AGAINST THE CURRENT + YOURS TRULY – HALFLIVES – CHALK, BRIGHTON 31.3.22
It’s no secret that we’re in the throes of a huge pop-punk revival. People who grew up scribbling Good Charlotte lyrics in their school books are now at the forefront of the music industry, armed with the ethos of playful rebellion and lyrical honesty that defined the music of our troubled adolescence. While this whole pop-punk 2.0 thing is at its peak of press coverage right now, bands who’ve been making music in this vein for years naturally have their foot in the door.
Since their 2016 album debut, Against The Current have been one of the most recognisable names in the pop-punk revival, with frontwoman Crissy Constanza as a vocal proponent of women’s participation in what’s historically been an incredibly male-dominated genre. On their current UK tour, the spirited rock trio prove this attitude isn’t just lip service, as they bring support bands of female-fronted talent to the Brighton seafront at Chalk courtesy of local promoters LOUT.
First to take to the Chalk stage was HalfLives. The Italian alt-rockers had a few issues finding their feet, with technical difficulties during the first half of their set making the difficult task of introducing yourself to a new touring crowd even harder.
Early songs like ‘Vibe’ built an ominous atmosphere, but were hard to parse lyrically over layers of backing. Even when the mic wasn’t working, though, this band’s stage presence was standout.
Frontwoman Linda Battilani’s unrelenting effort to hype up the crowd paid off as she guided new listeners in singalongs of their anthemic choruses. Whether audiences were chanting back the techno-inspired hook of ‘Rockstar Everyday’ or the empowering ‘Valkyrie’, the band’s energy was clearly infectious.
The passion of their new love song ‘Dynamite’ was a personal highlight, but a cover of ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ seemed to be the turning point in their set; spare piano backing allowed Battilani’s voice to shine, and after a few notes the room was united in song. What can I say? HalfLives know their audience.
HalfLives setlist:
‘Vibe’
‘Mayday’
‘Fugitive’
‘Snake’
‘Dynamite’ (live debut, unreleased)
‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ (My Chemical Romance cover)
‘Valkyrie’
‘Rockstar Everyday’
‘Victim’
Aussie outfit Yours Truly followed up with another confident set, bringing a slightly more old-school emo sound that, when combined with HalfLives’ performance, mirrors our headliners’ sonic identity as it’s evolved over time.
Pop-punk can get a bad rep for being over-indulgent in its angst, but Yours Truly set out to defy this stereotype; their song ‘Funeral Home’ is, ironically, as sunny as their hometown, and was performed with a clear love of the game.
In fact, the entire band brought a dynamism to their performance that couldn’t be ignored – guitarist Teddie moshing like he’s front row at a ska gig while shredding away was a particularly memorable moment.
For her part, vocalist Mikaila Delgado blended confidence and authenticity with a performance almost identical to their studio work, intercut with charismatic stage patter. Her vocals gave the lie to the tired rock critic cliché of comparing every female singer in an alternative band to Hayley Williams with a voice much more in line with acts like Pierce The Veil.
Despite these roots in the stylised anguish of the emo the band grew up on alongside many of their fans, Yours Truly weren’t afraid to bring in modern influences, particularly on their newer work. Latest single ‘Lights On’ enjoyed one of the most lively responses from the crowd for its whirring pedal effects that are ever so slightly reminiscent of hyperpop.
Yours Truly setlist:
‘Walk Over My Grave’
‘Circles’
‘Composure’
‘Lights On’ (live debut)
‘Siamese Souls’
‘Funeral Home’
‘High Hopes’
With the crowd well and truly warmed up, the stage lights dropped for the final time to welcome Against The Current. While they made sure to honour the classics from their catalogue, like fan favourites from their debut album ‘Wasteland’ and ‘Running With The Wild Things’, this tour is primarily an unveiling of the vibrant new material from their latest album. ‘Fever’ was released last summer, but due to a pandemic-shaped elephant in the room, they haven’t been in the UK to play it for the masses…until now.
Despite boasting some of Against The Current’s catchiest hooks, I did feel the ‘Fever’ album was a little over-produced, but hearing it live unlocked its true powerful potential. The blend of live drums and drum machines on newer material like ‘Jump’ was so much more resonant in real life, the emotion of the performers right before your eyes.
It’s one thing to hear an album in the comfort of your own home, but another entirely to chant the infectious chorus of ‘Again & Again’ while surrounded by a dedicated alternative community who’ve waited over a year for this moment.
Frontwoman Chrissy Constanza asked the crowd to give all the energy they could to this gig, but really, the audience didn’t need the reminder. While it wasn’t particularly mosh-heavy, perhaps due to the relatively young demographic of this 14+ show, the sight of people jumping from the barriers to the bar showed more than enough of that lively pop-punk spirit.
The band matched this energy with an enthusiasm that could be felt from the back of the room. Constanza’s ability to project her passionate voice shone as she called in the crowds for ‘Blood Like Gasoline’ and was met with all the excitement she wanted.
When ‘Wasteland’ drew to a dramatic close, cries of “one more song!” were unanimous, with the killer encore featuring beloved single ‘Legends Never Die’. As a statement about the band’s future, it’s a pretty clear reflection of their resilience.
Through the hardest years for touring musicians in living memory, Against The Current have kept going, and now that they’re back on the road, they’re building on their studio work to cement their status as immortal characters in the story of pop-punk’s rebirth.
Against The Current setlist:
‘That Won’t Save Us’
‘Again&Again’
‘Running With The Wild Things’
‘Blood Like Gasoline’
‘Wildfire’
‘Jump’
‘Talk’
‘Make Damn Sure’ (Taking Back Sunday cover)
‘Almost Forgot’
‘Shatter’
‘Lullaby’
‘Burn It Down’
‘Voices’
‘Gravity’
‘Wasteland’
(encore)
‘Paralyzed’
‘Legends Never Die’ (League of Legends feat. Against the Current cover)
‘Weapon’
