Make Do and Mend @ Birthdays London 12/5/15

Support: Hindsights + Calls Landing

Hiding the intimate show at Birthday’s London, Make Do and Mend arrives in the UK for just one small gig. Secretly promoted, the cramp underground venue was half filled with the hardcore fans that eventually found the show through their everyday stalk of their favourite band. (It wasn’t even sold out.)

With support from some of the UK’s finest melodic filled bands, Calls Landing made a great opener to the night. Inviting fresh and dated pop punk styles, the band filled the stage with posi jumps and energy blasted vocals that represented the growing British scene. Followed by Burnham/Maidenhead’s emo collective, Hindsights who arrive on stage with such an elegant manor. Their melodic infused riffs captivate the audience’s eyes, as tones of alternative rock fill the room, the quartet bounce around joyfully.

For the one off show, both supports add equal value and worth to open for such a treasured band. With almost ten years of being a band, the four-piece travelled all the way from the states to play a show that sums them up perfectly.

No needs for introductions or that awkward talk at the start of the show, the band get stuck into what they do best. Blasting out powerful punk riffs, while the swaying of Mike O'Toole’s hair gets caught in your mouth.

With such a small stage to move around in, the band made great use of it by continuously keeping us alert as they move in sync with the melodic tuning of each song.

Celebrating their recent release Don’t Be Long, the four-piece debut the titled track live. Performing it for the first time in London it proves to be a massive hit as mouths move alongside James Carroll’s own. It had been a while since MD&M had produced a record or been on the radar, and with this absence there had seemed to be a loss of interest around the band. However this show was something the band did for the dedicated fans, as every single face lit up throughout their set.

Everyone’s favourites off Part and Parcel and End Measured Mile are playing in a mixed order. ‘Unknowingly Strong’ set in and hands start to point to the front of the stage, as words are shouted back and heads bang in time to the drumbeats.

Make Do and Mend are a band that will forever be treasured and placed deep within our hearts no matter what age, as the audience reflected this perfectly. Everyone got to relive their youth days tonight, and just let go to highly assertive punk music.

9/10