Pop-punk has changed a lot in the past decade. While the giants of the genre pack stadiums and grow old disgracefully an exciting rosta of new acts – inspired by the old but bringing an edge of their own – are making a name for themselves in the dingy clubs of the UK’s touring circuit. Here, their rise can be swift – especially for those lucky enough to carry an aura of hype. Australian pop-punk trio With Confidence fit the bill. Despite only being around for a handful of years, these bright and breezy pop-rockers have quickly gathered a fanbase – one big enough to make a gloomy Tuesday in Manchester feel like a boozy Friday night.
Obviously, the fact that Freshers once again dominate the city definitely helps. Better Weather, the band’s jaunty 2016 debut helped put frontman Jayden Seeley, guitarist Indigo Del Carmen and drummer Josh Brozzesi on the map, and its bouncy tracks about breakups and putting yourself back together spoke clearly to a demographic in the process of figuring out who they are and who they want to be. As such, tonight’s crowd are a youthful bunch and a fine example of pop-punk’s new listenership. Gone are the days of crass jokes and flaming fuck signs. With the emergence of bands like Real Friends, Modern Baseball and tonight’s headliners, 2018 crowds seek more solace than swearing from the genre than ever before.
The band are here to promotion their latest record Love and Loathing. Released last month, this new collection of tracks doubles down on the band’s theme of relationships and mental health – the latter of which seems to be emerging as a definite new trend within the genre. As such, it’s these new tracks that dominate tonight’s set, with breakup anthem “Boxes” emerging as an early set stand out for the eager fans hanging off lead singer Seeley’s every word. While newer tracks are given a warm welcome, it’s the band’s detour into older territory from their debut record that really elicits a response from the crowd.
“We love Manchester,” Seeley tells the crowd with a grin, “we listen to Oasis all the time.” Ironically, tonight’s audience are probably too green for the Britpop era but the sentiment for the city is there – and by the time angsty singalong tracks “Archers” and “We’ll Be Okay” make an appearance, the crowd are more than on the band’s side. A quick acoustic break sees Seeley slow things down for a stripped back rendition of “Long Night”. “Anyone here ever been through a break-up?” he asks the student-filled Academy 3. Judging by the influx of swaying arms and emotional warbling, there’s been plenty of evening lost to teary-eyed renditions of this track in dorm rooms throughout the city. Luckily this feel-filled dip is short lived. By the time stand-out single “Voldemort” makes an appearance, the swaying has stopped and the jumping has resumed. By the end of tonight’s show, it’s clear With Confidence are onto something. If they manage to find themselves at something like next year’s Slam Dunk Festival, it’s unlikely you’ll find them in a venue this small on their next Manchester visit.
Words by Simon Bland (@SiTweetsToo).
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