Glassjaw, Sheffield Arena
So the first thing that hit us when we arrived? Where is everyone?! Sheffield is quiet, very quiet - oddly quiet. The venue is cordoned off for most of the seating areas and standing is hardly packed out. A shame as GIAN day one deserves better.
MEXICOLAS are an odd and poor choice of opening act as the Brum trio struggle to get the crowd going with their overly familiar rock and roll. A few songs is arguably a few too many (5)
You cannot say the same about FOUR YEAR STRONG who whip up the crowd into a fervoured frenzy. Playing all the hits from their album the band prove they have RIFFZ in abundance. The sound doesn't help as it comed across as muddy
and the synths don't come across well at all but in terms of energy and fun FYS win plenty of hearts (8).
Same can't be said of THE COLOR FRED who are dull - I can't help but think Fred made the wrong decision to quit TBS. He gets a decent reaction but I'm far from convinced. (5)
ENVY ON THE COAST come across like At The Drive In fighting with Muse and Mars Volta. They're more interesting than intelligent, but their high level of musical talent kept me in check throughout the set. I'll certainly give them a chance on record. (7)
On record STATE RADIO are thought provoking and intelligent. Live they just make a lot of noise. Socially aware, they sing about Guantanamo Bay but it goes over the heads of most of the young kids in the crowd. (6)
At this point we were up to 3 on the mega lolz tshirt count by the way,and spud mullered me at guitar hero. Oh, and Alex Me vs Hero had his cock signed by all of Four Year Strong. SERIOUSLY.
STRIKE ANYWHERE could be band of the day. Highly charged and with more energy than nearly every band put together they race through half a dozen songs only spoiled by dodgy sound and a poor mix. A great setlist is only dampened by the fact SA are better suited to intimate venues rather than arenas. (8)
I missed YOU ME AT 6 in favour of booze but they get the best crowd reaction of the day. THE BLACKOUT get a similar reception, although Spud thought they were shit. Truth be told they're very choreographed and very predictable but they're good at what they do. I'd prefer to sit on the fence - the kids adore them and they get the biggest singalongs of the day. (6)
ARMOR FOR SLEEP are wasted on the little stage. A brilliant band, but the crowd clear off after TBO and no-one's listening. Disappointing as 'williamsburg' and 'car underwater' are brilliant. (8)
Same can't be said of SILVERSTEIN who are awful. Let's put it down to an off day, but they're very, very poor live - and this comes from someone who enjoyed the albums. (3)
ANTI FLAG are possibly of interest if you have a studded jacket and the politics of a 9 year old, but to the rest of us they're dull and predictable. True, the GIAN kids in Sheffield lap them up but I've never been a fan and they do little to win me over - the generic anti-Bush rhetoric does little to convince otherwise (5)
For me, GLASSJAW should be headlining and after taking a piss next to, although sadly not on, oli sykes, we leave. GJ are brilliant. There's no fuss, just rock and 'ape dos mill' and many others are performed brilliantly. Daryl's a top frontman and the band are on top form. Are they suited to arenas? No - none of the bands today are. But Glassjaw are as influential as they come and today they do not disappoint. (8)
Paul
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