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 by Jamie Reynolds / photos by Marcus Maschwitz

Playing the Electric Ballroom must be a dream come true for the Essex boys but it’s been due to We Are The Ocean for a while now but tonight is more a treat for the fans. As I make my way a little closer to the stage for the headliners the first unusual thing is that Tom’s drums have allies in the form of two drummers from Stomp. Launching into What It Feels Like, Dan and the boys sound huger than ever. The added percussion’s pulsate the masses into a massive whirlwind of arms and legs. The new direction of the band is a phenomenal show of maturity in their songwriting and they follow that through in their live set tonight.

Lucky One’s ups the frenzy levels around the front while These Days, I Have Nothing builds on the crazy to the point that Dan invades the crowd for his own slice of the action. A minor set back with Dan being injured sees the unusual ‘once in a lifetime’ appearance of Alfie taking up the vocal duty’s of (I’ll Grab You By The) Neck of the Woods. It’s a damn good job on Alfie’s part and although Dan is sadly missed for the few minutes he is away but this truly is something special.

It’s a hard task keeping tabs on my notes tonight’s when all I want to do is get involved but it’s a no win situation, As songs fly by the whole sets slowly starts etching it’s way into my list of ‘all time favourite show’s’ and by the end of the night it’s pretty much chiseled it’s way in to my top 5.

Words by Eric Cannon

Evolution is one thing but it feels like We Are The Ocean have jumped the ladder like The Incredible Hulk. Go Now And Live is the second album from probably one of Britain’s nicest bands and it’s a bloody masterpiece. Trouble is Temporary, Time Is Tonic boldly goes where no other WATO song has gone before and it’s a perfect example of the cutting edge sounds to follow.

What It Feels Like and The Waiting Room give us those fist in the air choruses, it’s songs like these that will undoubtedly push the band further into the mainstream but without the cost of selling out to that WATO signature feel. For me the album is the sound of a band experimenting and pushing their boundaries coming out with something extraordinary, they have taken so many chances on this record and it’s bound to pay off.

The biggest exploration this record takes is on the vocal side of things, both Dan and Liam have delved deep and pushed their vocals in so many interesting and unique ways. Now & Then and Before I Die are probably my two stand out favourites but this is one of those albums you can listen from start to finish and not be disappointed with any of the tracks. It truly is a masterpiece and firmly pushes the band away from any slander that they sound like Alexisonfire. Go Now And Live is the sound of the future, it’s originality at it’s finest.

10/10

Support: The Ghost Of A Thousand

Words by Khyly Madder / Photos by Marcus Maschwitz

Ok so is no secret that I am somewhat of an avid We Are The Ocean fan. With this is mind, I set off to the Kings College gig fully aware that I would probably be the oldest in the crowd (which is not a rarity given the majority of the gigs are only 14+). This did not however stop me feeling and acting like an excitable 14 year old teeny bopper fan waiting to catch a glimpse of the latest pin up craze. This is of course a slight exaggeration but it does sum up the excitement I feel when I am about to see a band that I am very enthused about, and WATO are obviously one of those bands.

It was also the first time I had been to a gig at this particular venue and I was pleasantly surprised. As predicted the crowd could be placed into the ‘younger age bracket’ but this is more than to be expected as this is primarily the target audience and general fan base of a band such as WATO. I think what reiterated this fact, was being asked 5 minutes into The Ghost Of A Thousand’s set ‘Excuse me can you go to the bar for me and get me a beer?’. If I hadn’t just spent 15 minutes trying to get served myself I may have responded in a politer manner, but instead I declined then proceeded to neck down one of the 5 drinks we had just stock piled.

I last saw time I saw The Ghost Of A Thousand was at Groezrock festival in Belgium last April and let me tell you, they tore that shit up. I was of course very excited to see them again, this time in a more intimate venue. They did not disappoint! Tom Lacey is the ultimate front man, full of energy, encouraging the crowd and pitch perfect throughout. The same can be said for Jag, Mem, Andy and Gareth, the unity is apparent and the objective the
same……to rock every single person in the room. ‘I wanna see pandemonium!!!’ exclaimed Tom and I think he got just that.

