Lower Than Atlantis - Cardiff University - 21st January 2012 (Live Review)
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Written by Owen Sheppard
Watford punk rockers Lower than Atlantis get off to cracking start in Cardiff beginning their first nationwide headline tour, and did we mention that every date on the campaign has sold out?!
It’s been a mere two years since their youth club shows and bottom of the bill positions supporting some rather less inspiring artists in Britain’s rock scene but Watford four piece Lower Than Atlantis are finally finding their feet on a national scale.
After touring with album chart toppers You Me at Six last October, it’s fair to say that they must have been doing something right and gained a shed load of new fans. I feel old at this show while surrounded by fringe clad kids that you’d assume must be in possession of a fake I.D when you see them sipping cider through straws. But Baseball caps off to the boys in L.T.A for shifting the 500 or so tickets in advance of tonight.
The band kicks things off at half past nine with their newly released single “If the World was to End”. From then on it’s a straight forward hour long trail of fan favourites from their previous two albums, both receiving equal coverage. Catchier, pop friendly numbers like “Motor way of Life” and “Beech like the Tree” inspire word for word sing-alongs. Meanwhile older and leaner tracks such as “I’m not bulimic” and “B.O.R.E.D” from the band’s debut album “Far Q” inspire raucous moshing with a cheeky smattering of crowd surfing.
Before their encore they leave with a surprise montage of Foo Fighters covers: “Everlong” and “The Pretender” which is relished by this young and clearly well musically educated crowd. Mike Duce and co retreat for a short encore and just as they begin to drop the riff of “Deadliest Catch” the power cuts out. “Perfect timing” shouts Mike’s un-amplified voice but the crowd fall silent to hear him invite them to finish the gig for him by singing it all together. Touching stuff indeed for a gleeful looking and now sweat drenched young band.
I caught a word with drummer Eddy Thrower after the show to which he, while still sounding empty of breath and looking in dire need of a towel, spoke of how their success has been “completely unfucking expected, we totally didn’t see this coming”. Neither did I to be honest, but then occasionally in this mad house of an industry, good things actually do come to those who wait.
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