Motion City Soundtrack @ Academy 2, Birmingham – 28th March 2010

Spring has officially arrived and to celebrate I think a sold out show at the Academy 2 is in order; that’s if I could even get in!

Turns out the names weren’t on the guest list, luckily I met up with Keith outside and managed to get a printed out copy of the confirmation email. After an embarrassing few minutes outside repeatedly saying my very long surname into the security’s walkie-talkie we managed to talk our way in!

After all the stress getting in I missed the first support act Jenny Owens Youngs but was just in time to catch Free Energy. Hailing from Philadelphia Free Energy entertained the crowd with their Indie-Rock. Defiantly not groundbreaking with every riff sounding like something that’s been done before. Saying that they weren’t bad and were helped by a very clean sound mix (a very rare treat at the Academy). The last song played on the quiet/loud dynamic really well soaring it way across the crowd, definitely a great way to end the set.

As the lights went down and the light from the backstage hall casting up the silhouettes of the various members of Motion City Soundtrack as they made their way onto the stage the crowd erupted with cheers and applause. With no messing around they headed straight into ‘Attractive Today’ to the delight of the crowd, who pretty quiet up until now, opened up their lungs ready to sing along. With no backdrop and no gimmicks MCS let the music speak for itself, the sound was good too with the guitars and vocals coming through nicely.

Mixing in the new in with old seamlessly MCS played a varied set covering their four albums. New tracks off their latest album, My Dinosaur Life, which was only released in the UK 6 days ago get an airing tonight ‘@!#?@!’, ‘Worker Bee’, ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ and ‘Her Words Destroyed My Planet’ (check out the video) go down well with the crowd who seem to know every word.

Justin with his crazy hair and huge glasses makes for an interesting spectacle with his quirky movements and fantastic interplay between him and keyboardist Jesse who was headbanging away. ‘Even If It Kills Me’ was superb and ‘L.G. Fuad’ with its terrific lyrics which you can’t but help to sing along to. Maybe because it’s a Sunday or because it’s an older crowd it was a very relaxed atmosphere inside with limited movement but that’s not to say it wasn’t loud with Justin Pierre handing over vocal duties to the crowd on numerous occasions.

Closing with ‘Everything Is Alright’ MCS thanked the crowd, truly humbled by the fact that this is their job and left the stage to rapturous applause. Apparently self-confirmed for Reading and Leeds I recommend you check them out, you won’t be disappointed!

Set List (from what I can remember)
Attractive Today
The Future Freaks Me Out
This Is For Real
Red Dress
@!#?@!
A Life Less Ordinary (Need a Little Help)
Even If It Kills Me
Worker Bee
L.G. Fraud

Encore
Everything is Alright

Plus- Her Words Destroyed My Planet
Broken Heart
Delirium

Review – Hannah Sebestjanowicz
Photos – Keith West

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