Some time at the end of last year, I heard two tracks from Brand New's latest album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me and fell in love with the brooding music and the really interesting, intensely emotional lyrics. I could not wait to see them live. Since we weren't interested in the support, and the weather was terrible, so we rocked up about 10 minutes before they were due on. Despite muddy sound the concert was good. There were times it was clearly evident that Jesse Lacey's voice was really strong and capable, so I think that was more a problem with the acoustics of the room than the band, or someone at the sound desk needed to pick up their game.
The band were able to create this massive wall of sound that I could feel all around me. They played around with the songs, with interesting arrangements and variations from the album sound (eg. slowed down first verse of 'Jude Law...'), which worked mostly, though sometimes it threw the crowds' attempts to sing along. There were lots of Jesse Lacey acoustic guitar moments; 'Play Crack the Sky' being played as sparsely as it is on the album at the start, great calm-before-the-storm moments before the song goes crazy and beautiful and LOUD. Jesse Lacey's voice was...I don't know how to describe it, apart from feeling like he was breaking down in front of us and everything he felt was carried in the burden of his voice and words. It wasn't perfect, but it cracked with emotion and it made me believe that he was really passionate about what he was singing, and that was awesome.
They started with songs from the previous two albums, which was great, but a bit confusing – I kept waiting for them to throw the new stuff in, but it didn’t come for the first hour! They went offstage for a brief period after 'Play Crack the Sky', and when they came back on they played almost all of the The Devil and God... which is so so awesome. The Green Day cover was unexpected – Jesse was just strumming as they were prone to do during the numbers, and then it suddenly became recognisable and a part of the crowd started singing along happily. He only played a bit, then he stopped just as the drummer started to pick it up, and laughed and said, “Oh, Brian really wants to do this”, teasing us, before he said, “But no, no happy songs, we’re here to play sad bastard music".
Jaws Theme Swimming
Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades
Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis
The Shower Scene
The No Seatbelt Song
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot
Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't
Jude Law and a Semester Abroad
Seventy Times 7
Play Crack the Sky
Welcome to Bangkok
Sowing Season (Yeah)
Millstone
The Archers Bows Have Broken
Luca
(short cover of Basket Case)
Limousine (MS Rebridge)
Handcuffs
Jesus
Degausser
You Won’t Know
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