25 March 2009 (gig)
31 March 2009
Glasgow’s QMU is possibly Scotland’s finest gig venue: cheap beer, student-friendly and a ludicrously long stage meaning the majority of the fans are at the front barrier. QMU is by far a fantastic place for Welsh rockers Funeral For A Fried to showcase their heavy and fantastically frenzied songs for the Glasgow fans. Complimenting this evening with two successful support acts, Funeral For A Friend set one of Britain’s coldest cities on fire.
Supporting Funeral For A Friend this evening are People in Planes, a Welsh indie-pop quintet combining noughties grunge punk with a touch of Oasis style Britpop. People in Planes provide a good heavy sound, reminiscent of early Feeder and Muse, which trickles through the crowd satisfyingly enough for the Funeral For A Friend fans. Leadsinger Gareth Jones uses his clear and strong vocals, similar to The Music frontman, to make recent single 'Last Man Standing' one of the best performances of the entire evening.
Next on are We Are The Ocean, perhaps the most apt support act Funeral For A Friend could have asked for. Before We Are the Ocean take to the stage, one fellow fan turns and shouts 'these guys rock' to the audience, a statement fully justified as the band deliver a sheer mental, rocking live performance. The band encourage pits of rage, mocking the bouncers as they unsuccessfully try to break up the now wound up crowd. We Are The Ocean are heavy rock to the very core, heaving out loud, violent and utterly brilliant songs.
A now buzzing crowd eagerly lunge forward as Funeral For A Friend take to the stage as the final act of the night. The stage is utterly spectacular for the show; atmospherically displaying the band’s rock credibility. The illustrated backdrop and purple lighting adds to the post-hardcore aura that Funeral For A Friend have spent 8 years creating.
Funeral For A Friend provide thee most perfectly rounded post-hardcore, post-grunge, post-punk songs: filled with screaming yet painless vocals and steadily gratifying rock anthems. Funeral For A Friend have an extensive back catalogue, but undoubtedly found their biggest success in 2003’s 'Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation’. The highlight’s of their show come directly from this album as we are taken in a time machine back to when 'Red Is the New Black’ and 'Bullet Theory’ were all the talk.
Funeral For A Friend released new single 'Rules and Games’ last month: combine the new releases with their extensive tour diary approaching, and it’s clear to see why Funeral For a Friend are still as popular as they were 6 years ago. The band do not rely on their previous popularity, but instead build on it to continuously thrill fans with an ever-growing discography. Tonight, Funeral For A Friend played a blinding set that, as a fan of 8 years, will not be forgotten anytime soon.
