Posted on September 6, 2009 - by Editor

The Flatliners + Mike TV + The Arteries

The Flatliners © Imelda Michalczyk

The Underworld
Camden, London
4th September 2009

The Arteries are a band that only came to my attention recently via their debut full length release late last year “Blood, Sweat and Beers.” It’s an album I have increasingly grown fond of and combined with the fact I didn’t know they were on the bill, made it a good start to the evening! The five piece, some with distinctive Welsh names exposing their Swansea home, are a melodic punk rock group who play uncompromising straight up punk rock.  They have had a knack of playing with some great bands and with The Flatliners continue that trend in my books. They are a energetic five piece too and don’t let the traditional low numbers in the crowd on a stupidly early slot for a Friday night dent their enthusiasm. As stated previously this remains a band I am hopeful and excited by.

Mike TV, UK pop punk rising stars play their set with the goofery and tomfoolery you expect of the guys. They don’t seem to have added too much to their armour since I last saw them play, but the fans are eager and enthusiastic and their harmonic choruses are sung back to the band by the diehards in the growing crowd. They are fun,  they do have catchy songs, but on the night for me are over shadowed by the other two acts.

The Flatliners, as nice and keen as always, increase the tempo and the energy levels in abundance for their set. Playing largely off their most recent release, with some older skanking tunes too they do manage to throw in a couple of new tracks from their recently completed second Fat Wreck album which has an unknown release date. Personal favourites “July, August Reno!”, “And the World Files For Chapter 11”, “Mother Teresa Chokeslams The World” and “These Words Are Bullets” all receive frenzied and often chaotic mini circle pits and body slamming from the sweaty crowd, many of whom seem to have been at The Flatliners previous two London shows.  Of course with the early curfew at The Underworld on Friday nights meaning a early end to the night; the band belts out definite crowd favourite “Eulogy” to encores of “one more “, high fives and wide grinned smiles from the band and fans alike.

I can’t wait to hear their new record which I hope is not early next year as frontman Chris eluded too during the set. Either way it will surely mean a return trip to London for these Canadian punks and a fun night as always will ensue.