Gig Review

Give It A Name Introduces Tour
In This Moment, Whole Wheat Bread, Lights, VersaEmerge
Birmingham, Bar Academy
16th April 2009
    
          
In This Moment         Whole Wheat Bread    Lights               VersaEmerge    
                        
Photo Of VersaEmerge © Copyright Rob Lawrencewell the night got off to a flier, by having a venue change, to the shitty bar academy, tiny it is, an also no real pit to speak of, but i got in between the stage an barrier so i was stuck in one spot all night,(this can lead to numb bum, not fun i can tell you), the venue change maybe a sign of the times, people just not going to gigs much these days, the small venue was fairly full but it certainly had room to spare and was not a sell out like it should have been.

First up were VersaEmerge a five pice experimental post hardcore rock band, from the us playing on a tour for the first time out of the US, A fairly young band with lots to prove and some what similar to paramore being female fronted an a poppy song every now an then, they get the crowd warmed up quite nicely, with some of the crowd familiar with the band already and singing along, a good start to the night, altho not really memorable but there defiantly going in the right direction.

Photo Of Lights © Copyright Rob LawrenceLights were next up with there own brand of synth pop, seems to be the in thing at the moment, but good non the less, the singer with her keytar, which is some thing you don't see every day, and also get on her own keyboard an moog, along with other members of her touring band including another guy rocking out on his moog an keyboard and a drummer, he sat out of some of the songs due him not being needed i guess, the performance while dreamy to some was dreary to others, but again having some fans in the crowd always helps, solid performance but again not memorable

Whole Wheat Bread are a punk rock band from the US, heavy on the beats and guitar getting some solid songs going, mid set the drummer comes from behind the drums to join the front man for some out an out freestyle rapping using pretty much every expletive known to man an possibly hitting on a few off the front row ladies in the crowd tonight, one the drummer finds his seat again, the front man from GBH makes an appearance to get on the shard vocals for a RATM cover which starts life off as slayers raining blood getting me head banging, i wished they'd have carried on but instead bulls on parade starts getting the crowd going and rocking out too. never saw this before but this band actually came back on for an encore, not bad for a support band that has left its mark on this Birmingham crowd.

Photo Of In This Moment © Copyright Rob LawrenceIn This Moment are the head liners of sorts really, never heard of the band before and didn't know what to expect really, last thing i expected was another female singer making her the 3rd of the night i also didn't expect a skirt that short either, but who's complaining??? Kicking off with prayers getting the crowd very excitable with the band pretty much rocking out as hard as they can, really getting around this small stage in this tiny venue, defiantly a band that should command a bigger stage for there melodic metal core sound, could have done with the vocals being louder though, the band changed the instrument a number of times for different tuning settings, the crowd was pretty much there for them this evening, even though this was the bands first time in the UK trying our crisps roast chicken a favorite apparently, the band finishes the set with Beautiful Tragedy as there encore much to the delight of the crowd, most of which has had a very good night after coming in from the April showers.

VersaEmerge 3/5
Lights 3/5
Whole Wheat Bread 5/5
In This Moment 5/5

Review By Robert Lawrence

 In This Moment


Maria Brink (Vocals)
Jesse Landry (Bass)
Chris Howorth (Guitar)
Blake Bunzel (Guitar)
Jeff Fabb (Drums)

 Whole Wheat Bread


Aaron Abraham (guitar, lead vocals)
Joseph Largen (drums, vocals)
Will Frazier (bass, vocals)

 Lights


Coming Soon

 VersaEmerge


Sierra Kusterbeck (Lead Vocals)
Blake Harnage (Guitar, Vocals, Programming)
Jerry Pierce (Guitar)
Devin Ingelido (Bass)
Anthony Martone (Drums)

 Band Related Links
In This Moment Myspace
Whole Wheat Bread Myspace
Lights Myspace
VersaEmerge Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?