Classics such as Bright Lights, Married To The Sidewalk, Fed To The Ocean and especially crowd favourite Left For Dead were played to perfection. The crowd were lapping it up, mosh pits, crowd surfing and stage diving all continuous throughout the set, with Tom frequently singing his heart out in amongst the action. The thing I love about TGOAT the most though, is their ‘love not war’ spin on the imminent wall of death, I remembered seeing this at Groezrock and it was so refreshing to see at the time that it stuck with me. Much like all wall of deaths which are prompted by the band, Tom began by asking the crowd to split into two. ‘Ok no kung fu kicking, no punching, no violence……’. I think this is very admirable from a band of their stature, as many bands don’t seem to think it has been a ‘sick’ enough gig unless they see blood in the crowd.

Just enough time for a quick loo break and another monster bar queue, before We Are The Ocean stormed the stage with their new single Lucky One taken from their recently released Cutting Our Teeth Deluxe Disc . Although this is a fairly recent track, the crowd reception was amazing and sparked an instantaneous atmosphere within the venue. I was a little concerned about Liam’s voice prior to the gig as he had mentioned on his personal Facebook profile that he hoped it would hold out. I needn’t have worried as he sounded at his usual best, as did Dan with their infamous complimentary vocal stylings.

Alfie, Jack and Tom all played their hearts out and lapped up the energy which resonated from the crowd. Long standing favourites This Is Called My Home, I’ve Never Felt This God Damn Good, Don’t Be Careless and Look Alive went down an absolute treat. The chemistry between the band is indescribable especially between Dan and Liam, there are many bands out there that work the whole dual vocal approach but none in my opinion are as successful as these two. Everyone in the audience were singing along and soaking up everything that WATO had to give. The highlights for me were most defiantly I’ll Grab You By The Neck Of The Woods, Confessions and by all time favourite Nothing Good Has Happened Yet. By this point (the encore) I was 100% submerged in the atmosphere that this gig had generated and without doubt I was completely lost in the music. This is everything a gig should make you feel and everything a band should be.

The boys obviously gave it their all, as the scheduled Nottingham gig was cancelled due to Liam’s voice completely going the next day. The boys ever the gents issued a vey apologetic statement ‘We head straight out to Europe on Monday morning and we can’t risk having to cancel an entire tour, rather than just one night’ which is understandable. I feel for Nottingham, but I gotta say I am SO glad his voice held out for London. One hell of a kick arse gig and I wait with baited breath to see them in action again….soon!

Support: Our Last Night & The Ghost Of A Thousand

Words by Teri Oakshott / Photos by Jemma Dodd

Support band Our Last Night open up the 17th show of We Are The Ocean’s headlining tour to a rapture of applause from the crowd. For a band largely unknown they perform with so much passion that it’s not long before hundreds of bodies start to move.

The Ghost Of A Thousand have been a quiet band over the last few years, but they broke their silence in Birmingham with a raucous set comprised of their well-known songs. Vocalist/screamer Tom Lacey leapt between crowd and stage during the half-hour set and encouraged circles pits to the annoyance of the O2 Academy’s security team – during a wall of death security actually sighed and left the crowd to it. Songs Black Art Number One and closer Bored Of Math reminded the crowd of why TGOAT is such an underrated band who deserve a lot more recognition than they currently get.

Headliners We Are The Ocean have had a long day – various promo events mean that the guys are working full days on this UK tour. But that doesn’t show in tonight’s performance. WATO open their 14-song set with Lucky Ones, which keeps the crowd moving just as TGOAT left them. The following three songs see WATO play a song from each release in Don’t Be Careless, Look Alive and Our Days Are Numbered.

