Bowling For Soup - O2 Academy Leeds 03.02.2016
MC Lars is responsible for starting tonights show. Tasked with warming us up, he wastes no time in doing just that. His music labelled as Post-Punk laptop rap, really does cover every aspect it claims. Lars raps with precison and ease. His music flows with a punk edge that has a focus on geek esque subjects. Throw in his blend of dry humour and their is no faulting tonights opening act. At 15 minutes his time on stage is all too short.
Next we have Nottingham rockers Lacey. An unknown to me but a band that instantly connects.
Their songs have a Coldplay feel to them but with a strong rock undertone. Soaring vocals, rip-roaring guitars, their music is incredibly layered. If you close your eyes you can lock in on the strength of melodies that occupy the academy tonight. Their is a kind off brash cockyness that lead singer Graz Turner brings to the stage tonight but it certaintly isn't unwelcome. As stated by their lead, they've played to rooms with a handful of people in, so tonight and in fact the whole tour will no doubt bring a little cockyness to the surface.
But so what.
When your music is this good and you've stepped up to larger venues I think I would be too.
Lacey are a breath of fresh air and I can't wait to see them live again.
Tonight's main support is The Dollyrots. Joining us from LA they are Pop Punk through and through. I can't say they really bring anything new to the table that I haven't already heard many times before from numerous bands but they do put on a hell of a show. The 3 piece tear through their half hour set. There is no faulting their passion for the stage and some kinda lame jokes and stage banter aside they have their live show zoned in.
Just before we are joined by Bowling for Soup, MC Lars returns for a quick freestyle. Aided by items the crowd pull our of their pockets. This dude is on form and doesn't miss a beat.
And even though his set is even shorter this time and intended to be filler during the change over he does make time to make a call to a girls mum who promptly hangs up after hearing 2000 odd people scream hello at her.
Finally they are back. Bowling For Soup make their triumphant return to the UK.
And god we've missed them. Tonights show is essentially a greatest hits set, easing us back into the eb and flow of a band that have dominated the Pop Punk genre for over 20 years. With promise of new music on the way this tour can be considered a warm up for things to come. With tic-tac penises and what santa is going to give all of our mums their famous stage banter is still going strong. So are the songs for that matter. The whole room sings along to all the classics you'd expect to hear tonight. BFS rock on so hard they have to stop momentarily after breaking the house PA. Throughout the course of the night they don't let up, their energy hasn't evaporated over the course of their long and decorated career. Scanning the audience there isn't a face that isn't smiling. A perfect picture to sum up the night.
Highlight of the night has to be 1975. Love that damn song.
Bowling For Soup welcome back!
Bowling For Soup - https://www.facebook.com/bowlingforsoup/?fref=ts
The Dollyrots - https://www.facebook.com/thedollyrots/?fref=ts
MC Lars - https://www.facebook.com/mclars/?fref=ts
Photos - Friswell Photography
