The Wonder Years are on the rise, considering the band have been around for six years now, they’ve taken time to get the recognition they deserve however tonight’s intimate show lovingly put together by the boys at Banquet Records, shows us what they’re made of.
First support Apologies, I have none, start off awkward and unsure of themselves, their stage banter is near silent, their early songs fail to catch the crowds attention. As the set progresses however, they come into their own, their songs prove dynamic, at times humorous, at others heart wrenching. Their set closer and the title of their EP, “Sat in Viccy Park” is an amazing slice of pop-punk, doling out wisdom such as , “The worst mistake to make is to be afraid to make mistakes” and “A man can not be measures by how the number of people he‘s fucked, the numbers on a payslip are no indication of worth.” They’re touring in March and have their first full length album out May, I recommend you check them out.
Save Your Breath, tonight’s penultimate act, lack the sparkle which made Apologies, I Have None stand out. Save Your Breath are talented, their choruses get the crowd going and technically the band are tight to the point that only comes from a lot of practice. Their problem is that they lack originality, their riffs are straight out of Set Your Goal’s book, their lyrics could have been borrowed from The Wonder Years and this leaves them sounding like a diluted version of bands that have clearly inspired them.
The Wonder Years however, turn it around completely. Playing a mix of tracks from their latest album, “The Upsides” and their EP, “Won’t Be Pathetic Forever” choosing to bypass their early material. Even doing this they have no shortage of quality songs to pick from. The band have the crowd going wild and during both “Logan Circle” and “My Last Semester” which both feature the line, “I’m not sad anymore” singer Dan ‘Soupy’ Campbell doesn’t even have to sing, as the crowd scream the lyrics over him. EP tracks “Won’t Be Pathetic Forever” and “Solo & Chewy: Holdin it Down” still sound fresh, and the crowd screaming ’Get to the Falcon!’ from the latter track is one of the sets highlights. The Wonder Years have clearly benefited from associating and touring with Four Year Strong, a lot of people here are wearing FYS merchandise and their Banquet Records show sold out in 12 seconds. The Wonder Years are unfazed however, and they have a loyal fan base which has followed them from project to project. The band clearly relish small venues, and having seen them play the Roundhouse as well, it’s safe to say that venues like The Peel are where they’re in their element. Overall another amazing night from the team at Banquet Records!
