Live Review: DEAD! @ The Flapper, Birmingham 31/01/18

The Golden Age Tour made its way to Birmingham January 31st 2018 to tear the roof off of The Flapper. With four incredible bands and an atmosphere as energetic as ever, the whole building was moshing, dancing and singing along. Blank parody started the night off with a bang, introducing the crowd to fast paced tracks such as ‘Under Achiever’, inviting the audience to bounce along with their ever so catchy songs. Blank Parody really roughed a sketch on a blank canvas that was the very beginning of what was to come.

Photo Courtesy of P A C Photography – Paul Andrew Crutchley

A Promise To Forget followed edging the audience into a pop punk tornado, pleasing the crowd with heavy riffs and charged them up for what the whole night had planned. Supporting Dead! previously, they really blended well with the current vibes already set by the previous support act, Blank Parody.

The Kenneth’s exploded onto the stage storming the crowd with manic guitar riffs, tonnes of audience interaction that had one member of the crowd becoming a mic stand and plenty of upbeat drums that would rattle through the building. With the audience riled up, battered and bruise from mosh pits and eagerly awaiting the headliner, the mood had been set. The support acts had created such a fantastically frantic atmosphere, the build up was intense.

As the crowd waited patiently, the house music had been lowered and Guitars were tested. Crowd members were bursting with excitement. The atmosphere ignited into flames as Dead! opened with the title track off the debut album, ‘The Boys The Boys’, mosh pits erupting from every side, people climbing on top of each other’s shoulders narrowly missing the ceiling screaming their hearts out. Dead! have a following like no other, with everyone taking care of each other through the immense pushing and shoving and stage diving. Majority of the tracks off the new album were played, storming through chaotic songs such as ‘Enough Enough Enough’, ‘Skin’ and ‘Up For Ran$om’, then mellowing out the night with ‘Jessica’ and ‘W9’ before the big send off with tracks like ‘Something More Original’, ‘The Golden Age Of Not Even Trying’ and finally finishing their set off with the infamous song ‘You’re So Cheap’.

Photo Courtesy of P A C Photography – Paul Andrew Crutchley

Before the lads even had chance to tease the crowd with an encore, the entire room chanted “one more song!” Until guitarist Louis muttered “ah you know we’re gonna do another so let’s get on with it!” And without a second thought, Dead! began to play the famous song ‘My Generation’, ripping through the venue like an electrical storm, crashing cymbals and a loud statement sure put these five men on the map and gave the entire crowd something to remember for the rest of their lives. With a stage invasion to end the night, you couldn’t say a band like this will fall into the unknown.

Dead! have really pushed to get where they are today and it shows at every gig they play. The Golden Age Of Not Even Trying tour continues throughout the month and I’d recommend going to a show near you.

Words by  Amelia Saunders @youthscreams