Banquet Records’ two frequented venues in Kingston, the Fighting Cocks and tonight’s venue The Peel, have seen some pretty incredible shows over the years – tonight’s headliners have now played both, and both are fairly large coups for the Surrey Shop/Label.
Before the big name tonight, though, is UK based CRAZY ARM, who are taking massive strides to being a must-see band, with recent album ‘Union City Breath’ being well received and the band making some friends in fine places. Tonight the Peel gives them a warm welcome, and where they used to be a little rough around the edges live, they’re now bang on and becoming a fantastic live band. With performances like tonight, 2012 should be a great year for the band.
By the time AGAINST ME! take the stage, most of the room is already full of booze and sweaty, and the band does the excitement in the crowd justice by producing a finely selected set in the most emphatic way possible. Despite the fact that they’ve been adorning much larger stages recently, you can tell where their heart is, and they suit the “intimate” settings so well. It might be the beers aloft across the room, or it might be that the band know when to throw in a classic, but there’s little better things in the world than being in a room with a great band having as much fun as the audience.
Newer material may have alienated a few along the way, but even the more recent efforts get a great reception, and it’s yet another evening for the Kingston scene to be proud of.
TOM AYLOTT
Check out an interview with Against Me! bassist Andrew below: