Photo: WENN
"We want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. This is just about the best job ever." Brand New greeted a practically sold out, huge Alexandra Palace on Friday night with their unique concoction of alternative punk rock.
At this point in their lengthy career, Brand New’s boundless energy and presence on stage has been firmly solidified, particularly Vincent Accord, the big haired guitarist swinging his instrument in every conceivable direction during new tracks like ‘Mene’ and piercing favourite ‘Degausser’. The crowd also responds accordingly, a swarm of twenty somethings embracing their inner teenagers, tossing limbs and forming unforgivable pits to pile into.
During their last couple of visits to the U.K, Jesse Lacey and co have decided to take some extended trips down memory lane, unleashing a number of cuts from their debut and second albums Your Favourite Weapon and Déjà Entendu. For a great deal of die-hard fans, this choice is usually greeted with adoration and gleeful screams, but we hoped on this occasion their nostalgic trip wouldn’t be quite so extensive.
The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me and Daisy are two records that turned the alternative rock scene on its head, re-defining how the genre should be approached and paving the way for a swarm of lacklustre imitations. WIth this in mind, there were some painful omissions form the set.
Regardless, though, the cavernous venue played host to a swarm of monster tracks, crowd favourite 'Sowing Season' tearing through the room and sending the crowd into an uncontrollable frenzy. More understated moments were welcomed too - nearly ten thousands fans sang along with every line of 'Soco Amaretto Lime' and Lacey performed alone for the new, heart wrenching track 'Sealed To Me'. "It's about how I haven't been there for people when I know I should."
Notorious for performing crushing and unforgettable outros to their sets, the band made no exception.. During the storming conclusion of ‘You Won’t Know’ and over a pounding wall of feedback and distortion, Lacey abandoned his guitar and sat down on the stage, screaming inaudible slurs and leaving every part of himself in the song.
Flowers were torn from the mic stand and strewn across a crowd that had also given everything to the show. At the end, fans poured out in a state of euphoric exhaustion.
