A DAY TO REMEMBER

PLUS: YOUR DEMISE

KOKO London 05.06.13

OCALA CHAMPS ARE DUE TO 3…2…1…TAKE OFF!

Less than half a decade ago Florida’s five-piece A Day To Remember were in London playing to 500 people at the Camden Underworld. Fast forward several months later to October 2009, and frontman Jeremy McKinnon, guitarists Neil Westfall and Kevin Skaff, bassist Josh Woodard and drummer Alex Shelnutt were second support on the Bring Me The Horizon tour after a yearlong run on the road with the likes of Azriel, Emarosa and The Devil Wears Prada. 2009 also saw ADTR take on the Hurley Stage at the US Warped Tour. It would be an understatement to say that year was a busy touring adventure for them. But what they may have not known at the time is that 2009 would be their first step on the stairway to worldwide domination. Since then the hardcore meets pop punk crew have effortless sold out shows all around the country. Tonight would not be any different.

Joining A Day To Remember is Your Demise, who have recently announced that this would be one of the last few shows in the capital before their split come next year. The British born and bred hardcore punks start the night off with Push Me Under and the almighty Karma. The next 45 minutes is jam packed with a diverse set list that dips into their past back catalogue including tracks off 2010’s ‘The Kids We Used To Be’ and Burnt Tongues off 2009’s ‘Ignorance Never Dies’.

“This is our twelfth time in London” informs Jeremy. But this wasn’t an overnight dream come true or a pot of gold falling from the sky and into the hands of his and his fellow band members. This is the result of continuous touring, working their way up from support slots to modest stages at festivals and grabbing potential fans from the scruff of the neck and turning them into devoted followers who would soon have ADTR lyrics tattooed on their bodies. 

They’re joined by Angry Bird (well a member of the touring team in an Angry Bird costume) who launches out free t-shirts, there’s beach balls and even room for some glitter confetti. From opening track Violence through to digging out old tracks including A Shot In The Dark, You Should Have Killed Me When You Had The Chance and The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle, A Day To Remember have returned with the confidence that Koko have their back. And why shouldn’t they tonight’s show sold out quicker than you can say Common Courtesy. Right Back At It Again is the second track off the upcoming 2013 release and is welcomed with endless circle pits as the invincible drum beats and supreme guitar riffs bounce off the stage and into the hearts of the 1400 fans present. 

Every record produced has set ADTR for life and the melodies both hardcore and pop punk fans adore come to life in tonight’s performance. Expectations were high but now having the balls to finally play Another Song About The Weekend for the first time in Europe, Jeremy and his band mates have resurrected both their old material and themselves as a band who have changed the world of music for the better. 

"We might not be the best band on earth but god dammit we care, we do the best we can" assures the frontman before an acoustic rendition of It’s Complicated, the tear-jerking moment of If It Means A Lot To You and the 20^th song of the night- The Downfall Of Us All close the show on a huge high. And for next year? A confirmed show at the prestigious Alexandra Palace, it’s only a matter of time before they can smack a big fat “sold out” stamp on that date too.