Trapped Under Ice, Man Overboard, Basement @ Cardiff Great Hall 2 - 6/4/12

Doors opened at 7pm for a cluster of fans eagerly anticipating a night of both of British and international live acts.

After patiently waiting, the first band came onto the large stage at 7.45, Basement have been growing steadily throughout the UK, Europe and America; touring with bands such as Title Fight and Daylight. Basement played a set made up mostly of songs from their debut LP 'I Wish I Could Stay Here' songs such as 'Yoke' and 'Crickets Throw Their Voice' were a particular highlight of the set. Basement took the opportunity to play two newer songs which portrayed Basement's progression in their sound, the second of the newer songs showed the grunge side of Basement's sound. Vocalist Andrew Fisher showed excellent stage presence, supported by the rest of the band who showed great belief and passion in the music they were playing. The band showed consistency and played every song to the best of their ability, sadly the performance was not enough to win over the audience who remained quiet and uninterested throughout the set.

New Jersey pop punkers Man Overboard took to the stage at 8.30pm, Man Overboard over recent years have gained plenty of experience playing in the UK and Europe; having had two headline tours and supporting Senses Fail and Polar Bear Club before embarking on the Rocksound Impericon Tour.
Man Overboard had the tough job of winning over fans heavily into the Hardcore genre, despite having little reaction from the crowd with the exception of a couple of nodding heads and a small group singing along to the words of each song, they remained professional and performed well. They played a set consisting of songs from each of their full length releases. Songs such as ‘Fantasy Girl’ and ‘Love Your Friends, Die Laughing’ were highlights of the half hour set.

Next on stage at 9.15 were Baltimore’s own Trapped Under Ice who have been putting themselves on the map both in America and the UK. As their set kicked in, there was a sudden awakening of the crowd who began moving from side of the side of the large venue. Vocalist Justice Tripp was essential in the success of the band’s performance, occasionally standing on the stage barrier greeted by a passionate bunch of fans who sang along. The band as a unit remained tight and consistent throughout to give a powerful, passionate and memorable set. Tracks such as ‘Believe’ and ‘True Love’ ignited chaos within the crowd who were incredibly active throughout the set. Trapped Under Ice ended the set as they started it, with sheer passion and movement. The fans perspired throughout from their activity on the venue floor which reflected the impact of Trapped Under Ice’s live performance.

Elite Days - Elite Days EP Review

Cardiff based Elite Days have a produced an interesting yet solid release in the form of this self titled EP. 'Takes time' is a highly catchy number with heavy drum beats and slick guitar riffs from start to finish, vocalist Shaun Williams delivers a enjoyable vocal that compliments the consistent instrumentation. The interlude provides an introduction to 'Reckless' which is a must darker number, much more heavy compared to the first track, very reminiscent to the sound of Senses Fail. Again, the guitar riffs are slick and vocal delivery flawless, the EP provides a small glimpse of the variety of sound that Elite Days have adopted. It's an enjoyable first release and has encouraged me to keep on the eye on the band in the near future.

Pipedream - Shell EP Review

Pipedream are among the new crop of emo influenced bands arising in recent times, their demo release back in 2011 was just a small taster of what was to come from the band. Their newest release 'Shell' showcases a fresh new sound that is rare to find within bands in the UK. It is clear to hear the influences from bands in the 90's such as Jawbreaker and The Promise Ring, the influence of these bands has clearly rubbed off on the band and allowed them to construct a refreshing and enjoyable debut release. Prior to the release of 'Shell' the band has had gained some success with support slots with acclaimed acts such as Nothington and Football, etc.

'Shell' is perfectly consistent throughout, 'Meander' and 'Once as One' are particular highlights with slick riffs and a perfect tempo that suits vocalist' Tom Sanders angsty voice. Again the influences of early 90's bands seems to be shining through each track on the EP, Pipedream have created their own unique sound that is showcased throughout the EP. The third track on the EP 'Repose' showcases instrumental talents with a silky and calming instrumental which allows the listener to relax and appreciate the beautiful sound of the instrument being used. The instrumental is followed up with the remaining three tracks on the EP that all have the same refreshing emo sound that the band were trying to achieve with their debut release, 'Shell' is a refreshing and encouraging first glimpse of the talent that is Pipdream, with a resurgence of  bands with an emo influence in recent times, there is no stopping Pipedream from growing within the UK scene and hopefully globally. This debut release represents a band that are clearly passionate about their music and have full belief that will carry them into the future and give them experience for future releases.