New Found Glory
by Annelise Royles
_Photo credit: Covert Booking._
New Found Glory will play at the O2 Academy in Bristol on October 5th at 7:00 pm. Their performance is a celebration of their 20 years together, which means that they will play their greatest hits from previous albums, such as Sticks & Stones and Catalyst. Expect to hear some old favorites with some newer material that channels the group’s previous work.
The pop-punk movement is still alive and well with American band New Found Glory, as evidenced in their latest release, Makes Me Sick. Holistically, Makes Me Sick follows its genre’s footsteps, as it explores love in, heartbreak, and troubles of modern life in the same sound we all remember from the early to mid-2000s bands such as All-American Rejects. The sound is bound to create an easy-going and dance-friendly concert environment, as it channels pop punk’s staple catchy combination of drums, guitar, and catchy lyrical hooks. The Sound of Two Voices, in particular, has some classic pop-punk lyrics that will revisit blink-182s discography afterward; the song speaks to the difficulties of resisting starting a new relationship even one knows it would be a catastrophic decision: “That’s why I don’t want what I want/’Cause what I want, it just might kill me.” These catchy and relatable lyrics make New Found Glory’s upcoming show in Bristol even more enthralling. Any concert-goer will know the words and enjoy other stand-outs such as Happy Being Miserable. With a title that explains it all, Happy Being Miserable takes a look at a relationship where one partner refuses to be happy.
If anyone is on the fence about buying themselves a ticket, factor New Found Glory’s 20 years of experience making and performing music guarantees that they know how to put on a good show. On top of that, New Found Glory has toured with other heavy-hitters such as blink-182 and collaborated with Hayley Williams. Their Bristol show should disappoint neither pop-punk die-hards nor those who are just looking for a fun show with a loveable band and nostalgic sound.