But a celebration is best shared with friends, so Silverstein have brought some of their oldest in the scene; Hawthorne Heights have shared many a stage with tonight’s headliners and are well versed in knowing how to warm up a crowd, bounding on stage and ripping through a seven song set. It’s clear that this crowd is more than aware of the opener’s back catalogue – ‘Wake Up Call’ opens and tears through the venue, bringing with it a mass singalong before ‘The Transition’ ramps up the emotion. Together, ‘Saying Sorry’ and a superb ‘Ohio Is For Lovers’ bring their sprint to an end, perfectly setting the stage for the main event.

With the tour being part of their 20th anniversary, this might be the longest Silverstein have ever played. Starting with a greatest hits set, they bring out the bigger songs straight from the off, with ‘Burn It Down’ setting the tempo. As circle pits erupt across the venue, the chorus is sung at the stage, only to be screamed back to the crowd by front man Shane Told. ‘Retrograde’ shows the band at their best, mixing the heavy guitars with an almost pop-punk chorus that really shows off the band’s musicianship and ability; Told’s vocals glide through the chaos with bassist Billy Hamilton and guitarist Paul Marc Rousseau combining to add to the wall of sound. With 36 songs to power through over three sets, there are two medleys, starting with ‘A Great Fire / Vices / Broken Stars’, leading into another new single, ‘Infinite’, where the crowd reaction almost leads to the roof crashing in. The greatest hits set finishes with a nine (yes, nine!) song medley, into a cover of OneRepublic’s ‘Apologize’ before closing with ‘The Afterglow’, bringing the energy to a peak.

A six song acoustic set follows, with Told being able to show off his solo performances with aplomb. In this rare quiet moment, he’s able to interact with the crowd, telling the audience this is his favourite part of the set because he “doesn’t get to play a lot of guitar anymore”. An emotional ‘Massachusetts’ opens the proceedings before ‘Still Dreaming’ brings the band back on stage. The most emotional moment of the night, though, belongs to ‘Replace You’, which tugs at the heartstrings of the whole crowd before the full band closes on ‘Toronto (Unabridged)’.

The final set sees Silverstein tear through their second album, celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year. ‘Discovering The Waterfront’ still holds up as a classic of the Warped Tour scene and sounds as sharp as ever. Every riff sounds heavier, every scream feels more emotional and every band member looks like they’re having the most fun possible. ‘Your Sword Versus My Dagger’ hits harder than a lot of album openers, whilst ‘Smile In Your Sleep’ proves its worth as the only single released from the album. Elsewhere, the title track allows the band to slow it down, and really lament in a sombre moment before ‘Defend You’ ups the pace again. ‘My Heroine’ has the radio friendly appeal that should’ve made it a hit in the early noughties, and it still holds up today in a live environment.

After the pop-punk bounce of ‘Call It Karma’, the show comes to an end with a vicious ‘Bleeds No More’, giving Told one more chance to show off his feral screams, bringing the first of two nights at the 02 Academy Islington to a close. Throughout the journey of the night, over three sets, it’s easy to see why this band has been around for as long as they have. In every one of their songs, it’s clear they’ve been an inspiration to later bands, be it in the pop-punk sphere or the metalcore-laden riffs and screams. They played thirty six songs throughout this show, and not one was received with a whimper. Silverstein may have celebrated their 20th anniversary, but their recent output shows they’re not slowing down. Long may it continue. 

ADAM ROSARIO

Before the main event could take the stage, though, a band was tasked with warming up the room. That band was the aptly named Microwave – if their name is anything to go by, they certainly know a thing or two about how to warm things up. Channelling old-school grunge vibes alongside addictive post-hardcore sensibilities, newest record ‘Death Is A Warm Blanket’ is a departure from their older material, trading in sun-soaked emo vibes for a far darker and moodier setting that very effectively grabbed everyone’s attention in the venue. From the menacing riffs of ‘Float To The Top’ to the smooth undertones of ‘Lighterless’, the passionate cries of ‘The Fever’ to the pulsing fist-pumping powerhouse ‘Mirrors’, their set was a delight to witness. Their shyness and quiet nature added to the moodiness and underlying sense of panic in the music, like a ticking time bomb waiting for somebody to cut the wrong wire. 

Set closer ‘Vomit’ was the song everyone had been waiting for, the delicate opening chords causing bodies to suddenly appear on shoulders as fans emotionally delivered the vocals right back at the stage. Microwave are quickly showing themselves to be something very special, and the crowd at Islington Academy appeared to support that notion strongly. No matter how good they were, though, they were but a tasty appetiser for the mouth-watering main course that was about to follow.

The excitement buzzing through the room was contagious, with smiles and excited chatter bouncing from soul to soul as they all eagerly awaited the arrival of Tiny Moving Parts. Drummer William Chevalier calmly appeared on stage alongside bassist – and brother – Matthew Chevalier, followed by an animated Dylan Mattheisen, who darted across the stage like a rocket before immediately kicking into ‘Midwest Sky’ and turning the crowd from static smilers to bouncing grinners. The album had only been out for a couple of weeks, but the volume of the crowd was near-deafening, much to the joy of the band. Momentum stayed high as they immediately followed up with the fast and fun ‘Applause’, the anthemic ‘Headache’, and infectious new jam ‘Bloody Nose’. Four songs in and the happiness in the room was impossible to dampen, the warmth surrounding every member of the crowd like a gigantic venue-sized onesie.

