BILLY TALENT @ The Garage, Glasgow (5/7/2006)
Out of all the exciting bands coming out of Canada at the moment, Mississauga four piece BILLY TALENT are one of the finest.
Back in the UK to promote their second album, "Billy Talent II", the band kicked off their short UK in style with a blistering 70 minute set of material from both of their albums.
Kicking off with the opening two tracks from their new album, it was hard to believe it had just been released 10 ten days ago, as the crowd sang along to every word and the singing would continue from the sweating masses for the whole set as singer Ben Kowalewicz's non stop energy rubbed off on the crowd.
Where their first album was a scream fest extraordinaire, the new songs are a lot softer on the ear whilst not losing any of their edge or powerful, thought provoking lyrics and they sound even better live as tonight showed.
It's the older, screamers that get me and the crowd most pumped up though and the boys didn't disappoint and as Ben started screaming the "What you see is what you get" opener from "Line and Sinker", the place erupted and the set developed into a great mix of old and new, classics and soon to be ones as Ben pointed out that the band were from Canada and not the USA when one punter seemed to be a little confused and as a Canadian flag was help proudly high, the band ripped through the rest of their set before set close "River Below" had the crowd at fever pitch and the sweat of the crowd had nearly turned the Garage floor into a river below our feet.
As the final chords of encore closer "Try Honesty" rang out, Ben thanked the crowd for giving a shit and sticking with the band and it's a crime that more people in the UK don't know about the band just now but with an accomplished second album under their belts and a follow up UK tour of bigger venues in September, this will all be changing by the end of year. Hell, there was even bootleg t-shirts outside after the gig - a sure sign that you’re making it here!
A great night, a great gig and only disappointment being no version of their cover of the Buzzcocks "Ever Fallen In Love". My favourite all time band being covered by one of my new favourites would have been a perfect ending!
There's a lot of falseness in rock but you can tell when a band love what they're doing and love nothing better than to be up on stage entertaining a crowd and Billy Talent have that on display throughout.
Check out the album and check them out when they return to these shores in a few months time. You won't be disappointed.
SETLIST:
DEVIL IN A MIDNIGHT MASS
RED FLAG
LINE AND SINKER
WHERE IS THE LINE?
FALLEN LEAVES
PERFECT WORLD
CUT THE CURTAINS
THE EX
THIS SUFFERING
SYMPATHY
STANDING IN THE RAIN
PRISONERS OF TODAY
RIVER BELOW
THIS IS HOW IT GOES
NOTHING TO LOSE
TRY HONESTY
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