Playing My Heart separated WATO’s hardcore fans from others in the room, as the band played through a song from their rereleased Cutting Our Teeth. Those aware of the song make enough noise to cover up those less aware. Dan’s screams made a reappearance during (I’ll Grab You By The) Neck Of The Woods as the crowd burst into yet another circle pit and sweaty bodies hurled themselves around the venue.

This Is Called My Home saw the energy rise in the band as they performed a polished version and crowd vocals rivalled the bands’. Dan’s screams combined with Liam’s soulful vocals provide a soundtrack for, undoubtedly, many an angst-ridden teenager and was apparent through the main part of the set tonight. As the final notes play out around the room, WATO leave the stage.

Singer Liam returns for the two-song encore with just his guitar and epic-sounding vocals for Confessions before the remaining members join him on stage. WATO finally end their set with Nothing Good Has Happened Yet as the crowd erupts with cheers, group vocals and almighty chaos. WATO give it all they have and leave the crowd in awe of their passion and enthusiasm for live shows.

Words by Khyly Madder

We Are The Ocean are fast becoming the people’s choice when it comes to the easier listening side of post hardcore. Since they were acknowledged back in 2008 and sold 1000 copies of their self titled EP in one day, the band have come on leaps and bounds with a current fan following of almost 27,000 on Facebook. Such was a wise choice to re-release their debut album Cutting Our Teeth with a bonus disc including all original EP tracks as well as 4 brand new tracks.

The new tracks are noticeably different from the album and notably the early songs from the self titled EP. From the initial opening chords you can immediately tell that Get Out While You Can is a much slower tempo track. Starting with Dan (the notorious screamer) singing…….yes singing the opening verse. His voice is incredibly endearing, more of a soft deep growl than a crystal clear vocal, which for me is a nice change of direction for the band. Never straying from the classic WATO sound, familiar strong bass lines and contrasting yet complimentary vocals from both Liam and Dan, except slightly role reversed. This theme is much the same on Lucky Ones and Waiting, catchy hooks and sing along lyrics such as ‘Get out, get out whoa-oh-oh’. A nice change but I miss the excitement and energy of the earlier tracks, but I acknowledge that this is a natural progression for the band as they grow and mature. Playing My Heart is unquestionably my favourite of the new tracks. More of a grower than a shower, but after a few listens it is a definite WATO classic that will stay with you. ‘ Now there must be something wrong, coz I can’t hear you speak. Stop playing my heart, give me what I need’ will unconsciously find itself whizzing round your head and escaping your mouth much to your surprise.

Nothing Good Has Happened Yet is undoubtedly my favourite track from We Are The Ocean………EVER! So much so it is one of the most played tracks on my ipod. From the first line softly sung by Liam ‘Let me in from the rain, don’t you let me go again. Let the water run down my face’ over a beautiful melody, then you’re hectically thrown into the hard guitars and inviting screams from Dan. ‘So they say, so they say. I’m gonna take this, I’m gonna take this to the top, I’ll kiss the air. Don’t waste your breathe and just stay away’. I find this song emotionally draws you in by the apparent contrast between Liam’s softness and Dan’s raw screams. The bass and guitar melodies in this track are outstanding! I would even go as far to say this is most definitely one of my favourite songs of the last 2 years, by any band. Ready For The Fall is my second favourite WATO song to date. I love the slow verses and hard choruses. Again it is the standard formula that we all know and love from the band. Emotionally charged and so personal, much like many of their earlier tracks. ‘Beautiful, she’s had her way now I’m ready for the fall’. Towards the end of the track you hear Liam and Dan working together in unison like they are reiterating the importance and sheer angst that this song brings. Still gives me goose bumps after all this time.

Why (I’ve Never Felt This) God Damn Good was never released as a single I will never know. It has hit written all over it, and not in a gimmicky cardboard cut out band kind of way. It is extremely catchy and a real feel good song. Don’t get me wrong it was never going to win an Ivor Novello award but this is the appeal for me. It is simple, to the point and makes you feel a certain way which is everything a song should be. That classic sound that you instantaneously recognise and the alternate vocals that got them where they are today. Every song on the EP track list is most definitely album worthy which is testament to the talents of this band, the fact there is not one ‘filler’ or bad track on this entire 2 disc release. We Are The Ocean, judging from the new tracks are most definitely destined for big things and very well deserved too!

