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Lostprophets are capable of selling out much larger venues than Liverpool University, so it’s much of a surprise that there are still tickets on the door to what would seem to be sold-out gig material. Though at £25 a pop and with Bring Me The Horizon and A Day To Remember playing Manchester on the same night, this relatively last-minute gig has done well to draw in the amount of punters that it has done.
With the supports listed as Kids In Glass Houses and The Blackout, I’m not the only one surprised to see The New 1920 pounding around the stage upon my arrival. They do a good job of warming up the crowd despite the fact many are bemused that they aren’t KIGH.
The Welsh invasion continues with The Blackout storming onto the stage to cheers and commotion almost as if they were the headlining band (it was only six months ago they headlined the Liverpool 02 Academy). Crowd pleasers such as ‘Children Of The Night’ and ‘Save Our Selves’ get the crowd well and truly limbered up and everyone is having a good time. Set closer ‘I’m A Riot? You’re A Fucking Riot!’ is one for everyone as the mosh pits form into one of the biggest circle pits I have ever seen, and with the majority of the crowd screaming the words back to the Welsh sextet.
Even so, it seems that all the girls in the room have been saving their breath for Ian Watkins to come on stage. And with his first few steps onto the platform my eardrums are literally rattling their way to premature deafness as their screams erupt throughout the room. With the screams still echoing around the room the crashing guitars and gang vocals of ‘It’s Not The End Of The World But I Can See It From Here’ boom from the speakers and insanity ensues.
Lostprophets’ set list tonight could quite easily of been picked from any of their back catalogue, and perhaps some song choices are better then others. With the crowd still buzzing off the new song, ‘To Hell We Ride’ goes down a treat, and Liberation Transmission single ‘Can’t Catch Tomorrow’ keeps the crowd on their toes.
But the addition of rare B-side ‘AC Ricochet’ seems to almost confuse the crowd and subdue them. Even I, an avid Lostprophets fan don’t know this song and it reflects in the crowd’s reaction of bafflement.
All thoughts of bewilderment are forgotten in an instant as the slow plodding guitar of ‘Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)’ creeps out of Lee’s guitar. Undoubtedly the sing along chorus of the night, it does indeed get everyone screaming their heart out.
‘…And She Told Me To Leave’ gets a mixed reaction mainly because when the first Lostprophets album was released many of the crowd tonight were still in primary school. Those who know the song however meet it with grace and sheer excitement at the fact LP are going to play any old stuff at all.
It was inevitable the LP were going to test some of their new material on the crowd tonight. Personally I am never that excited about new songs until I actually have the CD in my hand and I can learn the words. However LP pull off the new stuff and ‘Streets Of Nowhere’ and ‘Destroyer’ gives a good indication that the new album won’t be a disappointment.
With the set drawing towards a close, it’s almost a relief to many of the crowd as ‘Last Train Home’ begins with Ian barely even needing to sing, as the words are echoed back at him from every face in the crowd.
The older fans are treated once more to the greatest song from LP’s first album (perhaps from their entire discography) as the immense riffage from ‘Shinobi Vs. Dragon Ninja’ pounds out of the speakers. Even the newest fans can appreciate how good this song as and the mosh pitters are especially appreciative of the heavier song being put into the set.
‘Burn Burn’ is the fantastic close to what has been a truly amazing night, everyone in the crowd is hot, sweaty and well and sapped of all energy. The pitters don’t fail to impress with a wall of death meeting anyone brave enough to get physical. Crowd surfers galore meet Ian and the gang, who themselves look like they had just as amazing a night as the crowd.
Though it’s the end of the night, it’s the rebirth of Lostprophets in the limelight, and they are most definitely here to stay.
23.10.09 Liverpool University