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 Review
Drive Thru Invasion Tour 2004
Band Name: V/A
Venue: The London Astoria, London
Support Acts: Hidden In Plain View, The Early November, Allister, Home Grown
Date: January 21st, 2004
Reviewed on Jan 26, 2005
by Mike Brede (Mike).


The Drive Thru Invasion Tour was one of my favourite shows to date, and I've been to a fair few.

There was a certain air about it all... Obviously, being a Drive Thru fan I've got a bias but I think this really was a decent show for all ages. Four bands each with their own unique sound, one stage, and a whole lot of fans waiting to see their idols.

The tour which was now spanning two continents after a spate of American legs consisted of Hidden In Plain View, The Early November, Allister and the mighty 'Kings of Pop' - Home Grown.

Kicking off the show tonight were Hidden In Plain view, one of Drive Thru's more recent signings. The New Jersey quintet were on form and ready to rock. We caught up with Hidden In Plain view earlier in the day before the show.

Following HIPV were the underdogs tonight, The Early November. We also caught up with Jeff from TEN earlier in the day.

Up next were Allister, undisputed crowd pleasers with their catchy riffs and boyish good looks.

...and last but not least were the self proclaimed Kings of Pop, Home Grown. You can read up on the interview from earlier in the day here.


So anyway... the show.

Hidden In Plain view had never played London before. I get the feeling that the show may however be the first of a long-term relationship between London and the band. Although many of the crowd were really here for Allister and Home Grown, HIPV went down great with the kids and even had a fair few of them singing along by the end of their set.

Although not the most melodic band on the label, Hidden In Plain view are a worthy addition to the Drive Thru Records family of bands. Entertaining and fun. A feeling shown by both crowd and band at the end of their short but sweet set. Undoubtedly the highlight was their biggest song to date, Shamans Witches and Magic. I did however get the distinct impression this wasn't the best they could play. Undoubtedly the effect of a new venue and a fairly large crowd takes its toll on any act so I speak for many when I say I believe the best is still to come.

The Early November are now well at home in England after touring with Home Grown last year. They hadn't though played a venue quite the size of this before over here and thus were very eager to please. They played a blinding set and to me were the best band of the night.


Throwing together accessible lyrics and catchy riffs the band leap around on stage as if possessed. A very energetic set that excites the crowd greatly and brings a beaming smile to the faces of Richard and Stefanie Reines, Drive Thru Records label owners who could be seen standing at the side of the stage. The band were undoubtedly giving their all and the venue didn't really do them justice just yet... I'm sure it will though, eventually.

Allister didn't really need to try and impress tonight. The majority of the fan base was there for them and they could have played terrible and still got an awesome response from the crowd.

However. They didn't. Their set was the best I'd seen them play (This was the third time now) and was overshadowed by the crowd who seemed to know every lyric better than the band themselves. Their set was a constant sing along and everyone on the floor could be seen dancing away to their show.

They finished their set with their masterpiece ' Somewhere down on Fullerton ' which was eagerly anticipated by the crowd.

Home Grown did however somehow manage to steal the show. I wasn't so sure about it at first, whether or not they'd manage to pull it off after being placed as headliners to Allister. They did it spectacularly though and wasted no time in showing what they were really made of.

I originally thought they were somewhat arrogant when I first saw them. Their stage manner seemed imposing on a small stage and I felt that it their over-confidence did them no justice... However, on this bigger stage and to a bigger crowd the fun side of the band really begins to show as they clown around and dedicate their cover of Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' to their boss.

They ended their set with the cult classic 'Kiss me Diss me' which turned the floor into one big mass of moving bodies.

Yet again a fine example of a band who aren't trying to re-write the musical history books with their originality but couldn't really care less for those that are bothered by it.

All in all the finale show to the Uk invasion tour was as impressive as expected and more. Summed up by the faces of the crowd the bands and the label owners, the Drive Thru brother and sister team have a lot to be proud of for blindingly obvious reasons.

-Gary


 Discuss This Review
I saw DTI '03-04 in September (?) '03 here in Florida. There was Senses Fail, Home Grown, Allister, Early... [more]
Posted Feb 9, 2005 by xOverrated.

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