East London 5 piece and 2008 Kerrang Award Best UK Newcomer nominees
WE ARE THE OCEAN are set to re-release their epic debut album ‘Cutting Our Teeth’ on October 4th through Hassle Records as a special 2 disc reissue. Disc 1 is the full album ‘Cutting Our Teeth’ exactly as it was first time around, while disc 2 is four brand new recorded songs (with Jason Wilcock at Stakeout Studios), 2 b-sides and the 7 tracks featured on the much loved debut EP, which sold out in a day upon its 2008 (self) release. On top of this, WATO also have their massive headline UK tour kicking off Sept 30th and running through October, before they head to Europe with The Ghost of a Thousand for a joint headline tour. The band will then head off to record album number 2 from December 2010.

Along with the album reissue, WATO will also be selling a book to accompany the re-release entitled ’3 Years’, which documents the life of the young band so far, through words, pictures and personal thoughts. It will be available through www.hasslerecords.com

Disc 1 – Cutting Our Teeth
1. Look Alive 2. Our Days Are Numbered 3. All Of This Has To End 4. Confessions
5. These Days, I Have Nothing 6. Don’t Take Chances 7. (I’ll Grab You By The) Neck Of The Woods 8. Are You Proud Of Me Now 9. I Used To Be So Much More 10. This Is Called My Home

Disc 2 – New Tracks, the Self Released EP and B-sides
1. Get Out While You Can (new) 2. Lucky Ones (new) 3. Waiting (new) 4. Playing My Heart (new) 5. Cutting Our Teeth (b-side) 6. Drag Me Down (b-side) 7. Don’t Be Careless (self-titled ep) 8. Nothing Good Has Happened Yet (self-titled ep) 9. Welcome To My Broken Home (self-titled ep) 10. Ready For The Fall (self-titled ep) 11. (I’ve Never Felt This) God Damn Good (self-titled ep) 12. Days (self-titled ep) 13. Save Me! Said The Saviour (ep)

Full list of all UK dates on Sept/Oct headline below, for all European dates with The Ghost Of A Thousand, please check the bands website and/or Myspace and be sure to check out our competitions pages for your chance at winning some great prizes from WATO and Hassle Records

Live wise, the band have already toured and played live constantly for the last year, headlining UK shows and tours (last London headline show was a sold out ULU), as well as supporting the likes of Lostprophets, Madina Lake, Underoath, Thrice, You Me At Six, Fightstar, My American Heart, The Used and The Blackout. The band have also played Download 2009 and the Slam Dunk festivals in London and Leeds this year, playing outside on the main stage (along with Alkaline Trio, Young Guns and Rolo Tomassi) In the past, other bands they have shared a stage with include Story Of the Year, Rise Against, Aiden, Gallows, Hexes and From First to Last.

For your chance to win simply sign up to our mailing list below (you will not share information and you can unsubscribe at anytime) :

Competition entries close on the 15 August 2010 and the winner will be randomly selected the next day after which we will contact you to get your postal address as well as the show you wish to attend.

See list of the available tour dates below:

30 Sep – Joiners Arms – Southampton
01 Oct – The Forum – Tunbridge Wells
02 Oct – ARU Kudos Bar – Cambridge
04 Oct – O2 Academy Oxford – Oxford
05 Oct – Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff
06 Oct – The White Rabbit – Plymouth
07 Oct – Cavern Club – Exeter
08 Oct – The Orange Box – Yeovil
09 Oct – O2 Academy Liverpool – Liverpool
11 Oct – Fibbers (Barfly York) – York
12 Oct – Corporation – Sheffield
13 Oct – The Cockpit – Leeds
14 Oct – O2 Academy Newcastle – Newcastle Upon Tyne
15 Oct – The Warehouse (formely Moshulu) – Aberdeen
17 Oct – Cathouse Nightclub – Glasgow
18 Oct – Manchester University – Manchester
19 Oct – O2 Academy Birmingham – Birmingham
21 Oct – The Waterfront – Norwich
23 Oct – The Rescue Rooms – Nottingham
24 Oct – Colchester Arts Centre – Colchester

