Boyce Avenue + Calum Scott @ The Academy, Manchester, 13th March 2016
First off: Why no Birmingham date? Fortunately Birmingham Live! are in Manchester, in the long queues with everyone here well ahead of door times and with an hour to wait before the first act Calum Scott. Calum who? Ah that will the Hull-based singer who got to the finals of Britain’s got Talent who graces the stage supporting tonight’s head-liners Boyce Avenue. Opening with 7 years and looking new, fresh and a little nervous the crowd were clapping and cheering though the set finishing with his own iTunes Singer/Songwriter Number one Dancing on My Own.
While not a sell out the venue looked absolutely packed and not with the typical sort of crowd expected. There was a mixture of ages for a start, maybe reflecting the way people got to know the band. Boyce Avenue as many know built their following by putting excellent cover versions up on Youtube, but they have now released their third album, Road Less Travelled, which features all original material.
With the band being fashionably late to the stage, everyone was snoring away. OK not quite but everyone was geared up from the previous act and it was becoming a bit of an anticlimax. Eventually Boyce Avenue came running onto the stage, lit by strobes and with Daniel Manzano donning the biggest bass guitar I’ve ever seen. They started slowly with I’ll Be The One, a track first played in 2014 and featuring in man live performances. It’s not as popular as their other hits a catchy tune with a good beat and vocals. It got a great reception.
Let’s not forget we were in Manchester so it would be rude to not perform a hometown favourite; Wonderwall. The crowd and band sang in unison, this which was so great to see and hear. The band were plugging their new album, to be released on April 15th which we could get early at the Merchandise stand, Did you get yours?
Ending tonight was When The Lights Die, coincidently they did as they left the stage. This is such a great song that had it of been the last it would not have mattered but, after making us wait they came back on with Alejandro addressing the crowd with a roar “MANCHESTER!!!!” and into delivering a two-song encore (due to the lateness on set). This started with a favourite of mine Iris, as performed by the Goo Goo Dolls. Boyce Avenue did a great job of this and made it sound awesome. It was follower by Anchor, a new song and great to finish the set
Many favourites were played tonight and a healthy selection from the new album, Everyone was having a great time that it just flew by far too quickly and with the catalogue of covers done there were so many that they could have selected for tonight’s set. Everyone wanted more and the only gripe was that I felt the sound levels should have been a tad louder but everyone left in high spirits. Those I spoke to had not seen them in person before but testified that it was better than the YouTube sessions.
Boyce Avenue Set List
I’ll Be the One
Wonderwall
Imperfect Me
One Life
Everlong
Cinderlla
Find Me (acoustic) (egg/tambo)
Stitches (acoustic) (cajon)
Every Breath
Use Somebody
Pick Yourself Back Up Again
Fast Car
Be Somebody
When The Lights Die
Encore
Iris
Anchor
Calum Scott Set List
7 years
Life in colour
Cross
Dancing On My Own
Words and photographs: Chris Bowley