LIVE FROM THE PIT: As It Is, Greywind and Fate Has Favourites
There’s something about pop-punk that just oozes nostalgia. AS IT IS established themselves during the peak of the genre in 2012, and have since journeyed across two record labels, had an extraordinarily brief hiatus, numerous lineup changes and, amongst that, a stacked discography. Originally launching into the spotlight doing screamo covers of unlikely pop songs on YouTube, vocalist PATTY WALTERS had garnered a small army that followed him through his different musical ventures. For La Belle Angele in Edinburgh, early Saturday evenings are usually spent preparing for long nights of merriment. Tonight, AS IT IS were about to play a special, quickfire show. Supported by local emo quartet FATE HAS FAVOURITES and Ireland's own GREYWIND, it looked as though it could be one to remember.
FATE HAS FAVOURITES have become closely intertwined with Glasgow's local emo scene, so it was a delight seeing that they were on the bill. Unfortunately, the door times hadn’t been amended anywhere online to reflect their addition to the lineup, resulting in a disappointingly empty room for an otherwise powerhouse of a band. Despite the tiny audience, they were an explosion of unrelenting energy and gave us a whiplash runthrough of their discography. They used the opportunity to promote their newest single, The Silence, and unleashed powerful renditions of songs from some of their EPs, most notably Our Favourite Place to Go.
Following on was GREYWIND, whose gradual rise over the past 12 years has been no accident. Having secured support slots on tours with heavyweights such as the recently disbanded YOU ME AT SIX and PALAYE ROYALE, it was immediately clear that they had the experience to back up their mojo. Most notably, they just very sincerely looked like they were having a lot of fun - an infectious energy that seeped into the crowd. Frontwoman STEPH O’SULLIVAN wore a dazzling nurse's outfit that had you thinking “...why?” in the best way, and had a well-honed way of engaging with the crowd that made it feel as though you were friends. “Can I tell you my deepest secret?” she asked. “...I killed all my friends!” before the opening notes of I.K.A.M.F rang out. The set had a certain cohesion that came from how the songs were presented by the band, using the space between tracks to weave a coherent story together. Through songs such as Swing and Sway and Antidote, they prompted mosh pits, repeated swaying, and glistening phone lights, all directed by the band. GREYWIND is definitely one to be experienced.
The intervals between acts were brief, meaning that the momentum created by the previous two artists was maintained. Coming out with a bang and diving headfirst into I’m So Alive!, there was immediately a buzz of excitement reverberating throughout the room. It only increased as they continued with some of their quintessential, classic pop-punk tracks, like Live, Laugh, Love, Los Angeles, and Cheap Shots & Setbacks. Early on, guitarist BENJAMIN BISS introduced the concept of “wildcard songs” - randomly selected tracks from across their entire discography that they’d chosen to perform that night - which is an excellent way for a band that's been around so long to keep the entire room in a state of anticipation. Before diving into the first of the three, fan-favourite Horoscopes, the touring crew and opening bands came out with a birthday cake for the delighted and surprised WALTERS, who went on to request the crowd sing Happy Birthday, but only saying the word “birthday” in the song; a hilarious antic that should definitely be done more often.
After Hey Rachel, WALTERS switched up the tone, swapping out his punchy guitar for an acoustic one, which he sheepishly mentioned he’d had since he was 15. He politely asked if it was okay if they played songs from As It Is first, addressing the musical difference and joking that “we’re not in as much pain as we were in our twenties”. Despite much of the setlist comprising songs from this album, the crowd's energy was surprisingly lacklustre towards it, with moshpits dissipating as swiftly as they began. This response from the room was one that, when the album was released, extended to the press - with one reviewer saying that you “couldn’t call them rock music anymore.” The band did seem to have taken this in good stead, however, with BISS jokingly calling it out and merch featuring the phrase “You wouldn’t call As It Is a Rock Band” up for grabs.
Whilst the set was high-energy, it almost had an undercurrent of panic, with the strict curfew of the venue being repeatedly referenced throughout their whirlwind of a show. They concluded the night by playing some of their earlier hits, including The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry) followed by Dial Tones, before very quickly thanking the crowd and rushing off stage.
All of the bands had boundless energy, which unfortunately wasn’t matched by the audience at times. The primary issues didn’t lie with the bands themselves. The earlier door time than what was advertised left FATE HAS FAVOURITES in an unfortunate position; GREYWIND had a lot of the people who were only just trickling in, and AS IT IS just couldn’t get the crowd energized consistently. Despite these hiccups, all of the bands were genuinely top of their game musically and sounded excellent, not letting themselves become discouraged at any point. The headliner especially made you feel that nostalgic feeling which is often difficult to recreate. If you’re looking to reexperience those feelings of your youth, AS IT IS are worth catching when they’re in your town. Words: Chloe Sodeau
Photos: Joshua Cunningham
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