YOU ME AT SIX O2 VICTORIA WAREHOUSE MANCHESTER UK 6TH FEBRUARY 2023

February 9, 2023
UK Concert Reviews
by Billy Seagrave Photographer/Writer

WORDS AND IMAGES BILLY SEAGRAVE

Billy Seagrave, arrived for an early start, to catch You me at six, The Surrey based rockers come to replay the past, whilst giving us a feel of the future, as well as a taste of what is to come. With tree support acts it was great to see so many fans pouring through the doors as they opened.

Bears In Trees emerge on stage to a rapidly filling venue, most of whom have gathered at the front, on this unusually early start. Receiving a huge welcome from the crowd even before they started playing. The four pieces delivered a set full of Energy. Opening with, “Cut corners on short walks”., a track off their album, “And everybody else smiled back”, the track set the tone for an energised, pulsating set. Bears In Trees have a certain comfort on stage; they play with a real ease, and a rapport with the crowd was crucial to the success of the set. Bears In Trees were there to entertain through their music, but also to have fun with the crowd, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Finishing with the excellent, “Fresh concrete”. A great way to open a marathon show.

SET LIST

1/ Cut Corners on Short Walks

2/ Kind Love

3/ Heaven Sent is a Coffee Cup

4/ Feel So Empty

5/ Doing This Again!

6/ I’m Doing Push Ups

7/ Fresh Concrete

As the strains of Neil Diamonds, “Sweet Caroline”, blasts out across the venue and the crowd are in full flow, singing and dancing along, as the band wait at the back of the stage, ready to enter. With a discography as extensive as The Maine, it is no surprise that the band has several options when it comes to choosing songs to open a setlist as well as tracks to close a show. Opening with “Sticky”, the band delivered high-energy tracks. As with the opening act the crowd support is essential, it’s clear they have brought in a good few fans, and certainly added a few more, great drum filled solo’s, Suttle and elaborate guitar work, is the Main stay. Finishing with “Black Butterflies & Deja-Vu”, has the band building a great atmosphere.

SET LIST

1/ Sticky

2/ Am I Pretty?

3/ Loved You a Little

4/ Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful

5/ Bad Behaviour

6/ Numb Without You

7/ Black Butterflies & Déjà Vu

Waterparks has made somewhat of a name for themselves through the pop punk scene of music. The Houston-based band is well known for being unapologetically loud and somewhat chaotic, which is very evident through their live shows. Oozing charm and charisma, frontman Awsten Knight’s excels with his interaction with the crowd, no more so than on “Reboot”. followed by the stunning, heart-melting “Lucky People”. The set was high energy and once again crowd participation is paramount. “Real super dark”, brings a grand finale to a super set.

SET LIST

1/ Blonde

2/ FUNERAL GREY

3/ Dream Boy

4/ Brainwashed

5/ You’d Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out to Get You)

6/ [Reboot]

7/ Lucky People

8/ I Miss Having Sex but at Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore

9/ FUCK ABOUT IT

10/ Turbulent

11/ Real Super Dark

You Me at Six are a pop-rock band from Surrey, consisting of frontman Josh Franceschi, guitarists Chris Miller and Max Helyer, bassist Matt Barnes and drummer Dan Flint.

it was early doors this evening with three great support acts who have not only set a fabulous platform, ready for our hosts. The venue is full to the rafters as the band take to the stage, and as the lights go up, the onslaught begins.

The band kick off with “Deep Cuts” which is both a great name for a song, and a great way to start off the evening. The guitar riff has a little bit of a Franz Ferdinand vibe to it, but the electronic and drums intro smooths that out. “Mixed emotions”, along with “God bless the 90’s kids”, taken from their latest album, “Truth decay”, receives a great reception form the boisterous and loyal fans.

Finishing off the initial set is a beautiful acoustic version of “No one does it better”. A chance for everyone to catch their breath, the encore came round quite quickly and the opening shot was “Take on the world”, which had to be restarted due to a crowd incident, that dealt with it was onto “SUCKAPUNCH” and “Underdog”, it is clear to see the band are at the height of their craft, so comfortable in their performance, they just seem to take it all in their stride. “Reckless” taken from the critically acclaimed “Sinners never sleep”, before finally finishing with “Beautiful Way”, taken from the album “SUCKAPUNCH”.

You me at six, have worked hard to establish their place in the musical hierarchy, one that sees them able to draw on a back catalogue of crowd favourites whilst displaying their latest album that seamlessly fits into the realms of well-established work.