What MC Lars lacks with the loss of a backing band he more than makes up for with witty charm and an irrepressible plethora of clever ironical lyrics. Given todays headliners the lyrics to 'Signing Emo' is hilarious: "label press calls and says: sign more emo! How about screemo? If it sells sign Nemo!". The definitive moment is when MC Lars gets the audience to scream 'Dieee!' back at him like a group of underpaid extras on a poor remake of Dawn of the Dead. MC Lars has the ability to transport you back to the 80's and there's a real danger that if he makes it we could be seeing a new craze of Timmy Mallet sunglasses - you have been warned.
Perhaps there's a sense of irony that emo punk rockers My Awesome Compilation should be following MC Lars, but there is a strong sense of mutual appreciation between the artists tonight and My Awesome Compilation have enough going for them not to be the subject of MC Lars' satirical emo criticisms. For starters they seem to have developed a style of sub-mainstream punk pop, refined enough to warrant radio play but heavy enough to allow them to grace the pages of some of the heavier music publications. Think of Jimmy Eat World, with a Yellowcard topping and then throw on some Hundred Reasons and you have a pretty good idea of what a My Awesome Compilation pie would look like.
Opener 'You need discipline' is an upbeat punk record in that traditional American mould you will have grown accustomed to if you're a fan of American teen movies. The single 'Put up a fight' is a chirpy punk rock song that moves from a cheerful keyboard intro to thrashing distorted guitars. 'My Set to go' is as catchy and formulaic as My Awesome Compilation get and at times they do sound a bit too much like Sum 41. This shouldn't detract from the fact they craft a perfect pop record like a Belgian chocolate factory crafts chocolate. Riffs fraught with energy and catchy choruses in abundance My Awesome Compilation definitely have the songs to carry them into the mainstream.
I promised myself I would give Fightstar a fair and honest review and not mention THAT band that kick started off darling angel turned emo rocker Charlie Simpson's career. It's a bit difficult because last time I saw Fightstar they were being heckled and bombarded with hundreds of bottles by hoody wearing teenagers at Leeds Festival because of THAT band. But letÂ’s give them a chance shall we?
Single 'Paint your target' which peaked at number 9 in the UK chart has all the emo features of touching acoustic guitar - silence - thrashing guitars and now scream a lot. The core of the song sounds oddly like early Feeder while the vocals seem a touch Linkin Park. Live its atmospheric enough, Charlie no longer has a clean shaven, fresh, youthful look that could have been plastered on Kellogs Cornflake packets, instead he's gone all out with the facial hair.
Much of Fightstars material was in the same category as bands like Biffy Clyro and Taking Back Sunday. Quiet and melodic at times and then ear shatteringly loud shortly after. Fightstar, and Charlie in particular looked appreciative of the crowd, who despite a small group of hecklers at the back seemed to be enjoying the set.
Fightstar performed a couple of new songs, as well as 'Speak Up' from their debut EP and 'Until Then' (the b-side from 'Paint your target'). The one thing that did strike me about Fightstar was that they weren't unique in any particular way. They sounded like a lot of bands out there at the moment and their only distinguishing feature was the past of their lead singer.
It was a rather odd mix of bands to have on the same bill and I came away with a bigger impression of MC Lars than I did of Fightstar or My Awesome Compilation.
My Awesome Compilation Set List:
You need discipline
Sirens
Actions
Longshot
As Always
Set to go
Butterflies
Put up a fight
Asking for trouble
article by: Scott Johnson
photos by: Scott Johnson
published: 28/10/2005 15:53
FUTURE GIGS
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