More about: You Me At Six

Arguably one of the most hit and miss live acts of their ilk, for You Me At Six to take on Brixton's O2 Academy three times in one week is a big feat. A feat that relies heavily on the longevity of a cult debut album, and a year that’s seen a mild resurgence in pop-punk indulgence.

Bouncing on stage to the fiery opener ‘Fast Forward’ from their new album VI, Josh Franceschi displays the energy levels of a small, excitable puppy, running from one side of the stage to the other relentlessly. The split-level production and towering LCD screens have the potential to swallow a band with little stage presence, but You Me At Six make sure they’re the main event, with the crowd like putty in their hands, singing every last word back at them.

For a setlist that’s such an even mix of old and new, every era seems to go down just as well, with an extra burst of energy saved for the surprise addition of ‘Save It For The Bedroom’, naturally.

Moving from heart wrenching sing-alongs ‘Stay With Me’ and ‘Take On The World’, through into fanbase uniting ‘Bite My Tongue’ and ‘Fresh Start Fever’, they strike the perfect balance of crowd pleasing and album cycle.

Franceschi’s voice sounds pitch perfect through to the very end, with the energy never taking a moment to wane. Dare I say, it’s the perfect modernised, refreshed pop-punk concert, with side notes of maturity and professionalism eradicating any doubt that they were ready for this.

Encoring with ‘Room To Breathe’, ‘No One Does It Better’, ‘Straight To My Head’ and ‘Underdog’, it’s a beautifully selected montage of album eras, proving that You Me At Six deserve a three night run at Brixton even disregarding Take Off Your Colours.

More about: You Me At Six