They Let Us Play With Markers, But I Keep Trying To Draw Infinity

Thursday saw the long awaited return to London of one of my favourite bands, Say Anything. It's a little difficult to describe them to the uninitiated other than to say they combine the best elements of alternative rock, punk and pop to generate a frenetic sound. Their show at xoyo near Old Street was their first in the capital for four years and anticipation was suitably high. Say Anything recently released a new record "Anarchy My Dear" earlier in the year which is somewhat more pop driven than their previous efforts. A couple of songs in, frontman Max Bemis thanks the crowd for buying the album saying " You could have just clung on to what we were in 2004" referring to their breakout record "...Is A Real Boy".

The 13 song set remains dominated by that debut record however, opening with the anthemic "Belt" and closing with "Admit It!!!", a glorious middle finger to the posers and sneering critics that remain a blight on the scene. Earlier, the entire room is on its feet for "Alive With The Glory Of Love", possibly the finest song about romance in a concentration camp ever written.

Bemis throws himself around, both on and off the stage, creating an energy that barely lets up for an hour. At that duration, the show admittedly feels all too short but I hope it's not another four years before the boys from LA are back on these shores.  

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