Eastpak Antidote tour 2011

A DAY TO REMEMBER
PLUS: LIVING WITH LIONS,
THE GHOST INSIDE, AUGUST
BURNS RED
HMV Forum, London
18.11.11
Words: Jenny Chu


UNFORTUNATELY THE 23 date tour must come to an end but A Day To Remember, the best thing to come out of Florida let alone the pop-punk/hardcore world, play with all the energy and all the passion that exists among the quintet. The capital is treated to not one, but two sold out shows and for a band that has never lacked in regards to their fan base, selling out a 2350 capacity venue is done so effortlessly.

Canadians; Living With Lions attempt to bring the epitome of the pop-punk side to this tour yet still manage to seem a little out of place as they wander around slightly lost on stage which doesn’t do their catchy songs justice.
Following awkward proceedings, The Ghost Inside present an impressive set that gets the room rumbling from left to right. The band of five years has created a sound so successfully strong that they raise the bar for future bands hoping to follow in their footsteps. The Californian crew mould the audience into a human hurricane and have them eating out of their hands by the time their set is done and prove that if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.
August Burns Red, saving the best ‘til last, are the final series of support acts. Delivering spine-chilling guitar riffs acquainted with roars of pure destruction, they are a force to be reckoned with. Internal Cannon showcases the bands hard work at its very best.

The band the sold out show has been anticipating for are greeted by an audience that knows every lyric from the opening track Sticks & Bricks. A Day To Remember infuses everything a great show should; a set list that meets the needs of fans that have been listening from day 1 to those who only just got into ADTR as well as stamina to play to perfection every one of those 19 songs on the set list. A Day To Remember are joined by Yoda who attacks the crowd with toilet paper and free t-shirts. It is definitely not the average gig and not only is effort put into performing but into entertaining the fans making the overall show one to remember. Crowd pleasers; Mr Highway Is Thinking About The End, 2^nd Sucks and A Shot In The Dark become a battle of the breakdowns of which encouragement to invade the room with mosh pits is made irresistible. Across four albums the band incorporate into the show defines carnage of commanding choruses, mighty bridges and control over an eruption of enduring beats. It’s Complicated has the recipe of a pop punk rhythm but a hardcore melody with vocals so powerful almost capable of blowing off the roof of the North London’s venue and Homesick see’s frontman Jeremy McKinnon walk on fans in a giant balloon. Singles; All I Want and All Signs Point To Lauderdale from 2010’s debut Album; What Separates Me From You are performed flawlessly with such energy you’d only find in a sweet shop which impacts the sound levels.

ADTR master dominance and authority as kings of two genres; pop punk and hardcore.
If It Means A lot To You embraces the beautiful side to ADTR followed by ever-lasting statement song; The Downfall Of Us All draw a close on a series of possibly the best shows Europe will ever get to see.