| Crackout |
| Support: Engerica/ Miss Black America Venue: Barfly, Monach Date: 20/05/02 |
| I had managed to see Crackout as a support band on the tour they did with Seafood about 2 months earlier and I really wanted to experience a headlining gig of the guys. So when there was a competition on the site to win tickets to a one off gig in Camden I entered and managed to win. So me and my friend set off to Camden Town on a cold Monday morning feeling excited as none of us had ever managed to get to London on our own. We got there ok and waited outside talking to the band and later on in the evening other fans who were very nice people. One person we met had seen them 6 times before this gig and had come all the way from Somerset. We got in to the venue and about 20 minutes later Engerica came on, I expected them to be very loud and very bad but I was wrong. They were full of energy and their tunes were great. The lead singer kept the crowd happy with his wild hand movements and we ended up really liking them. They decided not to play their new single as it would make people go and buy it which I thought was a good idea. Unfortunatly they are not a signed band which I was surprized about, they really should be. We also thought the bassist looked a lot like the drummer from Sum 41. Miss Black America were next and were very wild and looked very drunk. Seymour the lead singer threw the mic stand all over the place and that made me stand right back from them. Gish the guitarist was very good and played to his best which I really thought made it better.I can see why they are so popular as they played their hearts out and all songs were thought out really well which is wierd for most support bands I've seen. Then it was the main event, Crackout they came on and were welcomed by a huge cheer. The first song played was 'Joey Lost His Mind' which is on their album so a lot of people knew this song. It was a good opener to the show as it as one of the heavier tracks on the album and got everyone in to mood for the gig. The only hicup in the show was when Jack's bass stopped working in the begin bit of 'Barricaded' but the guys handled this well. Steven kept the crowd happy with his stage banta about Nicks new beard and how this was the first headline gig they had done in about a year. The most well recieved of the set was probably 'Over My Head', everyone sung along and it added to the great atmosphere of the gig. This song sounds great on CD but even better live and that in my opinion is the mark of a good band. 'You dumb Fuck' was the next tune and was recieved really well as well, it is probably one of Crackouts best known tune, it got everyone mood for jumping up and down and going mad. But this show was no where as brutal as the gig at Tunbridge Wells which is probably a good thing! 'Caught Out There' was a surprized and was the first and last time they would play it (in steven's words) I really like Crackouts version of this song so it made my evening. The set finished as everyone yelled for more but they didn't come back so we all gave up and went to talk to tha band again. I managed to get Steven's setlist and his plectrum which I added to my collection of the plectrums I had collected from each band. To sum up the evening I would say it was one of the best gigs I have ever been to. What with the atmosphere, the guys being so down to earth and the support bands being good. It even managed to get my friend who I brought with me to like them as she hated them before. A good evening was had by all. |