The set flowed beautifully, featuring moments that stretched across their back catalogue, as well as plenty of newer cuts. From the raw and emotive double punch of 2014’s ‘Sundress’ and ‘Always Focused’, weaving through to the fizzy and energetic ‘Birdhouse’ and fan favourite ‘Feel Alive’, there wasn’t a stone left unturned. The latter birthed a mass chant of “I still miss you,” surging goosebumps through the entire room like a cold winter breeze. The breeze was likely created by the restless Mattheisen, who spent the majority of his time running in circles and jumping off things as he played his guitar parts with an almost inhuman accuracy. The set wasn’t all about the high octane powerhouses, though. The softer moments were something else entirely.

‘It’s Too Cold Tonight’ was powerful beyond measure, flawlessly performed by the band and temporarily altering the audiences faces from elation to awe. Despite only being a trio, the sound they create is more like that of a band double their size, their rises and falls swelling and decompressing in monumental shifts. One of the big set highlights was recent single ‘Vertabrae’, that not only swayed the crowd into a calm and cosy state of admiration, but also brought the smiles out in their biggest supply after Mattheisen emerged from side stage with his banjo, playing out the song perfectly.

Their set finally came to a close with a euphoric performance of ‘Caution’, causing a storm of crowd participation that was made up of crowd surfers, moshers, shoulder wavers and, the most popular group, word for word singers. Mattheisen ran all around the stage, sometimes missing his vocals due to being in the wrong place, but it didn’t matter. The atmosphere in the room was one of pure, unadulterated happiness, and seeing the band mirror the fun the crowd was having only heightened its potency. No one left the venue frowning. No one. This was one of the most fun, joy-filled shows that this genre has seen.

Both bands on the bill put on phenomenal displays, but the night was all about Tiny Moving Parts. It was the biggest headline performance they’d ever been a part of, and the turn out and appreciation in the room suggested that the room might be a bit bigger next time they’re on these shores. If you’re a fan of Tiny Moving Parts but haven’t been to see them yet, consider this an invitation to go and experience it. You deserve it. You owe it to yourself. Their music is stunning on record, but seeing them live makes you fall in love with them in a completely different way. You leave feeling full, content and happy, and every time you listen to their music after the gig you’ll be reminded of that love. They are the gift that keeps on giving – and who doesn’t like gifts?

DAVE STEWART

Click here for the full gallery from Tiny Moving Parts’ Manchester Academy 3 show.

Opening his set with latest single ‘Hardbeat’, with its rumbling tones and whispered vocals, it elicits a massive singalong from the crowd, something which isn’t rare tonight. Coupling a slower, more concentrated song with an out and out banger isn’t reinventing the wheel, but bringing ‘Hell In a Fast Car’ out second really sets the stall out that Lenman is going for the jugular. Watching a man play a guitar on stage whilst using a set of pedals to create bass tones, on the same guitar, is something to behold and marks Lenman out to be the complete musician he is seen as being.

Being the frontman of one of the most underrated bands Britain has ever birthed, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. There are 4 Reuben songs on show tonight with ‘A Kick in the Mouth’ and ‘Every Time a Teenager Listens to Drum & Bass, a Rockstar Dies’ showcases the past and brings it hurtling into the present. ‘Eating Only Apples’ sees Lenman switch his guitar for a stint behind the drums, with his bandmate Dan taking centre stage to rock the strings.

Lenman also possesses the charisma to hold the crowd in his hand and bend them to his whim. Everything from his voice, to his outfit (a splendid white three piece suit) screams confidence.’All of England is a City’ is a particular highlight, with the crowd split up into sections to harmonise the outro. The set closes with a colossal ‘Mississippi’,with it’s Nine Inch Nails-esque electronics and riffs and the biggest chorus of the night, easily the best performance of the evening.

Until Lenman returns for a five song acoustic encore. Mixing songs from his two solo records and another Reuben song, one which many old-school fans have probably never heard this way brings the curtain down on a triumphant show. Lenman closed on ‘Let’s Stop Hanging Out’ but on this evidence, no one in the audience will want that to happen, and they shouldn’t. With multiple festival dates later this year, Jamie Lenman is set to break out into a league of his own.

It’s been a bit of a rocky road for Californian band Being As An Ocean. Following the self release of the bands fourth studio album ‘Waiting for Morning to Come’ the bands guitarist Tyler Ross announced that he had bought the rights to the album himself, which caused a lengthy delay in its release. Fans were finally treated to it some 5 months after the original release date and it didn’t disappoint. However the guys never fail to deliver live and their set tonight was no different, the fact that they were supporting may have taken some by surprise but their emotionally charged energy is a joy to behold on any stage, at any time.

Joel Quartuccio’s lyrics have a way of reaching down into the depths of your soul and pulling you into the moment that few can match. The band produce a sound so heavy in places that you almost feel trapped, being drawn in and then hit in the gut by brutal riff after riff. Needless to say the crowd react in the only way they know how with pit after pit after pit. They may have been a support act but Being As An Ocean bring pure excellence to the line up tonight and set up the final set of the night perfectly.

With barely a moment to recover the senses Stick to Your Guns take to the stage, instantly making it their own and launching into a number of tracks from ‘True Views.’ The crowd react in true hardcore fashion with wave after wave of circle pits and crowd surfing. The energy in the room only seems to increase with every breakdown the band throw at them, peaking with classic track ‘Amber’ which sees almost the whole room turned into one big sea of movement.

It was reported that vocalist Jesse Barnett had been suffering with a throat infection but this was certainly not reflected in any way throughout a robust set, which only goes to reassert the bands commitment to providing the best night possible to their fans. After supporting sets with the likes of Architects and Parkway Drive it’s almost a breath of fresh air to see the guys step out of the shadows of some of the biggest hardcore bands around and into their own spotlight. Something that they are long deserving of. 2017 was certainly a huge year for Stick to Your Guns and may they only go from strength to strength in 2018.

CHRISTOPHER LEE