The quartet from Boston, Massachusetts prove that they have what it takes to hit the big time
American four-piece Boys Like Girls have toured with some of the biggest names in pop punk over recent years (Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne, but to name a few) and they mark the end of 2010 by touring the United Kingdom alongside Cardiff rockers Kids in Glass Houses and Red Bull Bedroom Jam winners You and What Army.
Beginning their set with hit single 'Love Drunk', the group burst into life and deliver their music with the same degree of tightness as lead guitarist Paul DiGiovanni's skinny jeans. Sandwiched in between two British bands, Boys Like Girls were out to represent American pop punk and it was clear from the beginning that they were going to be doing this in style. Vocalist Martin Johnson in particular possesses a great on-stage presence, directing the rest of his band with the confidence and passion that one would expect from the frontman of a rock outfit. The group effortlessly plough through their set, expertly performing songs such as 'Hero/Heroine' and 'She's Got a Boyfriend Now' with liveliness and attitude.
Arming himself with an acoustic guitar, Johnson eases into 'Thunder' and instantly heightens the intimacy of the gig, with the remainder of the group eventually rejoining him to great effect. The band continue to practice their brand of pop punk with 'Two is Better Than One', utilizing the well-suited acoustic flavourings. Finishing with 'The Great Escape', Johnson removes his shirt and launches himself towards the sea of swooning teenage girls. Having been severely groped, the frontman eventually made his way back to the stage to depart with the rest of his bandmates, marking a superb performance from the quartet.
Boys Like Girls are a band that prove themselves to be perfectly suited to the contemporary pop punk scene, but perhaps their only problem is going to be distancing themselves from the competition. Their identity is a cross between All Time Low and Forever the Sickest Kids, not just aurally but visually too, with guitarist DiGiovanni bearing an uncanny resemblance to All Time Low's Jack Barakat.
Kids in Glass Houses could not have wished for a better support act than Boys Like Girls, with the American group truly displaying their star quality. If the Boston-based band continues to deliver live shows with such energy and professionalism, it will only be a matter of time before they return to the UK and perform at similarly-sized venues as the headline act.