Good effort despite a poor sound system!
There are good and bad aspects of the venue in Swindon tonight. The Oasis, is a leisure centre normally, a place whereby you will find me two or three times a week running around the football pitches trying to emulate international footballers, whilst trying not to be like a second-rate Jan Molby: overweight, stationary and hoping that long shots and long passes are good enough. As a venue it's the biggest in Swindon, and it's a bonus that big acts are finally coming to play a gig a mere ten minute walk from my house, however as good a job as is done to accommodate the many fans, it's still not a great place for a gig, and the sound system leaves a lot to be desired...
Army Of Freshmen are already in full swing as I fight my way through school kids to get in. The six members are from Ventura, California, a place that means as much to a Swindonian as does Timbuktu, and are already in their rhythm, jumping around warming the crowd up expertly. What you will always find with AOF is their upbeat, party attitude, and in Chris Jay, they have a frontman who gushes charisma.
'At The End Of The Day' is always a well received song, and it's good to see a lot of people singing along. AOF did of course tour with Bowling For Soup earlier in the year, as well as completing the successful Good To Go tour with the likes of Punchline, MC Lars and Wheatus back in the summer. Keyboardist's Owen and Dan show us their juggling skills by throwing their keyboards in the air rather impressively.
As good as AOF are, I do have to cringe a little when Chris says, "You guys are not only the best crowd in England, but the best in the whole goddamn world!" I'm a proud Swindonian at the best of times, but I know for sure that this cannot be right! AOF finish off with the mid tempo, 'Juliet' the same as they did in Oxford on the last tour, and on the back of recently signing to Rock Ridge Music, a US Indie record label, this show will not have done them bad at all. Good all round effort, for a band that are finally making a name for themselves!