The queue at the venue is full of excited fans to see their favourite band playing. As soon as I enter, there are already some people rushing to get the best spot in the front row. It’s my first time at Troxy and the venue is such a beautiful theatre that brings up a notch the entire vibe of the night.
After about 15min, As It Is takes the stage by storm and the crowd is super excited. As It Is is a British-American pop-punk band based in Brighton, England. They were formed in 2012 and signed to Fearless Records in October 2014.
Lead singer Patty Walters came out like a storm and was ready to rock on; the energy that he as it’s insane and made the whole room dance. Their performance is outstanding, kicking up the night with “The Wounded World”, and then adding slower and emotive songs.
As It Is keeps the momentum flowing throughout their set, with Patty jumping up and down and swinging the microphone around. Full of people that are crow surfing with Patty that reminds security to “do their job as he is doing his” and make sure that no one gets hurt. The short and sweet setlist end with the loud and exciting “Dial Tones” marking the end of a brilliant performance.
Can’t recommend enough to go and see them live, so if you do make sure to check their upcoming shows here.
Just in time for an instrument change that Real Friends are up next. Real Friends is an American pop-punk band from Tinley Park, Illinois, United States. To date, the band has released seven EPs and three studio albums. The band is currently signed to Pure Noise Records. The band released their seventh extended play “Torn in Two” on September 17th, 2021.
Real Friends are known for their intense live shows and boy that’s right; as soon as they get on stage the audience starts to jump and dance and the floor is shaking. Vocalist Dan Lambton has a vocal potency that it’s way more powerful than on record. Playing a mix of new and old songs like “I Don’t Love You Anymore” takes the faithful fans on a nostalgic journey. By the time of “I’ve Given up on You”, everyone starts to take their phones out with the flashlights lighting up the room and a mix of voices that sing along with Dan’s one. Another short set, but what a set and what a band! Make sure to catch them live here.
And now the moment that we have all been waiting for, with a huge banner “screaming” their name at their back working as a big frame, Mayday Parade are ready to make everyone’s night an unforgettable one.
Mayday Parade is bringing a decade’s worth of experience and practice under their belt, giving their beloved songs a better-executed finish. The band might have been around for ten plus years and have a wide range of fans, but there is no avoiding that the room is filled with teenage girls and boys tonight.
Blue lights, smoke and only lead singer Derek Sanders are part of the opening track “Oh Well, Oh Well” like the rest of the band makes an appearance in between the smoke. The photo pit is a little crowded by the time they are on stage, with the security team in full making sure to keep an eye on all the fans that started crowd surfing as soon as the set started. Everyone is singing along, and the room is suddenly filled with an intimate atmosphere that takes you back in time to when you were listening to music in your room in the early 2000s.
But this is nothing compared to what is coming next. Lead singer Derek Sanders is jumping around waving his long hair back and forth, often hiding his face. Playing the full self-titled album from start to finish they take us on a journey to revisit some important moments that contributed to making Mayday Pared who they are today.
Everyone is now ready for the Encore, which includes songs like “Miserable at Best” and the far more fast-paced “Jersey”. They then proceed to close the night with the “Jamie All Over” that does not leave the crowd disappointed. What an end to an incredible night!
Make sure you keep an eye on their website as they have a few more dates for this UK tour and others around the US for the rest of the summer.
