Opening the evening are Chicago newcomers Belmont, who released their self-titled debut album last summer. Although they get the crowd moving pretty damn quickly, what initially seems like fairly generic pop punk doesn’t really have an instant ‘wow’ factor – vocalist Taz Johnson brings enough energy for the whole band, but his vocals lack a distinctive quality and the hooks are never quite big enough to appeal. Where Belmont do stand out, though, is when guitarist Jason Inguagiato takes the lead, with some sublime and technical lines rarely seen in this genre. His work elevates the set to a higher level, but ultimately Belmont don’t seem to have yet found the spark to make a bigger name for themselves in a competitive scene.

Following Belmont are a band who definitely have found that spark, and their presence on stage is the kind that cannot be ignored; opening with 2019 single ‘In Violet’, Grayscale sound crystal clear and upliftingly triumphant as the crowd instantly join in to sing along. It’s the band’s first trip to the UK since the release of sophomore album ‘Nella Vita’ last month, and there’s plenty of time to dip toes into these newer waters in this 40 minute set, with singles ‘Baby Blue’ and ‘Painkiller Weather’ appearing alongside ‘Old Friends’ and set highlight ‘YOUNG’. The handful of older tracks making the cut still more than hold their own, though, and anthemic closer ‘Atlantic’ is the perfect way to round off this vibrant performance. There’s an infectious youthfulness and optimism surrounding Grayscale, and this could easily have been a headline set; from their clear popularity with tonight’s crowd, to the slick and stylish delivery – especially from drummer Nick Veno and vocalist Collin Walsh  – there’s no doubt this is a band we’ll be seeing at the top of the bill in rooms like this very soon.

Real Friends are the kind of band who, once heard, never really leave your mind. Although the pop punk label is usually applied, there’s a charm and roughness to their sound that feels particularly unique, extending their appeal to anyone with a need for music that lifts the heart and soothes the mind. In this live setting, that appeal is magnified tenfold, and the energy is cranked up to eleven to boot; as ‘Get By’ kicks into gear, it’s hard to say whether anyone standing at the back of the room can hear the band above the sound of the crowd, and a space is immediately vacated in the centre for quite possibly the happiest pit the world has ever seen.

Front man Dan Lambton is, and always has been, particularly open about his mental health struggles –they’ve seen the band need to pull out of and postpone UK dates in the past – and this openness translates into their music. Tonight, Lambton seems incredibly comfortable up on stage as he shares his innermost feelings in song, darting around the stage with an energy to match that of the fans, and there’s an intense sense of catharsis to be found in this evening. From the front to the back, the overwhelming sense is of love; not just for the band, but for each other, as friends stand with arms linked and heads thrown back in song.

The – comfortingly lengthy – setlist dips and dives through the band’s discography, with older songs like the clearly adored ‘I’ve Given Up On You’ and ‘Late Nights In My Car’ generating huge reactions. The everlasting relatability of the immensely popular ‘Mess’ also goes down a treat, and the glowing of hundreds of lights during ‘Sixteen’ make for a touching moment towards the end of the set, but it’s the turn of latest album ‘Composure’ to shine tonight – and shine it does. From the effervescent ‘Smiling On The Surface’ to the powerful, anthemic ‘Stand Steady’, Real Friends sound better than ever before, and the love continues with a “wall of hugs” during ‘Me First’ (walls of death are, apparently, not allowed).

‘From The Outside’ closes a night filled with joy, exuberance, and defiance against the things that trouble us, cultivated by a band who represent an extended family to their fanbase. Real Friends manage difficult and emotionally intense subjects in such a way that the resulting mood is purely uplifting – yes, it’s an emotional show, but at the same time it is one of life’s beautiful moments, where strangers come together in a network of support. It may be a while before we see these five again, but one thing’s for sure – it will always be worth the wait.

GEM ROGERS

Fortunately, there wasn’t too long to wait before the next era of Grayscale began, with breathtaking second single ‘In Violet’ demonstrating just what the five piece are capable of; a song that perfectly balances the finality of death with the joy of living, shifting darkness into light with a celebration of all that brings us hope and happiness.

When leading with singles of such a calibre, there’s a lot to live up to. With this twelve track album, there was plenty of room for Grayscale to fall short of the high bar they set themselves – and yet, from the echoing first moments of ‘Just Right’ as Collin Walsh’s vocals tumble in with his vibrant, heartfelt tone, it’s clear there’s little chance of finding disappointment here.

Grayscale are often classed as a pop punk band, but ‘Nella Vita’ isn’t that clear cut – much like Emarosa’s ‘Peach Club’, it’s an album that takes a cue from pop and rock, but proceeds to carve its own way through the concept of genre. The result is something both fresh and distinctive – not to mention perilously catchy – as the band clearly feel comfortable experimenting more broadly with their sound than on past releases. On any other album, the quirky synth-pop of ‘What’s On Your Mind’ and retro vibes of ‘In Your Arms’ might sound out of place, but here they seem to make perfect sense. It’s just enough to have fun with, without growing tiresome or too heavily reliant on synths and effects.

One thing that hasn’t changed since previous album ‘Adornment’ is Grayscale’s ability to produce meaningful, memorable lyrics, and ‘Nella Vita’ sees the band build on this as they tackle frequently darker and more personal subjects. It’s strong throughout, but there are some that hit particularly hard – standout tracks include ‘YOUNG’, tackling mental health with a positive, inspiring spin, and album closer ‘Tommy’s Song’. While this is a song written directly about vocalist Walsh’s life and experience, it feels like a door has been opened into a place that is deeply relatable for many; it’s often hard to listen to, yet powerfully cathartic as it builds to a haunting, beautifully layered climax.

