New Found Glory/The Blackout/Letlive/While She Sleeps

Kerrang Relentless Energy Drink Tour, Southampton Guildhall

A long line of people queued outside the Southampton Guildhall in sub zero temperatures for the first night of the British Kerrang Relentless Energy Drink Tour 2012, in the past this tour has bought together some of the most diverse acts to appear on one stage together and tonight is no different, four bands all who have their own individual styles, all at various different stages in their careers.

While She Sleeps:01–02

Tonight’s headliners “New Found Glory” who put punk pop well and truly on the map since forming in the summer 1997 in Florida. They have thrilled audiences all over the world with their fast and energetic style with top class live performances, fellow Americans “Sum 41” were also meant to be on this tour and due to illness could not perform so Welsh band “The Blackout” were drafted in a short notice.To get the evening started the first band are “While She Sleeps” from Sheffield, who arrive on stage with the crowd despite the cold, being very enthusiastic and a large circle pit soon forms in the middle of this great hall. The band deliver an impressive set full of aggressive vocals with a huge amount of spirit and energy, with great melodic songs such as “Bel(lie)ie” and the huge anthem that is “Crow” which ends the show with some style making the way for “Letlive”.

Letlive:01–02

The thirty minutes that the next band is on stage is something that the vast majority of the audience will never forget, a truly amazing experience, the band arrived on stage with more energy than seemed humanly possibly, lead singer Jason rushed around the stage like the Tasmanian devil, he soon jumped down into the photo pit and then dived into the crowd surfing above their heads while still singing the words to “The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion”, and then much to the delight of the crowd ripped down the “No Crowd Surfing” Sign. Much to the disgust of the local security staff.

As the band continued with their set the roadies had no chance, with the chaos of stage equipment flying all over the place. The band then started the intro to “Muther” , Jason once again disappeared, within minutes he was spotted up on the very high balcony tight-roping along the edge and then looked like he was going to jump dangling over the edge hanging by one hand over the heads of the crowd, he was soon hulled in by security and made his way back on stage for the bands final number (See 5.22 onwards on video below). The chaos certainly did not end there, as Jason jumped into the drum kit while drummer Anthony Rivera was still playing, Anthony carried on as nothing had happened while Jason head butted the fallen cymbals several times. The band left stage leaving a shell shocked but totally impressed crowd, no quite believing the class of performance that they have seen.

Blackout:01–02

The place once again plunged into darkness and the random intro music of “Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word” by Elton John signaled it was time for the next band “The Blackout” had a huge ask following “Letlive”. However they had a trump card up their sleeve, after their 1st number they launched into “Fat Lip” by “Sum 41” which sent the crowd wild, the whole place was rocking with everyone singing the words right back at the band, from then on in the eyes of the vast majority of the audience, the band could do little wrong. The campness and witty banter of blue haired vocalist Sean Smith was in stark contrast of the more straight 2nd vocalist Gavin Butler. Their anthemic twin guitar sound really suits large hall such of this, so playing arenas with “Blink 182” later in the year should be no problem to them. The hour set was full of highlights with some great songs as “The Storm”, “Children Of The Night” and last number “Higher & Higher” which once again saw hordes of fans enthusiastically singing all in unison.

New Found Glory:01–02

At last it was the time for what every Pop Punk fan had been waiting for the arrival of the pop punk pioneers themselves “New Found Glory”, they arrived on stage to a massive welcome from the elated Southampton crowd who without any coercing formed various mosh and circles pits across the dance-floor. The band did what the do best with a great set of material spanning their whole career including tracks from their latest release “Radiosurgery” as well as collection of well chosen covers including the excellent “Blitzkrieg Pop” by “The Ramones”. Jordan Pundik and his band appeared to be firing on all cylinders after a just a couple of warm up shows in Dublin to prepare for this UK tour. The best crowd reaction was saved for the final few songs where the band appeared to step up a notch delighting their adoring audience with brilliant performances of “Hit Or Miss”, “My Friends Over You” and a great cover of “Green Day’s” “Basket Case”. So Kerrang have, once again, provided rock fans with a stunning evening of entertainment that few will forget in a hurry, roll on next year.

Set-Lists
New Found Glory
All Downhill From Here
Radiosurgery
Understatement
Don’t Let Her Pull You Down
Anthem For The Unwanted
Head On Collision
Memories & Battlescars
Failures Not Flattering
Kiss Me(Sixpence None The Richer)
Blitzkrieg Pop(Ramones)
Dressed To Kill
It’s Not Your Fault
Truth Of My Youth
Hit Or Miss
Basket Case(Green Day)
My Friends Over You

The Blackout
I’m a Riot, You’re A Fucking Riot!
Fat Lip(Sum 41 Cover)
ShutTheFuckUppercut
Ambition Is Critical
It’s High Tide Baby
Never By Your Side
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Said and Done
The Storm
Children Of The Night
Save Ourselves(The Warning)
Higher & Higher

Letlive
Le Prologue
The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion
Renegade 86′
Fix Me(Black Flag)
Muther
Casino Columbus

Videos
New Found Glory