Music

All Time Low: 02 Academy Bristol

The Baltimore four are regulars in the UK, coming over here a few times each year. This time around they played an almost sold out tour, which was the first in the UK since the release of their fifth studio album Don’t Panic, with support from The Summer Set and Lower Than Atlantis.

The first band to play was Arizona pop rockers The Summer Set. Opening with their new song “F*k U Over” and finishing with crowd favourite “Chelsea” the five piece offered a fun set that went over well with the crowd, particularly the younger members which are an inevitable part of an All Time Low audience. The band surprised everyone when they launched into a cover of Bruno Mars‘ “Locked Out Of Heaven” which with Jess Bowen’s incredible drumming changed it into a slightly heavier rock tune that had the crowd yelling the words back to them.

Hailing from Hertfordshire, Lower Than Atlantis are building up a small army of a fan base. Playing their own blend of melodic hardcore/punk rock music with lyrics that can be brutally honest they are becoming so popular that after they finished their set last night a few people left having come down just to watch them. Their music is heavier than All Time Low and The Summer Set’s so it was hard to imagine that they would go down well on the tour, but right from the moment The Summer Set walked off stage the anticipation of the next band sent the crowd sprawling across the floor as fans attempted to get closer to the front. “Love Someone Else” the single from their new album Changing Tune, was the bands’ opener and singer Mike Duce belted the lyrics out to a crowd which had suddenly turned into a sea of large men. Their set list comprised of a fair combination of songs from across their three albums which kept the crowd moving until they slowed it down and played “Another Sad Song” a quiet and – you guessed it – sad song. Ending with one of their first singles “Beech Like The Tree” it is safe to say that Lower Than Atlantis are a fantastic band within their own right that are going to go even further than what they have already achieved.

Then finally the moment everyone had been waiting for. All Time Low took to the stage seeming right at home from the very first moment. The atmosphere had become charged and trying to stay stood up was a near impossibility. “Somewhere In Neverland” a Peter Pan inspired song from Don’t Panic started the bands’ crazy night which then led to “Forget About It” “For Baltimore” and one of their heavier pop-punk songs “Heroes” which sent the crowd into a frenzy. As well as playing material from Don’t Panic they played already firm favourites like “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)” and songs they wrote at seventeen years old “Coffee Shop Soundtrack” and “Jasey Rae” showing that they’ve always been talented songwriters. The crowd was treated to the full band version of “Remembering Sunday” and “Therapy” both slow songs with heavy meanings, but not wanting to drown us all with our collective tears All Time Low then jumped into fast paced “Lost In Stereo” “Backseat Serenade” and finished with “Time Bomb” before walking off stage and allowing the piercing shrieks of fan girls beg for them to come back. And back they did with three more songs “The Reckless And The Brave” “Weightless” and “Dear Maria, Count Me In” which they tend to always finish with as it truly sends the crowd hysterical. All Time Low’s performance is always littered with toilet humour, inappropriate jokes, enamoured fans and an abundance of underwear being thrown their way but musically they perform with true skill and if it’s even possible sounding better than on their studio albums and the light show which accompanies them is always superb. With the reception the band receive when they cross the seas to play in the UK it is no surprise they try to come back here as often as possible.

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