Page 64 - Black Velvet Issue 88

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SLEEPING WITH SIRENS / AS IT IS / THIS WILD LIFE / BEACH WEATHER – BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY, 05.03.16
Over the last few years, Sleeping With Sirens’ sound has mellowed somewhat. Originally starting out as a post-hardcore band, the band have
gradually moved towards a rockier and more commercial sound. The bill on this tour solidifies that, with the first two outfits being very mellow
indeed. Beach Weather, the new project of Nick Santino (A Rocket To The Moon), are a chilled, smooth-sounding three-piece. We don’t quite have
the beach weather in Birmingham but if you close your eyes while listening to these guys, you can almost picture relaxing on the sand with the rays
beating down. ‘Rebel Sun’ has a bit of a Tom Petty/mellow Bruce Springsteen vibe, while final song ‘Swoon’ is a sultry, smouldering audio sensa-
tion.
This Wild Life from Long Beach, CA, are an acoustic duo that keep the pace mellow and tranquil. Their music is not very wild at all, although if
you like bare, real, honest songs that come from the heart they may be a band you want in your life. Kevin Jordan sings about everything from long
distance relationships (‘Better With You’) to an old dog (‘Puppy Love’). There’s a special song that he wrote to lift his mother’s spirits when she went
through chemotherapy called ‘No More Bad Days’. He asks for everyone to put their camera lights on for this song and dims the venue lights.
Anthony Del Grosso, Kevin’s partner-in-crime, puts down his acoustic guitar to play the drums to end the set. These guys are sweet and sentimental.
With songs such as
‘Sorry’ and ‘Cheap Shots &
Setbacks’ you won’t be sorry
to see As It Is in concert. The
pop-punk band from Brighton
bring some much needed en-
ergy to the night. Vegan
singer Patty Walters jumps
around and whips up the au-
dience. If you haven’t yet
checked out As It Is but love
the likes of New Found Glory
and All Time Low, then As It Is
are a must-see. Tonight they
most definitely win over a lot
of fans. There are big cheers
for final song ‘Dial Tones’, a
vibrant, bouncy pop-punk
tune. We are definitely eager
to see these boys again.
You know when Sleeping
With Sirens come on stage
because the crowd sing
louder than vocalist Kellin
Quinn! We could do with
Kellin’s vocals being a bit
louder, particularly in opening
number ‘Don’t Say Anything’,
as he is drowned out by the
rest of the bodies in the build-
ing! The audience is
squashed in tightly but they
can still find room in their
lungs to sing. The band’s dy-
namic set is what everyone
has come out to see – and
the band do not disappoint.
Sadly guitarist Justin Hills is
not with the band – Kellin tells
everyone before ‘Gold’ that
Justin is ‘making himself bet-
ter at home’ but has not been
kicked out of the band. In his
place Alex Howard of Condi-
tions, who was drafted in over
a year ago, takes a more
prominent position.
Before ‘Better Off Dead’ Kellin tells the crowd that it goes out to a fan
whose best friend committed suicide. He says “Start talking, please,” and
“Please don’t fucking kill yourself” He tells the audience that he has a lot of
stress himself with all the work he puts on his shoulders, but “If you weren’t
meant to be alive, you wouldn’t be born.”
The band have smoke that blasts every now and then and ramps up to
side risers. ‘Parasites’ increases the pace, while Kellin and guitarist Nick
Martin perform an acoustic rendition of ‘With Ears To See And Eyes To
Hear’. With a three-song encore that features ‘Do It Now, Remember It
Later’, ‘Satellites’ and ‘If You Can’t Hang’ ending the show on a high (the
latter seeing guitarist Nick Martin walk out into the crowd and all around the
room), if you haven’t yet seen Sleeping With Sirens you really must ‘do it
now’. Every time we see this band, we have an awesome time at their show
and are reminded what a great live band they are. Tonight was no different.
Their acoustic live album is out soon – so pick that up if you can.

YYYYY
SBV
Kellin Quinn & Nick Martin (Sleeping With Sirens) Photo By Shari Black Velvet

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