Movements, Tiny Moving Parts and Knuckle Puck
Electric Ballroom // London, England // October 5th, 2018
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
Movements
As a band that is relatively new on the scene, their debut album having only been released this past year, Movements have been hard at work touring around the world. While they have only been to the UK a handful of times, their performance at the Electric Ballroom was proof enough about how far hard work can take you in music.
Opening up their set with “Third Degree,” a hard hitting track off of Feel Something, Movements got the crowd warmed up with a captivating and emotional performance, qualities that have helped to elevate them in the music scene over the past year. Leaving the theatrics at home, Movements allow for their music to speak for itself, keeping their live performances as raw and unfiltered as possible, allowing for deep connections between them and the audience to form no matter how big or small the venues might be.
Playing mostly material off of Feel Something, Movements threw in a performance of “Kept,” a song off of their 2016 EP, Outgrown Things, the powerful track resonating with fans in the crowd as they echoed the chorus back to the band while crowd surfers floated through the sea of people over the barricade.
They finished off their set with “Daylily,” a song that is notably their most popular and loved within their fanbase. A personal track vocalist Patrick Miranda wrote about his girlfriend who struggles with anxiety and depression, the beautifully composed song not only had the crowd singing along louder than any other moment during the set, but it also showcased the quality songwriting Movements have been producing since they first formed.
In a musical climate that is oversaturated with alternative rock bands, Movements are a stand out act that bring personal material and energy-filled performances with them wherever they go. Whether you are into alternative music or not, Movements have something in their music for everyone and that quality alone is why they are one of the fastest growing acts right now.
Tiny Moving Parts
If there is one thing to know before watching Tiny Moving Parts live, it is that it is impossible to not feel happy while watching vocalist and guitarist Dylan Mattheisen. As one of the most energetically happy (and quite sweaty) frontman I have witnessed in my many years of going to gigs, it takes a mere thirty seconds into their set to see how excited and content Mattheisen is to be onstage playing music.
As a band that is so distinctly unique with their music, their set falls in line the exact same way. In just eight songs, Tiny Moving Parts had people in the room scratching their heads, wondering why they aren’t headlining more of their own shows and tours, especially overseas.
Having released their brand new album, Swell, at the beginning of the year, Tiny Moving Parts took the time during their set to play new material off of the album including “Applause,” an intensely upbeat track that caught the attention of everyone in the room as they shouted along with Mattheisen in between percussion breakdowns and finger tapping guitar solos.
With just three members, Tiny Moving Parts have a way of creating more energy during their performances than most bands have ever been able to do. The energy is so intense that it seems to travel infectiously throughout the crowd, there not seeming to be a frozen body anywhere in sight from the moment they took the stage right up until the lights dimmed farewell.
Closing out their set with “Caution,” it is inevitably clear that the three guys who make up Tiny Moving Parts have something special going for them. With a repertoire of songs that will never be passable as any other band’s and three musicians that show way more talent and musicianship than others in their genre, Tiny Moving Parts are without a doubt a band that has gotten the music formula right and it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows their name.
Knuckle Puck
In just fourteen songs, Knuckle Puck solidified once again why they are one of the biggest bands in the pop punk scene. Amongst some technical difficulties before their set and vocalist Joe Taylor having lost his voice, something he admitted he was nervous about before hitting the stage, the Chicago-based band put on another unforgettable performance in London.
Assisting Joe Taylor with the vocals, the crowd was one of the loudest Knuckle Puck crowds I have ever witnessed in my five or so years of seeing the band, an aspect that seemed to overwhelm Joe Taylor who took multiple times during the night to remind everyone that the fans are the reason why Knuckle Puck still continue to make music.
Mixing up their set list with songs off of 2017’s Shapeshifter, 2015’s Copacetic and their past EPs, most of Knuckle Puck’s past released albums were included in the performance. “Evergreen,” a powerful track from Copacetic, left fans singing so loud, it overpowered the vocals of Joe Taylor and guitarist Nick Casasanto, creating a moment between the crowd and the band many will never forget.
With circle pits stirring up during fast-paced songs like “Double Helix” and “Pretense,” a different kind of mood overcame the crowd as Knuckle Puck played “Untitled,” the track that ultimately led to the band’s debut full-length being titled Copacetic. As a track that could arguably be what encompasses Knuckle Puck the best, it is notably one of the most loved songs within the band’s discography. It was a particularly captivating moment during the set as fans screamed back “everything is copacetic” to the band, the passion and intensity in the crowd’s faces showing just how much that song, and the rest of Knuckle Puck’s material, mean to those who attended the show.
Knuckle Puck threw in two surprise encore tracks of “Everyone Lies To Me,” a song that had been taken out of the band’s original set list, and “Your Back Porch,” a moment that had the crowd exerting every ounce of energy they had left as they soared over the barricade, ran around a circle pit and screamed the lyrics as if their lives depended on it.
Many bands who have been around for almost a decade have a hard time not only finding ways to evolve musically, but also keep a solid, dedicated fanbase. As this show in London proved, and as Knuckle Puck continue to prove time and time again, this band has managed to find a way to keep growing and evolving in a genre where a lot of bands fall off or release the same sounding material each year.
While still sharing brutally honest lyrics and well crafted punk songs, Knuckle Puck is a name we will continue to hear in the scene as time goes on and there’s no doubt that loyal fans and new listeners will continue to turn up to their shows no matter where in the world they may be.
