The day after Don Broco destroyed Brixton Academy, it was Lower Than Atlantis' turn to play their biggest ever headline show, in the gorgeous Roundhouse, in the heart of Camden. They were to be accompanied by Black Foxxes, As It Is, and Moose Blood. 

You know what? I could get used to weeks like these.

The evening started with the Exeter based trio Black Foxxes. Technically, they are absolutely impeccable, and their musicianship reminded me of something along the lines of Muse. Vocalist Mark Holley sounds flawless and they are a band we will, without the shadow of a doubt, hear about in the future. They smell like radio plays and festival bills. Yet, they didn't really do it for me, and it didn't seem like they did it for the people inside the Roundhouse. I'll put it down to the fact they didn't really fit with the rest of the line up and, contrary to the other bands playing, they aren't really well known. Yet.






Next up is Brighton's very own As It Is. They have exploded onto the scene last year thanks to their über catchy brand of pop punk and, some will say, thanks to the previous sort of fame of their frontman, Patty Walters, who had made himself a name on YouTube through covering a wide variety of songs. 2015, for them, has been the year of touring all around the world (they have played around two hundred shows) and of the release of their debut album, Never Happy, Ever After. Their fame is ever growing and as soon as opening track Cheap Shots and Setbacks kicks in, you can see a frankly large group of people finger pointing and shouting every word back at the band. The set wasn't perfect, it wasn't flawless, and there were technical issues to be noted, but it is a great conclusion to a great year for the pop punk outfit.






The main support tonight is Canterbury's emo outfit Moose Blood. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love this lot and how excited I always am to see them live, how I keep spinning their debut album I'll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time and how I still don't have a favourite song on it. As always when you see them, everyone in the crowd knows every word to every song - in the space of little over a year, the likes of Boston or Bukowski have become nothing short of iconic. Their live rendition is impeccable and Eddy Brewerton's vocals are just as flawless and filled with emotion as they are on record. (Yes, Gum never fails to break my heart). 2016 shall be the year when we are graced with a second Moose Blood record and that is something I am already looking forward to. Yes to the motherfucking please.






Headliners Lower Than Atlantis have been around in this scene for a long time now (they were formed in 2007) and they have been to hell and back before getting to a stage where they can headline a sold out Roundhouse (a thousand and seven hundred capacity, just so we're all clear). They have always struck me as a humble, hardworking and extremely talented lot, and it is absolutely amazing seeing them have their well deserved night of celebration.




They open with Get Over It, the excellent track extracted from the re-release of their self-titled album, and immediately, the venue goes crazy. They are a band with one of the most dedicated fanbases and tonight, it is easy to see why - the crowd is just as ecstatic for newer songs (including Ain't No Friend, Stays the Same or Emily, a personal favourite) as they are for older numbers - nothing older than World Record, but who can complain when they belt out the fantastic (Motor)Way of Life or Beech Like the Tree? Certainly not me.
Lower Than Atlantis are a more than solid live band (let's note that Eddy Thrower was nominated for young drummer of the year by Rhythm Magazine), one with intricate melodies, a way with words and songs all sounding different yet making up sonically cohesive records. Come to think of it, they are not just sonically cohesive, they are cohesive as a band as well. Yes, they do have a charismatic frontman, but no, it's not just a singer and backing musicians. They are an entity, and it is one of these things that set them apart from many rock bands.
They grace us with a lovely acoustic version of Deadliest Catch, followed by a highly emotional fan favourite, Another Sad Song, which sees a Roundhouse filled with lighters, phone lights (do people still do lighters?) and singalongs for days. One of the band's most recent singles, the gorgeous Words Don't Come So Easily, concludes a beautiful first part of the gig - and the encore is only the cherry on the cake. Imagine a thousand and seven hundred people having a dance to English Kids in America, a grateful band, people getting on everyone's shoulders and more dancing to Here We Go? Yes, that was the encore.






I think I always underestimate how much I love bands in general, and the love I have for Lower Than Atlantis hit me like a brick in the face at the Roundhouse. It blows my mind to see them getting places - in the best way. See you in 2017. I'll be there.