Manchester Orchestra

I'm not religious and I don't claim to know what the afterlife may consist of or whether there is one, but if a heaven exists I'm pretty sure it would contain a two drummer band and bearded men.

The night started off with Philadelphia Grand Jury giving it their all but somehow failing to conjure up the same energy I've seen before. I knew there was something missing, this was not like them. Bad sound, Weak bass and jumpy pre-recorded onstage banter between songs (those who have seen the Philly Jays before would know they have a recording of Berkfinger talking to the crowd in between songs) made for a disappointing performance. The crowd didn't seem thrilled either, we all got a little excited for I'm Going to Kill You and Going to the Casino but overall it was just sad to watch knowing they were capable of so much more.

In their defence, they have been touring non-stop for a while now so the touring must be taking its toll. However they did end on a high with bassist Bad Genius leaping across the stage, tackling Dan W Sweat from the kit to the floor, then jumping onto the drums himself to hit out some beats. This was followed by Sweat pouring a full bottle of water over his head, Genius then got up to destroy a guitar and walk off stage in a bro-mantic embrace with Sweat. By that point I had almost forgotten how disappointed I was. That last burst of insanity gave me hope for the future.

For a gig with a male to female ratio of at least five to one, the crowd was surprisingly short, leaving me pleased with the view. Once Manchester Orchestra took to the stage I had a clear shot of not only lead singer Andy Hull but also Chris Freeman, drum and keyboard god. When he wasn't simultaneously hitting the crap out his own kit with drummer Jeremiah Edmond (just as amazing) or playing the keys, he was moshing by himself in his corner. I could feel his brain hitting the walls of his skull. It was incredible.

The energy of the entire band was contagious. Andy, Jeremiah and Chris make up for guitarist Jonathan Corley's understated performance and bassist Robert Mcdowell's shy demeanour. For such a young band (they started in 2005 when Bull was only 18) they know their way around their instruments and how to please a crowd.

A fully fleshed entertainment package of one and half hours was delivered to us eagerly awaiting masses. Bull is pretty funny, that dude is quick. In the awkward silences of instrument tuning the inevitable heckling occurred where Bull quickly put them in their place (the “punch walls” anyone?), entertained ongoing 'mum' gags and comedically disregarded sweaty t-shirts thrown on stage.

I should add that that Bull is only 22 which isn't obvious, he is a man beyond his years. In between albums his voice has matured so much, as well as his approach to music it seems. While his voice retains some vulnerable quality, his screams are much more powerful and controlled. Add that to their recent maturity in sound (Mean Everything to Nothing is a much harder record than their previous Like a Virgin Losing a Child) and that makes for a bloody impressive live performance.

They even included a mesmerising cover of Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard which I will boldly say rivals the original. They played through the entire latest album with some highlights from the previous effort, including Wolves at Night. For the encore they played three songs, one being predictably I've Got Friends which was well done, but after the entire show it became obvious that although it may be a single it isn't their strongest song. Ending on an alternate version of The Only One where Chris returned to the stage mid song to join Andy for an intense crescendo of awesomeness. We all left in awe that night.

If they are this good only four years in, I don't know what else they can aspire to. But I'm excited.

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