A night to remember forever
Since Sum 41 made an entrance into the music industry back in 1996, they have released five albums and often play more gigs a year than they have hot dinners. Wracking up numerous hit singles, amazing albums and sold out tours playing to thousands, the band made a small stop at the Camden Underworld for a more intimate gig in their current touring schedule.
This Canadian quartet was one of the initial reasons this reviewer developed a taste for music. Fifteen years later and she has finally got a glimpse of the live performance these four are capable of putting on...and it was a night NOT to be missed.
In terms of performance, these lads went all out and in such a tightly squeezed space, this was certainly one of most enjoyable aspects of the performance. As well as playing their own tunes, they gave the odd rendition of some classics, particularly a medley of some of their Punk and Metal heroes. The songs performed ranged from tracks off their back catalogue of releases through to the bands new single and title track from their upcoming fifth album release "Screaming Bloody Murder". Each and every song was performed with an eagerness, enthusiasm and excitement for being given the opportunity to play a venue that was much smaller than then are used to these days and to a sold out and very passionate crowd. Deryck particularly seemed very appreciative and astounded to some degree by the reaction they were receiving. The venue was packed to the brim with screaming individuals and then there were the five or six nutters that consistently crowd surfed through the entire night, narrowly avoiding the microphones, musicians and three largely built bodyguards/security men that SUM 41 had personally flown in with them. Curiosity wonders whether these individuals realise how dangerous this can be, for themselves and the musicians, and how terribly irritating it is for other gig-goers at a venue this small where there is no barrier at the front.
After performances of favourites such as 'Fat Lip', 'In Too Deep' and 'Motivation' no SUM 41 performance would be complete without letting Stevo32 out from behind his drum hit to belt out 'Pain For Pleasure' and the lads savoured this moment as the conclusion for their incredibly intimate, emotionally driven and breathtakingly vigorous London date.
The album "Screaming Bloody Murder" is due for release in March and I for one cannot wait!