Give It a Name Introducing Thursday 22nd May 2008 London Islington Academy Four Year Strong, Mayday Parade, The Color Fred, Meg & Dia   Backstage on the last of this ten date tour the mood is a little low. Tired and worn out from two weeks of showing the UK what they’re made of, the four bands spend their time pottering about the London venue as the steady queue of fans grows outside. Dai’s voice can be heard floating down the stairs as she practices her scales and arranges singing lessons for when she gets back onto US soil. The Color Fred strum on their instruments and calmly chat through their summer Warped Tour plans, while Mayday Parade close the door to their dressing room where they are sat with their shiny white Mac’s on their laps. The Four Year Strong boys keep themselves busy phoning home and arranging the merchandise for the rest of their worldwide tour; they head off to conquer Japan and Australia after their UK takeover. They tell their parents their excitement to see the Koala’s, but only once they have found out how their own home pets are doing. Door time is fast approaching,  each of the bands begin to set up their merchandise and prepare their equipment. The excitement is now building in all of them and energy levels are certainly higher, all knowing how important this last London date is, and just how hard the southern crowd is to please. The rotating headliner has meant the line up for each location has been a little hit or miss, but tonight it’s perfect. Opening the night are Meg & Dia; the dainty frames of the sisters barely fill the stage. The two move to the front whilst their fellow band members take a back step, leaving the spot light to the girls. Their harmonious sounds and feminine tones float out the speakers to the crowd below. Dia tiptoes across the stage barefoot, flicking her hair and lightly holding the mic between her fingers. Meg stands to the side, swamped by her white guitar, and leaving her sister to do the moving. The interaction between the band members is surprisingly limited, and presence is lacking. Meg & Dia’s recorded sounds do not transfer well live. The Color Fred will have to work hard to impress this now lack lustred crowd.  Fred Mascherino takes centre stage while his band take the lowlight. His sweet, broad smile beams as he takes in every moment of this, his first visit to the UK since his departure of the band that shall not be named. Falling in the same domains as his past, The Color Fred will always hold onto Fred’s old dedicated fans and introductions of We are The Color Fred will, for now, always go over the head of the majority of people who still see this as a solo project. But, if you take this band as what they are, a group of four guys spilling their souls to Rock, then you cannot help but enjoy this moment of talented maturity, and passion. Mayday Parade huddle in a circle at the side of the stage for a pre-set pep talk; the five members link arms, psyching themselves for the performance ahead. The bond between the friends is clear. They break their close circle with a united shout of the bands name before running to grab their instruments. Each member of Mayday Parade gives this set their all. The sound is tight, and their set list is strong; telling the tale of past relationships and loves lost. Every movement perfectly timed in a natural interaction of true talent. Their popularity on this side of the ocean is clear. Girls push to the front of the crowd in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the band, shouting their favourite’s name as loud as their voices will allow. Playing as if this experience may end some day soon the band have set up a small camera to record their performance. Not to post online but rather one they go back to their dressing room with after their set and analyse their every movement pointing at the moments that should have been better. For the hysterical crowd they have just left begging for more, their set couldn’t have been more perfect. The female members disperse to the back of the venue, flustered and happy, the men move to the front, for now is their time. A bashment of pop-punk-hardcore swirls around the venue. A bulk of sounds floods the senses as Four Year Strong hit the stage; a band whose scene domination has catapulted into warp speed over the past few months. Not long ago the quintet were relatively unknown on UK shores, but now their sound clash is the talk of the town. The band work incredibly well together. Each having an energetic, natural stage presence that gels in synch perfectly. The two singers’ voices link in perfect concurrence. The keyboard players’ energy radiates with excitable passion. The break downs are powerfully funky, and the bass is loosely strung. Pop punk and hardcore. For this band, it works incredibly well. Their movements are unique. Four Year Strong’s sound is a huge mixture of influences that are hard to pinpoint and create one of the most unique sounds the scene has experienced in a long time.