So a few months ago I saw Moose Blood supporting Mallory Knox here and I said "I know that it wasn't their own headline slot (which I feel they would be ten times better in) but I still wanted to see a bit more energy." Well, I did manage to get a ticket to their headline show so let's see if my prediction about them being ten times better was correct...

First up supporting was Boston Manor. I'm pretty sure that I hadn't heard of them before this show but I can't see why not because they were awesome. They actually reminded me quite a bit of The Story So Far, which is probably part of why I liked them so much but either way, they were great. The sound levels were off but this didn't seem to phase them, they had good stage presence and carried the set really well, I just wish it was a bit longer! I definitely need to keep my eye on them and if you haven't already listened, I'd advise checking them out.

Next up, another name that I hadn't really heard anything of before - Choir Vandals. They had a slightly more indie rock sound about them which I wasn't expecting. The song that they opened up with was awesome!! Everything that followed was fine, but compared to the opening, nothing caught my attention as much. They played through their set pretty quickly not pausing for too long to interact with the crowd or even welcome applause but they did manage to pack a lot in so this was forgivable. Overall, they were cool, a slight come-down from the high energy of Boston Manor's set but enjoyable nonetheless.

And finally, Moose Blood. Oh. My. Goodness. I know that I said "ten times better" but I don't think that I was ready for what that really meant. I was actually worried before the set started because in the weeks leading up to the show I'd been listening through their record I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time and it is incredible. I was worried that they wouldn't be able to do it justice live. They did. The crowd was with them 100% from start to finish - requesting their favourites from the record throughout the set, singing the lyrics along with Eddy, crowd surfing and moshing in the tiny <200 capacity room - spirits were just elevated. They opened up with "Pups" and after the initial response the band actually seemed a little shocked at the level of enthusiasm, and it didn't falter. "Chin Up", "Swim Down" and "Bukowski" drew a huge crowd response. When they played my current favourite from the record "Gum", I couldn't stop a huge smile from spreading across my face and this stayed there as lighters were lifted during "Cherry". Their confidence levels seemed much higher than when I saw them supporting, and rightly so - absolutely fantastic band. It appears that No Sleep Records can do no wrong. Now just waiting for Balance And Composure to come to Birmingham...........

Overall Rating - 8/10


Here are some pictures from the night... 

A couple of weeks ago I went to see Mallory Knox on their biggest UK headline tour to date. I have been trying to see this band ever since I first wrote about them here. I even met the lead singer Mikey, yet still they've managed to evade me every time I had the slightest opportunity to see them. Finally, two albums on, I got my wish...

First up supporting was Moose Blood, whom I'd been hearing a lot about prior to the gig and so I was really looking forward to their set most out of the three supports. They were definitely good, and their songs were very catchy but they really could have been a lot more engaging in terms of stage presence. I know that it wasn't their own headline slot (which I feel they would be ten times better in) but I still wanted to see a bit more energy. They actually have a headline tour coming up in January here so hopefully I can get along to that and get a better view of them because they seem like nice guys with a lot of potential.

A band that I had never heard of before called Fort Hope were up next. At first I absolutely hated the lead singer's voice but as the set went on I found myself liking it more and more. I feel like it's the kind of voice that I would definitely enjoy more on record because their songs were actually awesome! They had a good set, I think it managed to wake me up a little bit.

The final support was Frank Iero (aka FrnkIero andthe Cellabration) and oh my goodness. When these guys stepped on stage I finally realised how many girls there were in the crowd because each of them was screeching. I was thinking "Who on earth are these guys?!"... I later realised that Frank was the guitarist in MCR but that's besides the point. Everyone was so excited for them it was as if they were headlining. If I'm honest though, they deserved it - their set was pretty amazing. I would happily go to an actual headline set of theirs. Their drummer was INSANE! There was loads of high energy all round - very strong support set.

Last but most certainly not least, Mallory Knox. I will start by saying - PERFECT setlist! Absolutely perfect. You can see the full list here but standouts were "She Took Him To The Lake", "Beggars", "Shout At The Moon" and "Death Rattle". Heck, every song was a standout! I just wanted to shout until I had no voice left. I don't think I realised just how great Mikey's voice was until I saw them live, he is very talented. Oh! Their new single "When Are We Waking Up?" also sounded huge! The crowd could have be a touch more crazy but they played their parts well. This gig also made me realise how much I really liked their sophomore album Asymmetry too - it's brilliant. I would say, definite contender for my top 7 albums of the year. They played hard and deserve all the success that comes their way. I looked forward to seeing them again!

Overall Rating - 8/10


Here are some pictures from the night...