With Confidence are an Australian pop-punk band from Sydney who are signed to Hopeless Records, which in itself is a good sign of an excellent band because the Hopeless Records roster tends to be impeccable.
The band have just released their second album titled Love and Loathing and it’s packed full of awesome songs that I’ve been listening to on heavy rotation since the album dropped last month, which is why I was excited at the prospect of catching their live show.
I arrived at the Garage in time to see their main support and label mates Story Untold come out on stage. I always try to see the support bands and on this occasion I was very glad I did. The Canadian quintet from Montreal were on top form and smashed out tune after tune in between upbeat banter that had the crowd warmed up nicely. In fact, there was a good proportion of fans moshing and dancing at the front who knew every line to every song.
For me, the highlight of their set was when they played a mashup of songs that I like to call the ‘Emo Night Medley’ however I think the real song title is ‘4 Chords Songs Mashup’. It included sections of songs by other bands including Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, All Time Low, Blink 182 and other great hit-makers. The song was a real hit with the crowd and had them raring to go!
With Confidence came out with a bang and started the same way they start their album out, with ‘That Something’ an optimistic song that’s catchy as hell. Half the crowd went crazy and immediately started dancing and moshing with a circle pit opening up. The band backed up the great vibe they started out with by kicking into an older song and fan favourite ‘Keeper’. After which it was time for some audience participation by getting us in the crowd to sing the “ba ba ba” part of the aptly named ‘Sing to Me’.
After those first three high-energy songs, vocalist and bassist Jayden Seeley addressed the crowd to thank them for showing up and specifically queuing down the street despite the rain and bad weather of the UK. They then went headfirst into entertaining us all with their back catalogue, as they raced through the next few songs there was a lively atmosphere that was exhausting just to watch. So it was a relief when the lights dimmed and Seeley announced it was time to slow it down, and out came the acoustic guitar.
The dynamic and charismatic frontman explained the next song was about a particularly bad breakup and went on to play ‘Long Night’ a pretty ditty that has a lovely chilled tone. The next song was also about a breakup, but getting to the point where you’re ok afterwards, called ‘Pâquerette (Without Me)’ There was one more energetic song and then we were back to songs about breakups with the tune ‘London Lights’. In fact, there were so many songs about breakups that it all left me feeling a little bit emo in amongst all the pop-punk.
Word was the night before at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms the band cut ‘Dopamine’ and ‘Icarus’ from their set and I thought we might miss out on these gems too, however even though guitarist Inigo Del Carmen, who does vocals on this song, warned us his voice was a bit weird today and asked for our help singing he soldiered through ‘Dopamine’. There was no sign of ‘Icarus’ when the band left the stage at the end of the set. After the usual cheers and chants they came back out for an encore meaning not only did we get our ‘Icarus’ but we also got a rendition of the band’s well-known song ‘Voldemort’, which they briefly explained is about mental illness.
All in all, it was an awesome show and I had a brilliant time, and so did the crowd, With Confidence are really going somewhere and I will not be at all surprised if they return to the UK playing bigger and better venues over the coming years. They certainly have the talent to do so and the work ethic to match.
Photos by Alejandra Peter-Thomas.
Highwire Magazine 