Review: Hawthorne Heights @ CF10
Hawthorne Heights + Failsafe + Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
CF10
4th December 2011
I originally bought the tickets for my girlfriend as her Channukah-mas present, but she was too ill to go. So, after hours of asking all my friends to go with me, I finally convinced Reg to go with me.
We queued up outside CF10 around half 6ish and the doors opened at 7. Luckily we were at the front of the queue, so we managed to get close to the stage.
The first band up were Failsafe from Preston, UK. I had only really heard of them from Inbetweeners and the occasional Spotify playlist I got sent. I have to say they were the second best to play. They played well, which unfortunately, not all bands do. I really got into them. From what I remember they played Hope and Routines (which is now one of my favourite songs) I think I was the only one vaguely jumping and head-banging along but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I wouldn't mind seeing them live again.
Next up, were the band I paid 21 quid for both tickets to see; Hawthorne Heights. They were f***ing amazing! I didn't once stop jumping, fist-pumping and dancing badly. They played; End of The Underground, Drive Saying Sorry, Niki FM, Dead In The Water, Life on Standby, Blue Burns Orange, This is Who We Are, a few songs of their new album; Hate, Four White Walls, Oceans and ended with Ohio is For Lovers. I had a cold before the gig and I completely lost my voice half way through the set, but that didn't stop me from screaming along to all the songs. At the end of their set, Reg and I ventured over to the merch stand. Annoyingly, I had spent too much money at Winter Wonderland at that and didn't have enough for a t-shirt, but I had just about enough to get a copy of their new album, Hate and got it singed. So I was very very very happy about that.
I was all pumped up for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, but in all honesty, they were a major let down. The only two songs I really loved by them, (Guardian Angel and Face Down) they played at the end and completely messed up. They played Guardian Angel as an acoustic and the lead singer would either held the note for way too long or mess up/change the lyrics. Maybe, this is just Aspergers Imogen talking now, but if you know every single person in the crowd paid to see that song live, you don't mess it up!
Face Down wasn't acoustic but it was still as rubbish. They have a new guitarist and when they introduced him, he did a solo. Which would be fair enough, if he hadn't gone on for 5 long minutes. The singer also decided to show off at the end of Guardian Angel by holding the note for about a million years. It was impressive but it was just like, okay, shut up now and play.
The awfulness of the band wasn't even the worse part of the set, these four idiots behind us decided to start a mosh pit. I think I would have been a lot happier if there was a really good mosh pit, but this wasn't one of those mosh pits. This was just the 'couple of guys throwing each other around and into people' kind of mosh pit. This is the type of mosh pit, no one likes. Reg is a year younger than me and these guys kept throwing themselves in her direction. The last thing I wanted is for her to get hurt and for it to be my fault because I nagged her into going with me. So, I stood in front of her the whole set, getting slammed into. I guess I could just say what I usually say when people start a mosh pit, 'unless you leave with eight or more bruises and cuts you haven't had a good time.' But I didn't have a good time! Well not for that set anyway. And trust me, if it was a good mosh pit, I would have been in there! I got knocked out the first time I saw The Blackout (no pun intended) and I went back in! I got my gums ripped open during the Architects set at BMTH and still went back in! I got my nose broken at that gig too, I still went back it! I had a fit at the Pulp Party and went back in! I got my nose broken at The Big Weekend and I still went back in. I love mosh pits. It may just be 'getting beaten up to music' but I don't think there is a better feeling in the world than jumping around with fellow sweaty fans, singing and screaming along to the music you love. It wasn't all-bad though, the band threw a guitar pick into the crowd and my friend Emily caught it. So it was a good night for Reg's friends.
Apart from being let down by Jumpsuit, the gig was pretty awesome. Hawthorne Heights are one of the best bands I've seen live. But, they weren't as good as Bullet For My Valentine. They were amazing. I think these types of gigs are really underrated. I don't really understand why some people pay hundreds of pounds to see bands like N-Dubz or Rihanna because they're not real music. I'd much rather pay 20 quid for a band that I love and that I can jump around to, than 100 to just sit there and look at the singer. I always make sure I have a gig coming up, because to be honest it's the only thing other than my friends and my mum that keeps me going. Like I said earlier on in the article, there is no better feeling than jumping side by side with hundreds of other sweaty fans, belting out lyrics with all you have.
As cheesy as this sounds, bands like Hawthorne Heights, MCR, BMTH, BFMV and Architects are the reason me and loads of other teenagers are still going. I love gigs, but hardly any bands come to Cardiff, which really sucks.
Organisations Community Music Wales
Info Sport & Leisure Performing Arts Music
3 Comments – Postiwch sylw
CeefaxOfLife
Rhoddwyd sylw 53 mis yn ôl - 16th December 2011 - 12:34pm
I was with you until you said "real music". Hate that phrase, it's always used by rock fans against music that isn't rock. The belief that only music made with guitars is "authentic" and "real" is ancient, redundant and wrong. Good review though dude.
AddictedToDrPepper1
Rhoddwyd sylw 53 mis yn ôl - 16th December 2011 - 15:13pm
Real music to me is not auto tuned, you write the song and the lyrics yourself, you do it because you love it, not just for the money. Some 'mainstream' music is real, but most of it is just manufacted x-factor crap and I hate it. Thanks for your feed back though bro
CeefaxOfLife
Rhoddwyd sylw 53 mis yn ôl - 21st December 2011 - 11:40am
What's wrong with auto-tune? It's particularly good on I'm On A Boat! I don't think it matters who writes or plays the track as long as it sounds good. Keep it unreal!