The first time I saw Hundred Reasons was years and years ago in a small venue in for one of their early London shows. Most of the crowd were disinterested at first, not giving the band too much time or respect, with the exception of a group of hard core fans at the front who knew every word by heart and cherished every riff. By the end of the show the every last person had been won over and the room became one big ball of sweat and energy.
I was naturally delighted for With the Surrey lads when they signed for Columbia and bought their debut album along with many of my friends, doing my little part to propel Ideas ‘Above Our Station‘ to number 6 in the UK charts. For a while we all believed the illusion that a hard working British band could play the major label game and succeed simply on the basis of a passionate following and a kick ass live set.
The next time I saw them was just a few months after the album release at Brixton Academy. In comparison to the previous show this venue was humongous, Hundred Reasons had arrived. To be completely honest I did not have the greatest time at that show. I was convinced half of this crowd were only in attendance to see “the next big thing”. Looking back I appreciate that this was an elitist view but, in contrast with the genuine excitement I had seen a few months before, this bunch seemed mechanical in their devotion. Yes they knew all the songs but more in the way you memorise a mathematics equation; out of need, not necessity.
The massive stage seemed to hinder the bands performance and disrupt the bond they formed with their following. They almost seemed lethargic and rarely interacting with each other (or the crowd) in what I remember as a distinctly cagey performance. Coming back to a huge show in London after having “made it” was probably a stressful scenario and, despite a few highlights, I felt the band didn’t fully deliver. At the time I didn’t know it but this would be the last time I would see them for a while…
Fast Forward to early 09 and on a whim I bought tickets for Hundred Reasons live at the Islington Academy. In a fit of nostalgia I wanted to see what the band could produce a few years after their meteoric rise to major label success and subsequent publicised drop once the “emo” cash cow had been bled dry. Cougar Microbes called me up a few days before the show asking if I wanted to review it, my reply:
“you bastard I have already bought tickets!“
The crowd is a mix of the old guard, who probably witnessed HR‘s’ first coming, and a new generation of kids who seem to have learnt each and every word by heart. The cynic in me has disappeared and I’m delighted Hundred Reasons are serenading a new generation who were probably too young when the band initially hit the headlines. Remaining “relevant” is tough and HR could have been washed away in a boat with the many other early 00s emo upstarts. Instead they have regenerated their audience and breathed new life into their career.
Tonight I am convinced this is the perfect scenario for Hundred Reasons. Take away the unrealistic expectations from their shoulders and what you get is a band playing their hearts out without a worry in the world, going out of their way to draw a connection with each and every person attending and crucially turning on the magic factor. The band dip into all 4 of their releases in a relentless attack that hits you wave after wave, anthem after anthem.
Inevitably, the highlights for me are hair raising performances of ‘Silver’ and ‘If I Could’ which see every person in the crowd (I’m convinced the bar staff were chanting too) join the band in a mass sing along which comes close to being a religious experience. As I step out of the venue their is evident excitement in the air and a few people can’t take the grins off their faces. This 5-headed monster is here to stay and judging by the crowd tonight have a guaranteed fan base for years to come.
Hundred Reasons new album ‘Quick The Word, Sharp The Action‘ is out now.
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