You Me At Six at their best
Over the past year I have tracked You Me At Six through some of London’s smaller venues such as Kings College’s Students Union, the Monto Water Rats and Astoria 2 as well as seeing them support Fall Out Boy at Wembley. But I have never seen the band put on quite as impressive an array of songs and energy as they did at their SOLD OUT gig at the Astoria.
This set was incredibly lively, full of passion and excitement and most importantly, running high on the enjoyment and exhilaration of the crowd. It was the electricity running through the veins of every individual in the building that the band was able to absorb and play off. It was surprising that with such a boisterous crowd no one got seriously hurt. With the encouragement of the band behind them, the fans ripped circles between the standing crowds and went all out in fighting mode pushing, rushing and going completely berserk.
What the fans were going mad for were five young Surrey lads that over the past year have broken away from the success they received from Myspace and into the live music scene. Tonight, the lads performed nearly all tracks off their debut album ‘Take Off Your Colours’. Familiar songs like ‘You’ve Made Your Bed’ receive greater screams, but it was the performance of two particular songs I appreciated more. First, the albums acoustic number ‘Always Attract’; this was the first time I had seen this song performed. Lead singer Josh was joined on vocals by his sister and the crowd hushed to hear the wonderful melodies these siblings can create. To breathe some air back into the venue, a powerful concluding performance of ‘The Rumour’ took hold, where support acts Farewell and Houston Calls returned to the stage for the anthem verse.
The Astoria has seen some remarkable bands play over the years. But this performance is one I am going to remember. Their stage presence is phenomenal; Josh bounding from one end of the stage to the other and Max leaping from the drum kit with guitar in hand shows how much enthusiasm and passion the guys have for the music they are playing and how much appreciation they have for the fans coming out to see them. Considering You Me At Six has been playing a different UK venue nearly every night throughout October, it is surprising they still have the zest and strength to continue, but thankfully they did.