Simon Rushworth
@Newcastle Think Tank?, November 29 2014
Six weeks into their tour, and Boston-based trio Augustines are still a commanding force in terms of energy, enthusiasm and performance.
After weeks on the road, vocals tend to strain and artists lost that edge on stage but not Augustines. Right from the opening key of Headlong Into The Abyss, to the band’s raunchy end to New Drink For The Old Drunk, Billy McCarthy and co. shook the Riverside from top to toe.
Having dropped the ‘We Are’ prefix at the beginning of the year, the newly branded Augustines came back ballsier than before and released a self-titled album that knocked their impressive debut right out of the water. Having done away with the vocal harmonies, the bacd focused on bringing some much-needed rock into the world, offering a mix of Gaslight Anthem and Kings of Leon.
This faster-paced, rockier style, has allowed the band to hit new levels in terms of album success and their live shows have benefited too with the new tracks adding another dimension to the show, allowing their passion to spill out from stage.
With big-hitting, stadium-esque tunes coming from this year’s fantastic new album, fans gobbled up the likes of Nothing To Lose But Your Head, Cruel City and Walkabout, screaming back the vocals, with some members even showing that air guitar is still alive and well.
While these tunes went down a treat, and nothing beats an enthusiastic crowd, nothing ruins a show more than an over aggressive loud mouth who feels that buying a ticket gives him the right to manhandle people standing in his way, and roar and scream during slower, quieter songs. This ruins the experience for the people around you: a little respect goes a long way.
Despite the misdemeanors of the few, the rest of the crowd was fantastic, the mix of ages and backgrounds only added to the experience. Despite Augustines being very much a solid rock band, this wasn’t strictly a rock crowd, as all sorts flooded through the door, singing and dancing along, showing the cult following that the band has attained.
Few bands get is so perfect after six weeks on the road in a strange continent, but everything from the sound, to audience interaction and the music itself, was nailed down perfectly. Augustines are only just getting started. There is so much more to come!
Adam Keys