced at £10, will go on sale at 9am on Monday 8th February via www.killilive.com . The show for ages 14+. This date is in addition to the bands already announced and virtually sold out March tour with “You Me At Six” and “We the Kings”.

The tour coincides with the first release of the six-track album “FRIDAY” and single “She Like Bittersweet Love”, the first of three mini albums to be released in succession in 2010, the group’s innovative approach to following up their successful Universal Motown album debut UNDERDOG ALMA MATER. Their 2008 debut album was released in a deluxe version in July 2009.

The Dallas-based six-man group (Austin Bello, bass & vocals; Kyle Burns, drums; Jonathan Cook, vocals; Kent Garrison, keyboards; Marc Stewart, guitar and Caleb Turman, guitar & vocals) was formed in 2006, and within four months, had recorded an EP, Television Off, Party On, written many of the songs for their eventual full-length debut, and been booked for the indie stage of Warped Tour.

FOREVER THE SICKEST KIDS MARCH 2010 UK DATES:

Monday 8-March London Borderline (HEADLINING SHOW)
Tuesday 9-March Birmingham O2 Academy
Wednesday 10-March Newport Centre
Thursday 11-March Sheffield O2 Academy
Friday 12-March Manchester Apollo
Saturday 13-March Newcastle O2 Academy
Sunday 14-March Glasgow O2 Academy
Tuesday 16-March Leeds O2 Academy
Wednesday 17-March Nottingham Rock City
Thursday 18-March Southampton Guildhall
Friday 19-March Norwich UEA
Saturday 20-March London Brixton O2 Academy

ftskonline.com
myspace.com/foreverthesickestkids
twitter.com/officialftsk
facebook.com/ForeverTheSickestKids