The Intercontinental Championship Tour promised greatness from it's title alone. It promised battles and victories and nothing but fun and that's exactly what the night was. Foam hands shaped as fists and devil horns were dotted around the crowd, all emblazoned with the Neck Deep emblem; a symbol of pop-punk solidarity. As the first night on a tour which sees them travel the country with Australia's Trophy Eyes, Canada's Seaway and America's Knuckle Puck, hopes were high and tonight the pop-punk massive delivered.First up were Trophy Eyes who entered the stage, like all bands tonight, to a WWE style commentator announcement and a song which represented their nation. It was a nice touch but that's not why the crowd were here. Trophy Eyes were the only part of the night that was a let down. They pummeled their way through songs which felt shouty and a tad unrehearsed. Maybe it was just over-excitement, or maybe jet lag from their 30 hour flight, but either way compared to the other bands on this bill, they weren't anything special. Following the Aussies were Candian cuties, Seaway. A better set than their predecessors, but still not the greatest, the boys played their songs with purpose and smiles and even filmed their video for the awesome Alberta, but right now, they're better on record. Nevertheless, the crowd were hyped but then Knuckle Puck arrived and it really went off. Hailing from Chicago, Knuckle Puck are the definition of pop-punk. From the get-go they killed it, the crowd lapped them up as much as they did the attention and it made for a hell of a support set.
After waiting nearly three hours, it was time for "the reason for the season" (as put by Seaway's Ryan Locke) to play their set. Neck Deep entered the stage, Ben Barlow holding a championship belt above his head and flew straight into an army of killer tunes. It was insane how mental the crowd went. This is a band who little over a year ago were playing Cardiff's Clwb Ifor Bach, a venue with a 200 capacity at best, and now they're playing Cardiff's hallowed student nightclub; it's a big step up. But after a festival run, a summer on the huge Warped Tour and a second album recorded with A Day To Remember's Jeremy McKinnon, Neck Deep looked more at home than ever. They played old and new including the likes of A Part Of Me, All Hype No Heart, Over And Over and they even closed ambitiously with Candour. It was all so on point. They have become a far more polished band, controlling their nerves and excitement to perform to the best of their ability but still giving real passion. It is a real treat to see that sort of growth from a band, particularly one as humble as this. The crowd's reaction said it all; Neck Deep are a band who are loved and they have a bright future ahead of them. Right now, they're the best of British, especially on a scene where everyone seems to sound the same. Neck Deep stand out and it's so exciting.
If you've got a ticket to see these boys, you're in for an incredible time and if you haven't, go buy one now!
Setlist (not in order)
Kick It
What Did You Expect?
Crushing Grief (No Remedy)
Damsel In Distress
Growing Pains
All Hype, No Heart
Losing Teeth
Tables Turned
Zoltar Speaks
Say What You Want
Sweet Nothings
A Part Of Me
Over and Over
Silver Lining
Candour
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