Words by Ian Dickinson, Brendan Monteiro, Ryan Cooper, Jamie Reynolds, Marcus Maschwitz and Dai Knight

Slam Dunk Festival has become a staple diet for music lovers in Leeds and it’s only fitting that the one day event would soon enough make an appearance a little more South, to accommodate the London folk.  As saturday rolled on we made our trek out to Hatfield; only to be greeted by the infamous and unreliable UK weather (as usual that iPhone app got it all wrong) but besides that the excitement was steadily growing. Soon enough the hordes from the queues were aloud in to the venue grounds and with a few hours of damp settled on our backs it was a hasty run for cover.  Inside the confounds and out of the spit the Hatfield Forum was pretty much full in an instant, with people taking full advantage of the market like stalls of band merch and cheap shoes,  sort of like a mini camden town of all things music related.  Although the shutters are all down on the Imperial Clothing stage while My Passion do final checks, they are no barrier to the soundscapes and by what we could hear of it, the goth/punk synthers were going to be ending the night with a massive and terrorizing bang.

With stage times in hand it seemed a bitter choice as to whom you are going to get to see, I know bands stage times are always going to clash but I wonder if starting the event earlier might of had any positive effect on that.  Even after a solid 30 minutes the indecisiveness as to whom your going to see didn’t seem any easier and so the choice was made to just wonder around from stage to stage and see what sounded good.  First band we managed to see were The Skints, as far as the program looked it seemed like the Vans stage was a ska stage for the day but The Skints had a bit too much of a Reggae vibe for my liking.  

Meanwhile outside Save Your Breath would of been better off in wetsuits as signs of the weather making trouble today were starting to show from the get go.  With one main stage outside and one inside it was only logical that the indecisiveness of some fans would be clarified by the weather.  While mincing around we manage to get about the last 3 chords of Azriel and instantly regret that the path didn’t lead us to them sooner.  Next hard decision is between Me Vs Hero and Kill Casino with hopefully enough time to catch Flood Of Red on the way out to the Jager stage.  Me Vs Hero throw together a tight set and entertain enough to kill any thoughts of waiting to get into another stage.  Flood Of Red employ enough charm and melody to win over a fair amount of new fans and as usual, Calum Doris displays an immense amount of energy.  

The Gods are truly smiling on Young Guns lately, with an amzing year behind them and a promising debut ahead; out of nowhere the rain stops and shows signs of hope, Weight Of The World just seems so much better when your dry.  Gus powers the Wycombe mob through an explosive set and looking at Son Of Apathy as a reference, I can see these guys a lot further up the bill next year, possibly even headlining.  Within the realms of the inside stage things are really starting to get a little cramped, Random Hand are dishing out an ample amount of ska-core while FACT do their best at turning their listeners into a mini  takeshi’s castle pit on speed.  

Macbeth might not have the biggest stage but they have some class acts, with Gavin Butler of the Blackout making an amazing performance, his voice is well suited for this down tone performance and it’s nice to catch this other side of him. Save Ourselves was a particular treat for The Blackout fans, with Sean Smith making an appearance.  Outside Rolo Tamassi are not as lucky with the weather and it shows in the crowd, for the few fans that do stay, they are treated to a fully fledged offering of whacked out jazzed up melody’s and some “shit in your pants she’s scary” screams courtesy of Ms Spence.

Richard Carter Let’s loose on a rowdy crowd, showcasing that he’s not just Gallows younger brother and has some mean vocal chords that he tugs on continuously, furthermore Blackhole are definitely my suprise act of the festival.  

