29 January 2007 (gig)
02 February 2007
From an aficionado of 70’s Punk Rock, the new crop of today’s anthemic Punk Pop bands have a lot to live up to. Most tried and failed to deliver, from the 'stuck in the jungle' Busted, to every twelve year olds favourite Mcfly and gone in a Blink 182, these bands will come and go without even scratching the surface of a classic Clash 7 inch piece of vinyl.
However on Monday night, from the Windy City, Chicago’s finest blew into Hammersmith to rock the aged timbers of the Palais.
Fall Out Boy, the quartet of Stump, Wentz, Troham and Hurley, bounced on to the stage, with colourful artwork daubed from shoulder to wrist., baseball capped, hooded and cloaked in Adidas, could these new age Beasties send this crumbling arena into a final frenzy.
An already warmed up audience of the local comprehensive’s year 10 through to 12 thought so. The London Oratory School 1st XV organised the mosh pit, ready for a bit of slamming, surfing and push and shove. While eager fans who had queued since the end bell took up positions in tight boxes.
The band kicked off with the verbose titled 'Our Lawyers Told Us To Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued' The crowd swayed and the Mosheratti played!
Yet it wasn’t until fan’s favourite 'Sugar We’re Goin’ Down' did the place really start bouncing. As rock artists the boys did well, Wentz assumed the bassist position playing on the admiration of his fans, while Troham spun feverishly around, open mouthed and wide eyed. Stump delivered the lyrics, although occasionally lost in Hurley’s thrash.
Wentz interjected with the crowd, and one point this reviewer thought he was about to break out into a cappella version of 'Birdhouse in your Soul'. Yet the guy knows his market and when asking who the greatest icon to come out of these shores was? The Beatles, Stones, Oasis, The Smiths and Morrissey were chastised in favour of HARRY POTTER! With that the Muggles erupted!
