LIVE REVIEW: The Wonder Years @ Electric Ballroom, Camden

Support from Beauty School & Save Face

Having got to the Electric Ballroom move than an hour early there was plenty of time to indulge in a queue conversation or two. These are always one of my favourite parts of gigs but they were even more special this time. I don't know anyone who loves The Wonder Years even close to how much I do, so getting to spend an hour talking to others who love them as much as me was a really magical moment. The band means so much to so many different people on so many different levels, there's a deep connection with other fans before you've even spoken a word.

I hadn't planned to review this gig, I'd gone as a fan to enjoy the show but it's the best gig I've been to this year and a strong contender for best gig I've ever been to. So I feel I have to throw some words together. I didn't take copious amounts or notes and my phone photos are questionable but this is a review of passion, love and so many emotions not quality photos and complex wording.

First up we had Beauty School from Leeds. They were great, they had good energy and a nice melodic Pop Punk sound. I'd only listened to one song prior to the gig but the whole set had a familiar feel like I'd known them for years. There were bright riffs, nice vocal harmonies and an overall likeable demeanor. Each song was an anthem with a catchy chorus and the lads looked totally comfortable on the elevated stage of the Underworld playing to a much larger crowd than they're probably used to. Highlight of the set was 'Happiness' which had me singing along by the second chorus. An absolute class act, I'd definitely go and see them again!

Then we move on to New Jersey's Save Face. I wanted to love Save Face. I like what they're about; acceptance, inclusivity, being who you want to be, identifying how you feel comfortable and a general feeling of live and let live. However for me, they just weren't my thing. Lots of screaming and eccentricities it all felt a bit over the top. I can't fault their stage presence. The energy and effort they put in was admirable but the older I get the less I can deal with people screaming their message down my ear. That said, don't listen to me, the crowd absolutely loved it and went wild so I think I was in the minority.

Kicking off with new track 'Low Tide' I was concerned how songs off "The Hum Goes On Forever" would resonate with me live as I hadn't had a long enough to fully relate to the album and assert it to aspects of my own life but I needn't have worried. The crowd went mad, the sounds took me over and I was bouncing along instantly. 'Dismantling Summer' saw me in full fist pumping, jumping up and down mode which continued throughout. Roaring into my favourite track 'Local Man Ruins Everything' the emotion washed over me as I bellowed along to every word. It was a special moment.

Quiter, more thoughtful 'Flowers Where Your Face Should Be' saw Dan ask the crowd to grab their lighters or phone torches and light up the room. Normally a slow song so early in the set would kill the mood but this was a lovely tender moment before building back up into 'Song for Ernest Hemmingway.' A track Dan confessed he thought people hated when they first played it live. He said looking out at the room everyone stood arms crossed, kinda bored but he realised at that point it was too soon, no one knew it. Reintroducing it to the set years later he came to see people didn't hate it they just weren’t familiar with it yet. The London crowd definitely knew and went wild!

Before blasting into 'Wyatt's Song (Your Name)', a track written for Dan's son, he asked us to sing so loud they could hear us across the Atlantic! I'm not sure we managed that but the whole 1800 strong definitely gave it a good go!

'There There' was another emotionally charged song that brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. "Passing Through a Screen Door' sent the crowd mental as did the lead track from Hum, 'Oldest Daughter'. 'Pyramids of Salt' and 'I Don't Like Who I Was Then' were massive crowd pleasers.

'Sister Cities’ evoked a particularly wild mosh pit. I was really surprised just how many female crowd surfers there were! Normally this is a very male thing but well over half were girls! Good on them! It's not something I'd do cos I worry about being dropped but it's great to see the girls out moshing the blokes!

Before 'Raining in Kyoto' Dan confessed that some songs that he'd previously desensitised himself to when performing had become difficult to sing due to the lack of gigs during the pandemic. He said he was getting back to being okay with them and able to perform to a level the crowd deserved to hear but it was notable that he found it hard. It's a track I find hard to listen to. While about Dan losing his grandfather it was a song that brought me comfort when my dad was poorly and eventually died so while I jumped and sang along it also very much pulled on my heartstrings.

New song 'Lost It in the Lights' was a massive hit with the crowd. I was blown away by how well people knew the new stuff. I appreciate the records been out a while but for everyone to be as word perfect with songs they've only known a few months as they are the tracks that have been about years is quite amazing!

Ending on a high 'Don't Let Me Cave In' and 'Cigarettes & Saints' completely ignited the room.

Dan joked about how pointless encores are but said the band are getting old and were grateful for a breather!

Earlier in the set Dan had remarked about his dad commenting that for their encore in London they should play a cover of some song called 'London' rather than their biggest hit! To which he'd playfully responded to his father if he did that he'd no longer have a son! So once they re-immerged the rest of the band announced it was "time for that London cover" before booming into "Came Out Swinging" the band put everything into it, the crowd lost it! It was an epic finale to an incredible show!

My only complaint is I wish the band wouldn't snub their first two records, I appreciate they really hate "Get Stoked On It!" and I know they've matured a lot since singing about Ninja Warriors but the fans love it for what it's, kinda silly. As for "The Upsides" it's a fantastic pop punk record and off the back of playing it in full a few days before in Bournemouth I'm surprised they didn't include at least one song.

My moan is a little flippant though as I can't fault the set they performed. The band sounded incredible, Dan's stage presence is powerful yet soft, he has the perfect amount of interaction and I love that he actively encourages the crowd to sing along and sing bits of the songs for him. The energy on stage was electric and the energy in the room was some of the most powerful I've felt.

I left the gig feeling overpowered with emotions not sure if I wanted to laugh or burst into tears. I tried to tell my friend about the show but finding the right words and enough words to convey how much it had meant to me was impossible. A class performance for the most important band to ever exist.