Live: Youmeatsix @ 02 Apollo

Youmeatsix
O­2 Apollo
13 December 2010
3 Stars

Youmeatsix were one of the highest rising bands of 2010, having played the British invasion of the US Warped Tour (which also included Enter Shikari and Bring Me the Horizon); the main stage at Reading and Leeds and finally ended the year supporting the album, Hold Me Down, released in January.

Tonight’s openers, Canterbury, are simply boring. Their music seems to be almost background noise and very few of the crowd seem to even care that they are playing while Californian pop-punkers, Set Your Goals, come across as an odd mismatch of post-hardcore instrumentalists and a pre-pubescent frontman. All of the songs sound similar, blending into one another, with little crowd involvement.

Yet, when Welsh sextet, The Blackout, hit the stage with ‘Children of the Night’, the energy suddenly pours from the crowd. Known for their energetic sets, The Blackout blend, almost perfectly, content from the past 2 albums in a short set and are even joined by Youmeatsix frontman, Josh Francheschi, for ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’. Closing on ‘I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot!’ The Blackout give Youmeatsix a challenge to match up to this support.

And Youmeatsix certainly come out to upstage them. Unfortunately however, having picked up some vocal troubles after the Bournemouth gig a few days before, frontman Josh Francheschi’s voice is not as good as it could’ve been. They put on a great show nevertheless, choosing to open with ‘Save It For The Bedroom’, really getting the crowd going and never letting up from start to finish, with a set featuring ‘Always Attract’, ‘If I Were in Your Shoes’ (dedicated to Bring Me the Horizon, who are backstage) and ‘The Consequence’ where Sean Smith from The Blackout decides to join in.
Overall though, Youmeatsix put on an average performance with vocal problems being the main cause for hindering tonight’s gig.

James Birtles