More Interviews...
Features...
Reviews...

Christmas seems to have only just ended and I'm pretty sure that most people are still eating the turkey leftovers but The Blackout are already back on the road and ready to go. And why so soon, you may ask? Well, tonight is lead singer Sean Smith's self-proclaimed 'birthday eve eve' and he clearly plans on celebrating.

Before we get to that though, are our main support in the form of Welsh friends Attack! Attack! Their mix of cutting rock and roll, with a nice pop punk twist, and Neil Starr's smooth vocal stylings add up to a roaring success, nicely warming the crowd after the nippy winter chill outside on Leeds' streets . News of their special Christmas present to tonight's audience - the band are selling their debut album for just £3 - goes down even better. For a band who only appeared upon the scene less than a year ago, they already have a loyal following, especially among tonight's crowd and it's lovely to see so many people supporting true talent. 'You and Me' and 'Too Bad Son' go down especially well, and the band leave the stage with much promise for the coming 2009.

As for tonight's headliners, well, they've never been one to do things by half. And so, in perfectly over-the-top fashion, their entrance to the tiny stage is accompanied by none other than the Backstreet Boy's greatest hit 'Backstreet's Back'. Alright!
Within the first song of the set, the band are already bounding around the stage, with Sean Smith quite literally a ball of energy. It's also a pleasure to welcome back vocalist Gavin Butler, who was forced to drop off their last headlining tour in October due to illness. Yet, whilst it may be cold outside, and they may have only had a few days to recover from the festivities, the band are most definitely back on top form. They are slick and impressive, showcasing all of their live talent and prowess in one go. It's strange to look at the band and remember two years ago, when they made their first major appearances in the UK supporting Lostprophets in July 2006 as a young and more nervous group; a vague and far off memory to the vibrant band onstage tonight.

Fun and frolics ensue as Smith encourages all sorts of debauchery, including - but most certainly not limited to - asking one girl to crowd surf from the very front of the room to the bar at the back, and then to return: a successful operation.

Tonight is one of those night's that really shows how much fun music can be. For the elitists of music, it's easy to criticize The Blackout and their lively antics, and its not uncommon. And whilst yes, maybe some of their tracks do blend into one another a little too much, there is no denying that songs like 'I'm a Riot? You're a Riot' and new track 'Children of the Night' are stellar. The entire crowd singalong to 'It's High Tide Baby' is epic. The music is great, the attitudes are great, even the onstage banter, including some very questionable Yorkshire accent impressions, are great. So what does anyone really have to complain about? Maybe once in a while, we just have to go and sing, and have a bit of fun. It is Christmas after all.