It’s all helped along by production that is clean without stripping away the heart of these songs, and there are plenty of highlights. ‘Twilight (My Heaven)’ is a huge singalong track driven by summery riffs and dancing drums from Nick Veno (still, fortunately, very much a member of the band), while ‘Asbury’ allows Walsh’s vocals to shine once more in an gentle acoustic track that could easily have been plucked from former Yellowcard front man William Ryan Key’s back catalogue. This is the kind of album that could be played a hundred times and still not reveal any low points, each song bursting with emotion.

Much like ‘In Violet’, ‘Nella Vita’ is a celebration. It is bright and colourful, spilling over with an utterly honest, shimmering vibrance; in finding the beauty in the trials of life, Grayscale have captured what it is to dance in the rain, to keep moving forward with love and joy. With ‘Nella Vita’, Grayscale have more than stepped up to the mark, and it’s an album that should rightfully see them take their place among the greats of the scene – and with this as our soundtrack, the future couldn’t look much better.

GEM ROGERS

‘In Violet’ represents a celebration of life in the face of death, with a soaring, uplifting chorus that can’t fail to bring a smile as it juxtaposes a dark and emotional topic with lightness and joy.

Explaining the track, vocalist Collin Walsh says “when I die, I want people to celebrate my life and enjoy each other’s togetherness, rather than mourn my death in a miserable way. I’ve dealt with a lot of loss and long episodes of grief the past couple years, and it made me realize how much it can wear on you. When I go, I want everyone to celebrate, sing, laugh, and dress in violet.”

The song comes with the news that Grayscale’s sophomore full-length album with Fearless Records, ‘Nella Vita’, will be released on 6 September 2019. The album is set to continue and expand on the themes already explored in ‘Painkiller Weather’ and ‘In Violet’; sex, drugs, death, despair, and everything that embodies life, finding the positivity in the darkest of experiences. You can pre-order ‘Nella Vita’ here, with a variety of merch bundles also available.

Grayscale will also be returning to the UK this October to support Real Friends on their headline tour – full dates are listed below.

OCTOBER
17 BRISTOL Thekla
18 LONDON Electric Ballroom
20 BIRMINGHAM Academy 2
21 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
22 LEEDS Stylus
23 GLASGOW King Tuts
25 MANCHESTER Club Academy
26 SOUTHAMPTON The Loft
28 HAMBURG Headcrash
29 LEIPZIG Moritzbastei
31 MUNICH Feierwerk

NOVEMBER
01 COLOGNE Club Volta
02 BRUSSELS AB Club
03 EINDHOVEN Dynamo

The tour starts in Bristol on 17 October, finishing up on 3 November in Eindhoven – full dates are listed below, and tickets are available now here.

OCTOBER
17 BRISTOL Thekla
18 LONDON Electric Ballroom
20 BIRMINGHAM Academy 2
21 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
22 LEEDS Stylus
23 GLASGOW King Tuts
25 MANCHESTER Club Academy
26 SOUTHAMPTON The Loft
28 HAMBURG Headcrash
29 LEIPZIG Moritzbastei
31 MUNICH Feierwerk

NOVEMBER
01 COLOGNE Club Volta
02 BRUSSELS AB Club
03 EINDHOVEN Dynamo

Earlier this year WSTR released their debut album ‘Red, Green or Inbetween’ on No Sleep Records.

Meanwhile, As It Is released their second album ‘Okay’ on Fearless Records earlier this year.

As for the other bands; last year Like Pacific released their debut album ‘Distant Like You Asked’ via Pure Noise Records, whilst Grayscale released their sophomore album ‘Adornment’ on Fearless Records.

MARCH 2018
09 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
10 MANCHESTER Academy 2
11 GLASGOW Garage
13 BIRMINGHAM Institute 2
15 CARDIFF The Globe
16 LONDON Koko

The song is taken from their second album ‘Okay’, which was released earlier this year via Fearless Records.

The band will also be playing the following UK shows in March next year with Like Pacific and Grayscale.

MARCH 2018
09 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
10 MANCHESTER Academy 2
11 GLASGOW Garage
13 BIRMINGHAM Institute 2
15 CARDIFF The Globe
16 LONDON Koko

Earlier this year the band released their second album ‘Okay’ on Fearless Records.

As for the other bands; last year Like Pacific released their debut album ‘Distant Like You Asked’ via Pure Noise Records, whilst Grayscale released their sophomore album ‘Adornment’ on Fearless Records.

MARCH 2018
09 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
10 MANCHESTER Academy 2
11 GLASGOW Garage
13 BIRMINGHAM Institute 2
15 CARDIFF The Globe
16 LONDON Koko

Black covered Adele’s ‘When We Were Young’ with Juliet Simms, whilst Grayscale delivered their rendition of ‘Love Yourself’ by Justin Bieber.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qGhueLMJ1dw&feature=youtu.be

‘Punk Goes Pop Vol. 7’ was released last week through Fearless Records.

At the Drive-In, Cap’n Jazz, Best Coast, Black Pistol Fire, The Casualties, Mad Caddies, Cockney Rejects, RVIVR, Radar State, Versus, Seaway, Like Pacific, Grayscale, Warm Brew, Culture Abuse, Potty Mouth, Skating Polly, Upset, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, Gin Rummy, and Kembra Pfahler will be joining the likes of Jawbreaker, Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Paramore and more at the Chicago based festival, which takes place at Douglas Park, from the 15th to the 17th September.

Three-Day Passes are on sale now at the Riot Fest website.

It taken from their recently announced album, ‘Adornment’, which is released on May 5 via Fearless Records. Pre-orders are available now, and you can check out the track below.