Live Review: Sleeping With Sirens at Newcastle O2 Academy 05/21/13

I remember last year when barely anybody listened to Sleeping With Sirens. Now, they’re probably the most annoying band from the hard rock scene. This is of course is not really their fault, but they tend to be a gateway band for young kids just starting to get into heavier music. This was obviously a massive problem when seeing them live.

The collective scream as Kellin Quinn walks on stage is excruciating, but unfortunately the hype soon dies down as the band opens with new song These Things I’ve Done which no one has ever heard before. Playing a new song at a show is always a bit of a risk, and Sleeping With Sirens just don’t pull it off; it feels like a massive anti-climax as it’s difficult to jump around to a beat you’re unfamiliar with and a bit awkward when nobody in the crowd knows the words. Opening with this song was definitely a mistake, but luckily they soon pick up the pace by playing heavy track With Ears To See and Eyes To Hear second that easily gets the whole crowd moving and forgiving the mediocre beginning.

Other than the weak start, the remainder of the setlist is very satisfying, if a little short. They play crowd favourites If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn and A Trophy Father’s Trophy Son, that Kellin states is “for anyone in the audience whose mother of father was never there for them”, to which everyone cheers (because, you know, all these angsty teenagers’ parents who paid for their tickets just don’t understand them). Kellin and guitarist Jesse Lawson also put on an enjoyable acoustic performance of Don’t Fall Asleep At The Helm, an interesting choice that turns out to be very pleasant live as the combination of Kellin’s high vocals and those of the young crowd singing “all that I know is gone” is somewhat angelic.

Indeed, Kellin’s vocal range is incredible, and more importantly, he himself knows it. Unfortunately, this makes his stage persona a little bit of an egomaniac. The show is spoiled by his constant bragging about "everyone knowing the words" or how "big the new record is going to be" and his random burts of "oooohhhwoaaah"s in between songs that make the whole thing feel a bit High School Musical. Yes, confidence is attractive, but if you aren't a hormonal teenage girl this attitude will likely just irritate you.

The band ends the night with If You Can't Hang, a wise choice as this catchy song gets everyone jumping and shouting again after the calm, acoustic performance and leaves an exciting atmosphere and an odd desire for more despite the negative aspects. Sleeping With Sirens put on a good show tonight, especially considering this is their first time headlining a UK tour, but there are definitely areas for improvement next time around.

Live Review: Pierce The Veil at Newcastle O2 Academy 2 01/06/13

The first time Pierce The Veil played here in Newcastle they were supporting A Day To Remember, and were brutally met with boos from a crowd that were only interested in Jeremy McKinnon and his beard. The fact that they returned here for their fans, to play a tiny venue which they could have easily avoided, to me, says a lot about them as people. Evidently, they truly care about their fans and this is a vital aspect in putting on a convincing show.

By the time the band walk onto the tiny stage, the crowd are already hyped after support act Woe, Is Me put on an incredible and energetic performance that had even the back of the crowd moving, and as the first chords of May These Noises Startle You In Your Sleep echo through the room it already feels like the floor is going to fall through. The scene becomes even more surreal as confetti falls over the crowd during the first song, and even the people who were only here for the heavier support acts can’t resist getting into it.

Instrumentally the band are phenomenal and it’s hard to pick out a single fault; they provide the audience with a perfect balance of bouncier songs such as A Match Into Water and anthem King For A Day, lyrical favourites Disasterology and Bulletproof Love and even an acoustic performance of I’m Low On Gas and You Need A Jacket to which the whole crowd can be heard singing along to that can only be comparable to sitting round a campfire with all of your best friends during summer.

Yet the best thing about this show isn’t the flawless setlist. It isn’t the endless bursts of confetti or the number of times Vic Fuentes has a hissy fit with his guitar and picks a new one. It isn’t even the fact they’re Mexican. It’s how the band connects with their fans. Vic keeps the audience engaged by making conversation during song changes which is met with cheers and jokes, but also provides an emotional response by asking “How many people here can say music has saved their life?” and every single person in the crowd raises their hand.

The smiles on the bands faces are of people who are truly grateful to be where they are, and the faces of the fans are the same. This has not just been a concert, but an escape from reality. This band are exceptional in every characteristic, and everyone here tonight has, “had a really good time”.