Finally. We’ve been waiting to see A Day To Remember since small summer run in August 2019. This Thursday June 16th was the day. Before their show at Graspop, they played at 013 in Tilburg and we had one question in mind: was it gonna be a day to remember or just a cool day?! Let’s say the answer is in between!
To open this show, they bring 2 metalcore acts – opening on almost all their club shows this month – that are Our Hollow Our Home and Oceans Ate Alaska. It’s around 7.30pm that Our Hollow Our Home launched the night with a small crowd in the venue. And sadly for them, not really in the mood to start a good mosh-pit. The major part of their set-list was obviously coming from the latest album « Burn In The Flood », without forgetting their classics Hartsick. They try to do their best during 30 minutes but some applause between songs is the only real reaction they gonna have tonight… Following them, Oceans Ate Alaska won’t have a better reaction. Their more complex metalcore is not really the kind of music the tonight’s public is listening too. A pop-punk band like Trash Boat or more emo like Creeper would had a better time! The bad thing for OAA compared to OHOH is that they really didn’t have a good sound. Not really clear, which doesn’t help to be in the mood. The role of the opening acts is to warm-up the audience but tonight the audience didn’t care at all.
The moment everybody was waiting for arrived with a little delay around 9.35pm with a funny intro – as always for ADTR. The 4 guys (not 5 anymore as they play without their bassist) started with the best song possible: The Downfall Of Us All from their masterpiece album « Homesick » released 13 years ago but still the favorite of their fanbase! The public was on fire from the very first song and followed by All I Want, we knew we should have a good time.
6 NEW SONGS ON 18 PLAYED
Obviously, we had some songs from the new album “You’re Welcome” (4) and from the previous one “Bad Vibrations” (2) which are together a third of the set-list. They sound better live but they received way less success than the classics. Sadly, we didn’t have the chance to hear the beautiful Everything We Need, the beautiful ballad and ending song from the latest album.
But to make up for it, we had 5 songs from “Homesick”: The Downfall Of Us All as opening song so, Have Faith In Me, Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End, I’m Made Of Wax Larry What Are You Made Of and of course If It Means A Lot To You. This last one, played in the encore, still gave us chills everytime we listen to it! And we got the classic finish on The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle. With the launches of toilet papper, some CO2 canons and confettis. We only miss pyro!
In about 90 minutes, A Day To Remember prove they still know how to party! And even if the new songs are really not as good as the classics one (from 2013 and before), it sounds better live and can at least make us dance. What about doing a “Homesick” anniversary tour soon? This album is still and will forever be their best!