Biffy Clyro / The Bronx / TheAUDITION / I Am Ghost

So, it's that time of the year again, when the uncool kids get together to watch the bands they are going to be reading about for the next year. This heavy rock equivalent of the NME tour has a habit of turning up the next big thing on the metal scene, and based on this show, it should be an interesting year if nothing else.


First up is I Am Ghost. A goth-rock-emo by numbers outfit who look like they have taken the 'How To Be An Outsider' textbook, and ticked off the points as they worked through them. Dressed for a funeral? Check. Mum's eyeliner? Check. Screamo whine vocals? Check. Complete lack of originality? Check. That said, they weren't all that bad, just completely unoriginal. Frontman Steven Juliano gives a convincing performance as the tortured frontman, and the rest of the band are tight enough, but it just doesn't excite. Special mention must, however, go to violinist Kerith Telestai, who is simply superb, and is the sole highlight of what is, in all honest, a pretty disappointing set.

TheAUDITION followed, and the contrast between the overblown goth pomp of the previous act, and the tight, grungey sounds of those onstage now is staggering. The Chicago five piece deliver a heartfelt emo set in a similar vein to Jetplane Landing. The performance isn't the greatest, but there is definitely talent here. The highlight of the set is the melodic 'Don't Be So Hard' which shows a more melancholy side to this promising, albeit unpolished, outfit.


The style of the evening changes yet again with The Bronx. Borrowing heavily from the likes of Black Flag and Bad Brains, they treat us to a heavyweight, riff laden set which gets the room jumping. Drummer Jorma Vik and guitarist Joby Ford steal the show though, and their interplay lends the show an excitement which elevates them above other, similar acts.

Despite suffering from a broken knee, frontman Matt Caughthran makes an admirable effort to get up close and personal with the crowd at every opportunity, and his determination to see the show through will surely pay dividends, as the band will no doubt have gained many new fans tonight. On this showing, they surely deserve it.

Considering that the rest of the bill was made up of American acts, it strikes me as weird that the star attraction is a band of unassuming Glaswegians with a penchant for penning killer alt-rock masterpieces. It's weird to finally see Biffy Clyro breaking through into the mainstream, well after many people had thought they had missed the boat, but hey, there's no accounting for taste.



Opening with 'Semi-Mental' (a song that should merit an award simply for most fantastic title ever), they proceed to show the Americans how to do it. By now the Academy is packed, and is bouncing front to back. The set includes a devastating take on 'Justboy', and a feedback drenched rendition of 'Glitter and Trauma' to close the show. Forcing a scream from his guitar, and then killing it dead to close the song and the set, frontman Simon Neil looks out over the crowd with a glow of self satisfaction, and you realise that this is exactly where Biffy belong. It's just a shame it has taken so long really.

FUTURE GIGS

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