Following an enforced absence to make a new album, LTA are back. Here's what we learned when Mike Duce and co hit the capital...
Decade put many of their more established peers to shame
It may have taken them a few years to find their niche but tonight Decade appear to have it nailed. The gloomy nature of front man Alex Sears vocals and lyrics may make it seem a bit like what would happen if Eeyore formed a band, but the pessimistic side of their music actually makes him more endearing and adds a unique spin to their day-glo melodies. The likes of Brainfreeze, Callous and British Weather all have a rough and ready edge to their infectious choruses, and stand leagues ahead of much of the radio friendly UK rock crowd.
This is exactly the sort of comeback show Lower Than Atlantis need
While Lower Than Atlantis may not be a globe straddling arena rock band they have far outgrown the intimate settings of Camden’s Dingwalls. It’s unsurprisingly a very hot and sticky affair, as there isn’t a dry armpit in the house. Fans don’t let the blistering heat put them off though, and as Mike Duce proclaims “one of my favourite things about this band is the people who like this band” it is clear that the waves of crowd surfers and booming sing alongs aren’t going unnoticed.
Mike Duce may now be able to back up his cocky demeanour
It’s not a big secret that Mike Duce’s biggest cheerleader is Mike Duce, yet tonight there’s a huge grin on his and his band mate’s faces that suggests he knows they are onto something big. There’s a quiet confidence to one of the UK rock scene’s most gobby front men tonight that actually speaks volumes. It’s a more emphatic statement than any amount of tweets raving about how good new songs are ever was.
Lower Than Atlantis are turning into the band they’ve always threatened to be
Credit where it is due tonight Mike Duce and co have good reason to be proud of themselves. While they’ve had a slow and steady ascent, they’ve never quite managed to live up to the rock powerhouse you feel they wanted to be. In the past they were still a little bit unpolished and seemed lost on the bigger stages. Tonight they rattle through a non stop set of massive hits with a slick precision that they never quite managed in the past. It’s a marked step up and proves that LTA are more than ready for the big leagues.
The future of Lower Than Atlantis very much relies on the new album
While previous album World Record was hardly a failure – spawning some strong singles and keeping fans happy enough, their major label debut didn’t make the impact many predicted. It saw the band tick along rather than propelled to household name status. That aforementioned quiet confidence is perhaps indicative of a band in their prime sitting on something very special. First single Here We Go and the other new song aired English Kids In America bode well for the album and are lapped up like old favourites. It may be too soon to make a definitive call on the matter, but a killer fourth album is the only missing piece of the puzzle that could result in Lower Than Atlantis taking their place as one of the country’s biggest and best bands.
