Reviews

The show at Academy 2 proved just why they need to call it quits and get off the road before they become an embarrassment. The venue was barely half full and it soon became obviously that a lot of those who had come were here to see the support, From Autumn To Ashes, who were much more interesting and original.

The problem is that Hundred Reasons haven’t moved with the times. They’re still rolling out all the emo trademarks, with their guitars pointing to the sky. It was like an emo parody, a cliché of themselves playing a genre in its death throes.

And the band seemed to know it. They are obviously good musicians, the songs were locked in and tight with no noticeable mistakes, but it’s a shame about their concept of composition. A constant finger on the button marked 'epic' meant that everything blurred into nonsensically huge and utterly throwaway choruses.

They seemed tired, sick of it, acting on stage playing the part of their former selves, hoping that people would remember their singles. At one point, front man Colin Doran even asked the crowd to get more involved by forming a mosh pit; could a band built on frenetic energy and their live performances ever make a sadder request?

Six years ago, Hundred Reasons launched themselves onto the world with their fine debut, Ideas Above Our Station. Unhappily, it turns out the title wasn’t being ironic but prophetic.