You Me At Six have grown up. The Surrey boys watched their latest album Cavalier Youth fly to the top of the charts back in January, and with huge spots at Reading and Leeds Festival scheduled for this summer we can’t see them slowing down any time soon. They’re in the middle of their biggest-ever UK headline tour, including their first-ever headline arena dates – well, you’d better get used to them headlining cavernous venues across the country, because we think it’s only a matter of time before they launch themselves up to the big leagues of the arena circuit.
The band launch into the set with Too Young To Feel This Old, and the crowd go wild from the off. Every word is screamed back at them by the capacity crowd at Plymouth’s Pavilions, and it’s clear that the band are loving every second – the smiles on their faces are clear to see, and it’s rare to see a band engage so well with the crowd. Guitarist Chris Miller spends a lot of the gig swapping smiles with band and audience members alike, and it’s this approachability that
The band clearly learned a thing or two from their stint as main support act on US rockers Thirty Seconds To Mars’ UK arena tour – there’s confetti flying everywhere tonight, and an industrial-looking light and stage show ensures that all eyes present are given a feast. All eyes that aren’t glued onto perma-charismatic frontman Josh Franceschi, that is.
They rattle through a set of modern British rock standards, tracks from their latest LP and a few fan favourites – Bite My Tongue is particularly rapturously received, which goes to show that a track doesn’t have to be a hit single to be adored by fans. Set highlight Liquid Confidence triggers a mass-singalong, and the mosh pits during Fresh Start Fever are… Well, they’re terrifying, but it’s a testament to how good You Me At Six are as a live unit.
A special mention must go to opening act Young Kato, who warmed the crowd up in style with their energetic blend of pop, indie and uniquely retro synths. Gliding through a set of tracks from their single releases thusfar (as well as snippets of their unreleased debut album), the band looked every inch the perfect pop stars. Frontman Tommy Wright has the charisma and charm of a young Morrissey, and the fact that the bass player looks quite a bit like Harry Styles may well have gained them a new army of female fans. Potential future careers in boyband tribute acts aside, it’s clear that these guys have got talent – their songs are sublime slices of indie-pop goodness, and their stage presence is above and beyond that of any upcoming indie band we’ve seen for a while. They’re about to head out on a huge UK headline tour – you need to go and check them out.
You Me At Six close their set with the anthemic hit single Lived A Lie, and it’s a perfect end to the night; it’s joyous and celebratory, and a genuine contender for Chorus Of The Year for 2014 so far. They’re an amazing live act, and they’re only going to get bigger and better – the future belongs to You Me At Six.