Stood on the drizzly streets of a cold wet Manchester on a Saturday night, it’s impossible to miss the queue of black and fishnet clad people waiting outside Academy 2, hurriedly filing down into Manchester’s basement venue – and upon entering it’s impossible to miss the air of excitement filling up person by person awaiting the arrival of Californian spooky rockers New Years Day.
First up are alternative newcomers Call Me Amour with their industrial style electronic influences and pop punk undertones. They definitely go down well with the crowd, receiving plenty of positive feedback, and as a result of this performance have become a firm favourite in some of my playlists. Cutting very unique figures each member of the band very much make their presence known including the frontman’s unusual make up style vis-a-vis Twenty-One Pilots.
Following on from such a strong start are Lowlives bringing the heaviness and hardcore style tearing up the stage with their enthusiasm and high octane stage show. They add another layer to the evening’s show by getting the crowd up and moving with a very unique genre of music. It’s mould-breaking and delightfully in-your-face which, teamed with the crowd’s excitement produced a very effective atmosphere.
Headliner of the night New Years Day have been playing shows for almost fifteen years and it shows. Frontwoman Ash Costello launches herself on stage in a frenzy of headbanging and dry ice to their new track “Come for Me” and proceeds to slam through a mixture of new and old tracks, mixing in their seductive cover of “Gangsta”, keeping the crowd hanging on her every word. It’s not hard to tell why, after so long, New Years Day are still considered a cult hit and can still pack out venues with fans of all different ages and types – and keep them coming back for more.
Overall, three very strong bands provided an incredible night’s entertainment. All recommended should they tour near you, particularly if you’re a fan of heavier, dark rock with a metal spike thrown in there for good measure.
Pics by Charlotte Martin Photography