Crowd Surfing, Moshpits, 'As It Is' at rock concerts!

The bitterness of a cool breeze invested itself in the extensive line of fans waiting to head into the o2 Ritz, Manchester. I among them. A rather helpful security woman, directed me to the VIP line. VIP...A word that when it came to concerts I was familiar with, but never experienced until tonight. There were no expectations, simply just swarms of excitement and a lot of fangirl moments. As It Is, playing Manchester Ritz. One of the biggest shows on tour, fans were told. Just mere days earlier, the band had switched up their set, for the remaining 3 UK shows they have left on this tour.

Stood outside the venue, eager for the warmth that I knew was awaiting, nostalgia washed over me. The nostalgia of seeing As It Is perform on stage, the overwhelming joy and happiness from seeing them perform, from being in the atmosphere but also being at one of their concerts. I'd worked out that I have been a fan of As It Is for 6 years, and that is one hell of a long time. In fact, that is how long the band have been together, forming back in 2012; so to have seen them grow and to have this new era it is something quite magical.

Close to 5pm, and VIP had finally been let into the venue, of course by this point I was just happy to be warm. We walked into a large room, where (as obvious as it may be) the gig was taking place, to be greeted by the remaining soundcheck of Holding Absence. They sounded pretty great, so I was then excited. They are a band that I had heard of, but never listened to. Then once the Holding Absence guys got off stage, the lovely Claire got on stage to talk to us about what was going to happen. 

Soundcheck. 3 songs that were not going to be in the set. 3 songs that I love. Definitely can't complain that the last of the 3 songs was Patchwork Love. A tune, that most of the fanbase can happily get behind. When they sang speak soft, they had to start over again because of technical issues...it was an authentic soundcheck they stated, because that is what soundcheck is usually like for them.

Photo Op. Something that I am familiar with when it comes to concerts, because it essentially runs the way a meet and greet works, stand in line, eventually get your turn to meet the band, hug them, speak to them, scream internally or maybe even externally if you've managed to pass the amount of overwhelming feeling inside. Then when you've finally met the band that you never thought you would ever meet, you go ahead and make your way back up to the stage where your place at the barrier is waiting. Right at the front, stage left was where I was parked and you could definitely bet that there was no chance I was leaving. To have moved me, you probably would have to of had security carry me out, because there was no way on any planet nevermind earth that I was moving.

Holding Absence then came back on stage to finish off soundcheck, shortly followed by Courage My Love. A band whom, I both knew of and heard music by. And let me make this as clear as humanly possible. They did not disappoint! I never go to gigs with an expectation to like a support act or to even become a fan but I was already a fan of Courage My Love and to have seen them perform, set the night off to the grandest of starts.

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

7:15pm, Courage My Love, a 3 piece Rock band from Ontario, Canada. The trio, twin sisters; Mercedes Arn-Horn (Lead Vocals), Phoenix Arn-Horn (Drummer) and Brandon Lockwood (Bassist). They were the first opening act, with a half hour set of all original songs, energetic and wild. Before they started playing on stage, to the left of the stage Mercedes was jumping around to warm up, and brought that energy straight to the stage.

Now, I am not one to moan about support acts much less audience members, but I also don't appreciate the girls that stood right next to me not even paying attention to the band. It was rude and quite frankly if I wasn't enjoying my time, or the music and being respectful of others then I would happily have spoken to those girls and spoke my damn mind...however they couldn't have been any older than 16 which explained a lot. Courage My Love were a memorable act, and one that I would see on a headline tour. Additionally they played my favourite song off their new album, "Remission" so that made me even happier than I already was in that very moment.

Then things got heavier. 8pm,,,or the set of Holding Absence? I was incredibly excited to see the girls around me's reactions because if they hadn't liked Courage My Love they'd more than likely dislike these guys more. Pleasantly I was surprised that atleast 1 of the 3 gave them a chance.

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

Holding Absence, a 5 piece Rock band from Cardiff, UK. James Joseph (Bassist), Ashley Green (Drummer), Lucas Woodland (Lead Vocals), Scott Carey (Guitarist) and Chris Smitheram (Guitarist). These guys and their energy, it was contagious. From Woodland and his air kicks to Green and his attention grabbing beats. Every single one of these guys showed Manchester all they had, and it was a lot of fun being a non fan of theirs because I got first hand experience into what being a fan of theirs looks like. Holding Absence are going to be a band that, you are going to see more and more often, it was an honor being in the crowd of fans stood at the front who knew every lyric. It meant so much to the band as well, as Woodland pointed out that he recognised a few friendly faces, from smaller shows they'd played before.

