Shred Yr Face Tour (Manchester Academy)

3 bands on the cusp on indiedom, together on a knees-up circus tour of the UK. First band on- Times New Viking, meet little rapport and blank faces despite their efforts. Live, I'm not so sure if TNV work...on record they are beautifully laced in fuzz and feedback; and once this is taken to a live arena, the songs didn't work...but thats just me...No Age are next, and all I can say is that they are heirs to the Sub Pop throne. Feedback, slapdash drums, drooled lyrics of nihilism and a GG Allin cover thrown in for good measure. Whilst the songs seem to feature the same chord progressions, you can't help but be drawn in by this band- infectious. Los Campesinos! seem to have a large weight on their shoulders, in following these two feedback laced bands, and personally I thought they would come over too twee, but they step up. New songs mingle with old favourites, and LC! play with the vigour and tension to keep up with the previous bands. They end with "Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks" and are mobbed onstage by the other bands; and as the bands leave the stage, you feel a sense of community between these 3 bands, and in the days of mp3s and downloads- the comradeship is a breath of fresh air.