There is a string of up and coming pop punk bands appearing
from the USA. Bands like The Wonder Years, The Story So Far and Modern Baseball
are becoming hugely popular on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Tonight
Philadelphia’s Modern Baseball proved just how popular they are by selling out
The Borderline after already having to upgrade the venue from the Old Blue Last
due to demand.
First up was Losing Sleep from Kingston. I had already seen
this pop punk four piece supporting ONSIND at Urban Bar earlier in the year and
was really impressed by them. Second time around they impressed me again,
playing to a much bigger crowd tonight and they seemed to relish the
opportunity. Playing to anyone is a big deal but I imagine this crowd is just
the type of people that Losing Sleeps music is made for. Musically Losing Sleep
were tight, they are clearly a group of talented musicians who really love the
music they are playing. It’s a matter of time before they are headlining places
like The Borderline.
Up next was the recently reformed Spraynard from
Philadelphia. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the three piece having
never really heard them before. They really blew me away. This was the kind of
pop punk I love, fast and intense and never letting up the speed with big
choruses with plenty of fist in the air moments. I can say just how much energy
Spraynard put out and it certainly carried over into the crowd, many of whom I
suspect were there to see them just as much as Modern Baseball. I loved that
the band seemed genuinely so pleased to be at the show tonight and had were
having a lot of fun. Definitely a band I am going to check out again and home
to see again very very soon.
Now it was for Modern Baseball and the Borderline crowd were
pumped up and ready. To be honest they were a little too pumped up tonight and
for me kind of ruined the set. I’d never tell somehow what to do or what not to
do at a gig (it would be incredibly un-punk rock of me) but it does disappointment
when I see people not really looking out for one another at a gig. There were
stage divers a plenty for the set, I say plenty to start with there were only
two or three who kept doing it. As the set wore on more and more people started
to do it and it just got out of control. It really didn’t seem like they had
any regard for the poor people they were randomly diving on. I’m all for people
having fun and having a stage dive if they want but make sure the people who
you are expecting to catch you are aware so you don’t hurt them. Modern Baseball
commented on it and told the crowd to look after each other and that we’re all
in this together.
Crowd lunacy aside Modern Baseball were fantastic. Playing
a healthy dose of songs from both their albums – Sports and You’re Gonna Miss
It All the crowd really did love them. Hugely relatable songs that gain massive
sing along’s. Some of the subject matter is about struggling to fit in or being
rejected by girls, stuff that shouldn’t be joyous, but watching Modern Baseball
play it live and seeing everyone singing with them you can’t help but feel
uplifted. I guess it’s almost cathartic to sing along and see other people, probably
strangers also feeling the same way. Perhaps I’m reading a little too much into
it, perhaps people just think it’s a really good song. Either way Modern
Baseball have really earned their place in the elite of the current crop of pop
punk bands. They possess some really well written songs that work fantastically
well live and on record, a sign of a brilliant band.
Check out Modern Baseball here: https://modernbaseballpa.bandcamp.com/
Check out Spraynard here: https://spraynard.bandcamp.com/
Check out Losing Sleep here: https://losingsleep.bandcamp.com/
Now listening to Cooke by Modern Baseball
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