Page 44 - Black Velvet Issue 96

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THE BOTTOM LINE / LACEY / BETTER DAYS / BEAUMONT – BIRMINGHAM ASYLUM, 24.01.18
UK pop-punkers The Bottom Line kick off the year with a headline tour as ‘Tonight’, while ‘Answers’ incorporates a dancey element. The guys in
of the UK following last year’s support slot to Waterparks. The four-band Lacey have worked hard at their craft for years and it shows.
bill sees local band Beaumont opening the proceedings. With a song The Bottom Line pull out all the stops – and lighting – as they make
about Bruce Springsteen (‘E Street’), which wouldn’t feel out of place in a their set something that no-one will go home disappointed with. Featuring
Lower Than Atlantis set, the band are not your typical pop-punk opener. all their catchy tunes such as ‘Insecure’ and ‘A Little Much’, the band’s set
Their music has a slightly lower tone, which sees the band’s influence of brightens the room. Their songs are packed with ‘woah’s and fist-punching
darker pop such as Joy Division seep in. ‘Hurler’ begins quite monoto- anthemic choruses. They add in a couple of covers – Smash Mouth’s ‘All
nously before blooming into a tepid Motion City Soundtrack-type tune. Star’ and Wheatus’s ‘Teenage Dirtbag’, which boosts the level of enjoy-
They’re not as catchy as Better Days, who are up next, from up in New- ment even higher. Frontman Callum Amies says he has lost his voice, al-
castle and who joke about accents. Better Days have probably had better though later on claims it’s getting better as the set progresses. It sounds
gigs as they chat so much in between songs that they run out of time and fine to us. They get the crowd involved in the typical crouch down then
aren’t allowed to play their final tune. What they do manage to play is en- jump up tomfoolery, while single ‘I Still Hate You’ is the ultimate party tune
ergetic, with songs such as ‘This House’ being fast-paced and fervent. As and helps wrap the set up (before ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ rounds the night off).
entertaining as they are in between songs, they need to work on keeping With talk of their new album being completed, we’re eagerly awaiting what
to schedule and not waffling on too much. As nice as it is to see a chatty is coming next from The Bottom Line. The bottom line is… these guys are
band on stage, it shouldn’t detract from the music too much. great. Go see them if you can.
Lacey from Nottingham are a little more professional and refined. YYYY
They’re a man down, but they don’t let it bother them. Their set includes Shari Black Velvet
a cover of Blink-182’s ‘Dammit’, which takes a while to register. The band
have a rockier edge. They move things to arena quality with songs such Max Ellis & Tom Newton (The Bottom Line) Photo By Shari Black Velvet

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