Amidst a deluge of rain and chilly nights in London, Issues and their tour package; [consisting of openers Ground Culture and Lotus Eater] braved the inclement weather to perform for hundreds of fans packed into Camden’s Underworld. A venue and club with a harrowing name, but as I descended the stairs into the venue; it became blatantly obvious that the show at hand would be anything but harrowing.
Instead, the London, UK date of Issues’ ‘Beautiful Oblivion’ tour was momentous; as the show not only marked the end of their EU/UK tour but was a show which had sold-out in a matter of hours. At this point in the tour, each band had their performance dialed in; allowing for each band to fully devote their energy into putting on the best performance possible. Nowhere was this more evident than when Ground Culture took to the stage; as within minutes the band had commanded the crowd’s attention. As lead singer Roy Watson incited mosh pits and even jumped into one; where he encouraged the crowd to let loose and mosh along to Ground Culture’s intense yet melodic tones.
The night only continued to build in intensity as Lotus Eater took to the stage; a band from Glasgow, Scotland whose melodic stylings resembled that of Ground Culture’s. As Lotus Eater ripped through their debut EP “Social Hazard,” it became clear as to why these guys are becoming increasingly popular; their music holds the power to make you move. Not in the kitschy sense of movement, but in the visceral cathartic sense of movement; as even though the crowd was packed like sardines into The Underworld, people still found a way to let out their aggressions via slam dancing or headbanging.
At this point, if you hadn’t seen or heard of Issues before, you might have expected a more aggressive sound; however, since their release of “Beautiful Oblivion” Issues has traversed a more R&B path; blending elements of metalcore with smooth hooks and memorable choruses. All of which are prominently featured on their latest album [Beautiful Oblivion]; which debuted on October 4th via Rise Records.
As Issues took to the stage, it was clear their recent release wouldn’t impede the performance; as from the first note in “Here’s to You” to the final note in “Flexin,” it was clear that Issues had the crowd wrapped around their finger. As numerous fans were excited to dance, listen, and sing along to the new material; so much so, that after Issues’ performance of “Flexin,” the crowd chanted, “Encore!” even though we were nowhere near the end of their performance. Instead, the rousing performance had several more surprises left in store; ranging from bassist Skyler Acord’s animated antics to a special performance of “Mad at Myself.” All of which combined into a carefully crafted night, where fans could release their demons and forget the worries of the world; even if it was only for a few hours on a damp Thursday night.
As simple as it sounded, it’s shows like these without the pomp and circumstance which renew my faith within the pop-punk community. Because Issues was able to construct and maintain a space where fans could not only connect but release all of their worries in the purest way possible: singing your fucking heart out and for that, here’s to Issues’ sold-out London show.
Interested in seeing Issues? Even though the EU/UK tour may be over; Issues is gearing up to embark on their US Tour starting on November 7th at the Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Tickets for Issues’ ‘Beautiful Oblivion’ US Tour featuring support from Sleep Token, Lil Aaron, and Polyphia can be purchased here.
*Click photos to enlarge