Back at the Macbeth stage and there are suprise guest slots, firstly Liam of We Are The Ocean and then James Veck-Gilodi.  As Liam takes to the tiny stage you can see all eyes on him are glued.  His enchanting voice induces goosebumps and a sudden urge to dig in the pockets and pull out the old lighter routine, in all seriousness though the man has an amazing voice.  The set is made ever more emotive when Liam calls upon his dad to help him with a cover of The Eagles Take It Easy, a moment that I don’t think will ever happen again. Although the crowd is super small they all lend a voice and the resulting chorus of Nothing Good Has Happened Yet is nothing short of breathtaking. James of Deaf Havana is powerful, emotive and engaging through out and should be commended for his cover of Angeles by elliot smith. The fact he forgot a couple of words only increased the songs charm; he closed the set with Nicotine And Alcohol Saved My Life, which with its lyrical content lends perfectly to a troubadours touch.  

RX Bandits are lagging behind time a little due to technical difficulties and end up starting there set 25 minutes late, by this time the crowd are impatient but Matt Embree Calms the masses efficiently within on bar, their fusion of ska rock might be missing a little brass but the effect they have on the crowd is unmistakable. Christopher Tsagakis is like a machine, playing some of the most interesting and intricate rhythms of the day. Next door Your Demise have kids hurricane swinging like there’s no tomorrow while outside We Are The Ocean draw a big crowd, their set is brutal and energetic with Dan showcasing his tree climbing skills,

when he finally bellows his section of Confessions from his leafy confines I am lost for words.  WATO are another UK band to make a big impact on Slamdunk and in my eyes overshadow Set Your Goals playing the main stage inside, some might say it’s due to the restrictions in place but I can confirm the next band after WATO didn’t pull as big a crowd.  Fireworks put on a good showing but by now Slamdunk is starting to really show signs of strain, with some people claiming to have only seen 1 or 2 bands by now.  One band that is not going to let the funk in the crowds bring them down is Deaf Havana, they annihilate the stage and even though they might be missing Ryan Mellor, they seem stronger than ever.  Inside the Baby Cakes Bar Sean Smith has brought the party again, playing a wide range of songs that get the upstairs venue buzzing. His medley of bumping house tracks like Sidney Samson’s Riverside and righteous classis in the form of Haddaway’s What is Love ensure that all shoes are turned to dance mode, nice touch with the weener mac too.

As the day draws on it’s not a choice of who you wanted to see but rather who your forced to see, for those lucky enough to be upstairs for Four Year Strong, Damn you.  Skindred explode onto the vans stage, the welsh ragga boys are always a good show to watch and today is no different.  

Against Me! come out swinging, it’s suprising that a band so big and so good hasn’t pulled a bigger crowd, there’s a long ranging queue of unhappy people ranting to get inside the main building which is sad because Against Me! are on top form tonight, and no wonder because they even had an Accordion player with a proper french moustache, now that’s rock n roll.

check out the backstage acoustic song they Tom Gabel performed with the help of the aforementioned accordionist.

Alkaline Trio open their set with Private Eye; I thought the girl giving her boyfriend a repressed public climax was a bit much but she clearly didn’t . As far Matt, Dan and Derek’s performance goes; they put on the show of the evening. Other stand out moments were the poor organising that left more than a few upset and disappointed fans unable to enter The Forum for the last few bands, including New Found Glory. The mass gathered in unison chanting of “This Is Shit” outside while some banged on the windows. The police weren’t going to quiet down this mob but luckily for the organiser’s that Liam from WATO felt the need to make it up to the crowd with an impromptu unplugged session outside.

Other downers were the lack of proper security, the result of which left some fans hurt when coming over the top from crowd surfing, but hopefully all these problems will get solved for next years. Disappointments for the day was missing out on New Found Glory, The Wonder Years, Capdown and Moneen (I wonder if they did a cover of celine dion’s track from the titanic?)