Southampton Uni was over run with awesome homegrown British bands this weekend as Takedown 2013 commenced!
The ceiling was literally caving in at the Big Deal Clothing stage, which was handily situated in a bar so you could have a drink and let the first band wow you. Luckily the first band I Divide knew they had to impress the early attendees who merely wanted to escape the rain outside and put on a fantastic set, filled with audience interaction and even a mini pit. Though the audience was only fifty at most they play as if it's their last show ever. Great start to the day.
Up next a little band from Peterbourough named We Are Fiction if the audience hadn't heard of them before then they certainly won't forget them now. The fivesome who announce this is their first time in Southampton waste no time kicking into their alternative rock songs and with bangers like Sail On and Desire Lines it was set to be an awesome show from the beginning. With the lead singer Phil in and out of the audience like a yoyo it was just a great spectacle.
Over to the Southampton Music Presents stage, again conveniently situated in a bar, the metalcore band Collisions were making their mark in this tiny room, letting everyone know that if you wanted a kick ass show then this is where you needed to be.
After grabbing a quick snack and listening to Subsource for a bit who had a very unique but not loveable sound it was time to head back over to Southampton Music again and watch a band I personally had wanted to see for a long time. The mighty Attention Thieves.
After wanting to see them for so long I was skeptical in case they let me down, oh how I was wrong. Fresh still from supporting Enter Shikari a week ago the foursome are ready to hit it hard with whatever crowd they get and it's quite a big one. They play a great set with brilliant tunes like You'll Be The First One and We Won't Live Forever it's hard not to! 'There's a guy moshing in a wheelchair' Alex Green says before bashing out another awesome tune. A highlight of the day.
Over to the Rock Sound stage now for probably 2013's hottest band, their debut album has achieved high status with every single music magazine and website, their live shows are spectacular and they've got a full schedule this year. Ladies and gentleman the brilliant Mallory Knox.
Kicking off with Wake Up the crowd are already fully on the band's side, followed up with instant classics Beggars and Death Rattle Mallory Knox are set on making this a show that people won't forget in a hurry, no gimicks are needed just rock music. Ending the set with Lighthouse an anthem that everyone knows off by heart clearly, the band leave the stage and have just upstaged every other act in the process.
Up next We Are the Ocean proving that after countless years of touring and a little less band member changes than Lostprophets that they still have it in them to draw a huge crowd and put on a good show. Now and Then struck a chord with the audience and the brilliant single Waiting Room only got them going even more.
After the monumental success of their debut album Priorities Don Broco's 2012 ended on a high and after a headline tour at the beginning of 2013 it was probably quite an honour to subheadline Takedown Festival. Kicking off with Priorities the set is already a massive hit with the whole crowd, moving on to Hold On and Actors sprinkled with a few oldies Beautiful Morning and Thug Workout where the crowd started to do press ups on the bands command. The boys look so at home on stage and are energetic and animated all the way through. Finishing with Fancy Dress was inspired and ends the set on a high note.
Over to the Monster stage, first time i've set foot in there today and to imagine that Yorkshire metal heads While She Sleeps will be taking to this stage soon makes me even more intrigued to see them in action. The insane single Death Toll creates a pit as soon as the first chord drops, the lead singer Loz is just begging for everyone to go nuts. Crows and Dead Behind the Eyes gets a ridiculous reaction from the audience and allows Loz to come into the crowd and give the mic to some lucky guests. While She Sleeps prove why they're one of the best metal bands in Britain.
Meanwhile Welsh hardcore screamo outfit The Blackout take to the main stage and aside from making jokes about how small co lead singer Sean Smith has a small penis and offending audience members they also play a fourteen song set. As well as songs from their new album Start the Party they dip into their awesome back catalogue. This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things and Children of the Night. Sean Smith and Gavin Butler have their usual banter and Sean comments on the state of the toilets at Takedown. Save Ourselves brings the classic 'everyone get down on the floor trick' from The Blackout. As well as offending each other they take a dig at Don Broco but it's all in good humour. Some rapping from Sean on Higher and Higher leads to I'm a Riot You're a Fucking Riot and their awesome set comes to an end. As does another year of Takedown.
Highlights include Attention Thieves, We Are Fiction and Don Broo. Lowlights was definitely seeing Fearless Vampire Killers everywhere! Seriously how many are there?