If there's one thing in rock concerts I don't understand, it is crowd surfing. Each to their own, I don't have a problem with it, until it gets dangerous. To the drunken guy last night that started off the crowd surfing, you go boy! I'm happy you are having the time of your life, but at the same time I felt incredibly sorry for the hard working security trying to ensure the safety of everyone. Especially the drunken crowd surfing fans, they were done with all that bullshit half way through the 3rd and final support act, and quite frankly I don't blame them. However from crowd surfing to moshpits, this night was one that can only be given justice to, if you were lucky enough to be there and witness it.

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

Now, if I thought that the crowd surfing and moshpits were crazy during the set of Holding Absence, I was sorely mistaken by the time 8:45pm rolled round. Trash Boat. A 5 piece pop punk/post hardcore band from St. Albans, UK. Tobi Duncan (Lead Vocals), Dann Bostock (Guitarist), Ryan Hyslop (Lead Guitarist), James Grayson (Bassist) and Oakley Moffatt (Drummer), to say they raised the room, would be an understatement. It was clear that there were a lot of fans there to see Trash Boat as well as, As It Is which was moving to see the band getting recognition for their work. Like the other support acts, there were people bouncing around, bopping heads, head banging insatiably, starting massive moshpits and having the time of their teenage lives. For me, Trash Boat were a great final support act before As It Is came on because they got people moving and (EXCITED) for As It Is. With a wild filled set, by the time Trash Boat left stage I was more than ready for As It Is.

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

As It Is. Patty Walters (Lead Vocals), Ben Langford-Biss (Guitarist/Vocals), Alistair Testo (Bassist), Patrick Foley (Drummer), Ronnie Ish (Guitarist). 9:45pm, was my extreme favourite time of the night. Apart from early that night when I got to meet these guys! Externally screaming for minutes, days, months, even years after. The atmosphere in the room was phenomenal. I really didn't care that I was basically kissing the barrier, or that I barely had proper movement, because I was in an experience that was magical. Although Foley is part of As It Is, could you tell that on stage? Not really, this tour he was further back and higher up. In soundcheck he joked that it was because he didn't want to be too close to the other members, of As It Is. The entire show, he was hidden behind clouds of smoke, so stayed pretty much in the background. However, you could feel the emotion everywhere you turned, playing a series of bopping tunes amongst some of my favourites like 'Dial Tones', 'No Way Out', 'The Fire, The Dark' and more. I never dislike any songs within sets, but the atmosphere changed my entire night. From the people crowd surfing, to the people in the moshpits, to me, one of the lucky few right at the barrier close enough to touch the band if they lent over. Everyone was bouncing, head banging, crying but over all having fun. Even the parents in the crowd. I've been to that many gigs where I have screamed to the point of exhaustion in my voice, I would without a doubt say that my night would have been totally worth a hurting voice but much to my surprise, I didn't have a sore throat at all. Through every lyric in every song I sung, to the mass amount of girly screaming the only thing I was in desperate need for was water. Some nice, ice cold refreshing water.

PICTURE TAKEN BY KAYLEIGH LOUISE

One thing I found the most moving about the entire set, was Walters went up t each of his band mates during the course of the show saying "I fucking love you". The love and the relationship that this band have, is undeniable and very resonating with the audience. They feel like a family, and with the fans it feels like a community. A sense of belonging; where it is ok to who you are and be individual. It is ok to be a goth, or an emo, or be gay or transgender. Everyone is equal, and the band couldn't stress that enough.

As It Is, did not disappoint one bit! Even watching Ronnie (Guitarist) on stage was a dream come true, he may not have had a microphone but he really didn't care. Their entire set from start to finish was energetic, mesmorising and overall one highly extraordinary night. I want to relive that night over and over again because being in that room, for those 5 hours of my night was the best way to end my gigs for 2018.

Bands to watch out for, Courage My Love and Holding Absence. These 2 bands are going to make it big within the next few months, I am more than sure of that. If you are into Rock then I couldn't recommend any 3 bands more, than these 3 supporting acts.

As for As It Is, if you're not already a fan then you are missing out on 5 very talented men who have a story to tell.