Islington Academy – London
4/3/08
Things seem to have gone into over drive for You Me At Six in the last few months. Only 6 months ago they were low on the bill with Lights Action! and Saosin, but fast forward six months and they’re supporting Chicago’s punk pop heroes ‘The Audition‘, playing to a packed out Islington Academy and having every word of every track sung back word perfect, waves of adulation streaming from every corner of the venue.
One thing’s for sure, this five piece from Surrey are certainly doing something right.
Surfing on the wave of American emo/pop punk/screamo that’s seemingly endlessly crashing over the Atlantic to the UK, You Me At Six have been compared to Panic At The Disco, Taking Back Sunday and Elliot Minor, and on first glance you can see why, with their skinny jeans, swept aside fringes and perfectly sullen scene look, but they let their music do the talking, and from the time they bound onto stage they have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands – with an mercilessly up-tempo, exciting set.
Armed with a batch of catchy songs that translate effortlessly well on stage the band manage to combine British charm with a scene sense of direction. They just can’t be faulted for the energy rolling off the stage and sheer presence, and when The Audition’s front man Danny Stevens joins them on stage for a rendition of ” Save it For The Bedroom” the crowds are whipped into a frenzy. “ If I Were in Your Shoes” has the crowds singing back word for word, but it’s the cover of Rhianna’s Umbrella which threatens the blow the roof off.
As they leave the stage You Me At Six can be sure that they’re won over the crowd, and with a slot at Give It A Name in April, they seem on course to be one of the success stories of 2008. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed.
Dee Massey