Dillon Eastoe headed to Bristol’s o2 Academy to catch Lower Than Atlantis…

For a band like Lower than Atlantis to now be packing out venues like the Bristol o2 Academy is one of the success stories of the year, considering they began 2014 being dropped by their label. Size aside, itÔÇÖs a shame that the o2 sucks, the shoddy layout cramming too many people into a tiny floor space and the remainder snaking along various steps and balconies.

Extra security measures mean that a lot of people miss most of Brawlers early set, frontman Harry Johns spending the last few songs in the pit cajoling the crowd to sing along.

As It Is, hailing from Brighton, play straightforward yet tuneful pop-punk that while entertaining doesnÔÇÖt stack up to the bands up next.

Of the support acts on show tonight Moose Blood are by far the most likely to make a breakthrough, their smart mix of indie, emo and pop-punk bolstered by great melodies and the distinctive vocal style of Eddy Brewerton. The drawn out intro to ÔÇÿGumÔÇÖ demonstrates the bands songwriting intelligence while ÔÇÿBukowskiÔÇÖ gets the crowd moving and singing along. With a new album recorded Moose Blood are ones to watch in the New Year.

Lower than Atlantis arrive to a curtain drop and blast out of the traps with new single ÔÇÿGet Over ItÔÇÖ. Their self-titled album has seen the band gain more radio play over the past year, and itÔÇÖs easy to see why as they launch into the massive ÔÇÿCriminalÔÇÖ and the ├╝ber-poppy ÔÇÿEmilyÔÇÖ, offering their most sugary sweet chorus yet.

The poignant ÔÇÿStays the SameÔÇÖ and synth-led ÔÇÿAinÔÇÖt No FriendÔÇÖ illustrate the wide scope of the bandÔÇÖs newer material, the latter provoking an enthusiastic pogo in the pit. Diehards are treated to a few select cuts from previous albums, reminding us why we fell in love with LTAÔÇÖs angsty and earnest hardcore. Tonight is about a group that is revelling in their present however, and the main set and encore are rounded out by more ÔÇÿself-titledÔÇÖ tracks.

Singer Mike Duce can come across as an unwilling rock star with his awkward and sarcastic onstage demeanor (which fans adore), but if his band keep releasing songs as mighty as closer ÔÇÿHere We GoÔÇÖ heÔÇÖll need to get used to the spotlight.