On Thursday, the 9th of March, British alternative rock band, Lower Than Atlantis brought great energy to The LCR, Norwich, ready to start their biggest headline tour to date. Support came from the newly popular band Roam, Australian band Hands Like Houses, and Young Guns. Each band had a different vibe but managed to woo the audience with their particular, personal style. Each band on the tour I had seen previously, and this time around, they appeared to be in their element.
To open the show, we had British Pop-Punk band, ‘Roam‘. As the venue was still filling up, there were a selection of hardcore Roam fans who had come early and were ready for their, what was going to be a very energetic set. These fans, gathered together, singing every word, which seemed to please the band. People who were unknown to the likes of Roam also appeared to be enjoying their set. It’s a shame that those who didn’t arrive early missed the beginning of their set due to Roam playing almost instantly after the doors were opened. But they were very involved with the crowd, which made it feel somewhat intimate. This was the best I’d seen of Roam.
Next on were personal favourites of mine, ‘Hands Like Houses‘. With their vibrant shirts and flowing hair, this Australian alternative rock band put on a very strong set. With a range of songs from their most recent album, ‘Dissonants‘, they got the crowd involved as much as they could. As much as I like their new album, I would’ve liked to have heard at least one track from the previous album release, ‘Unimagine‘. Regardless of that, Hands Like Houses are one of my favourite bands to see live and I would recommend that anyone who gets the chance, go and see them. Frontman, Trenton Woodley’s vocals are particularly powerful and really stood out for me. The band also have a very good stage presence; their enthusiasm really shines through and you can really tell how genuinely happy they are to be there.
Next up were the main support, British Alternative Rock band, ‘Young Guns‘. This band got the crowd very excited. At this point, the crowd was really pumped and ready. They seemed to have a large following of fans in the crowd, which was shown by the amounts of people screaming their lyrics.
Just before Young Guns graced the stage, they had a very intense, dramatic intro which gave off a vibe that got people even more ready and excited about their set. The band have played Norwich many times before, so there were a lot of people who had seen them before and knew what to expect – those who hadn’t I can imagine shared the same wonderful experience. When the band played the well-known, 2012 song, ‘Bones‘, the crowd went wild; almost the entire crowd were singing along. They were perfect as a main support band as they really did get people ready and as Vocalist, ‘Gustav Wood’ said, “Loose and ready for Lower Than Atlantis”.
As fans waited eagerly, the stage was being set up for headline band, ‘Lower Than Atlantis‘. Popular, catchy songs were being played as people waited. Fans were flooding into the main area of the venue, ready for the band to play. The lights went out, and Lower Than Atlantis came onto the stage member by member, getting a loud response from the crowd.
Their backdrop was just a plain curtain, which I was somewhat disappointed with at first. I wondered why something more spectacular hadn’t been done. But then, a projection of the band began, of footage of them playing as they were. I thought this was a really good idea, as not only did it look quite incredible and unique, but it allowed people with restricted views to have more of an experience; It varied from live footage to various effects.
Within seconds, the energy was high. Lower Than Atlantis clearly had a lot of fans there to see them, those new and those who have followed them for a long time. Just like Young Guns they have also played here many times, so they have a good following.
The band recently released their album, ‘Safe In Sound‘, which has been a huge success. Regardless of the album only coming out last month, fans knew the songs word by word. It seemed as though the band were proud of their work, which was nice to see. They played a range of songs; new and old. Both seemed to get a very good response. Which is nice to see that although they’ve written and released new music, they still share those older songs that they know people love. They also had a range of speeches, which suited well and didn’t drag on for too long. The band are very good at getting the crowd involved; the crowd wasn’t still for a second. There was a point in the set where Vocalist, ‘Mike Duce’ told people to sit on the floor and wait for the song to get going and them jump; this technique is always a fun one and people seemed to enjoy it.
Every time I see Lower Than Atlantis, they’re even better. They’re a must-see band for anyone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure. It was the start of their tour, and they started it off with a bang. If you haven’t got tickets for a show, you’re missing out.
Words – India Lowe
Photography – Kayleigh Warren
