Music
Review
Review: The Menzingers @ O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Pennsylvanian punk comes to London.
In Your Wild Years, a track taken from their most recent full-length release After The Party, Pennsylvanian punk rockers The Menzingers perhaps sum up their sound best. “A little Irish in your blood,” the dual vocalists sing with an authentic grit. “A little Boston in your attitude.”
It’s pretty spot on as far as descriptions go. The Menzingers pull together the spirit of Irish punk with an Americana twist, channeling the likes of Boston contemporaries but with a distinct lyrical edge.
The aptly titled After The Party suggests the band’s attitude, focussing on introspection over heavy celebrations. Where Irish-American punk often focusses on excess, The Menzingers instead focus on humanity.
Tonight sees their blend of honesty and punchy Springsteen-esque rock delight a throng of adoring fans. They cult status teeters on the edge of the mainstream, with the likes of the self-critical I Don’t Want To Be An Asshole Anymore and the thunderous Lookers sounding absolutely huge. Anthem The Obituaries with its repeated expletive-laden refrain is met with a spine-tingling rallying cry.
It’s here where The Menzingers find their magic, sat between massive singalong hooks and relatable lyrics. Their often crippling insecurities in theme speak to all ages, adding a notable depth to their punk rock sound. It equally inspires celebration, with a brilliant maturity.
The encore sees the band whip about their newest album title-track, the insatiably catchy After The Party, alongside a cover of The Clash’s Straight To Hell. The show climaxes with the excellent In Remission, from their 2014 album Rented World, rounding off a fantastic evening that has seen The Menzingers further establish their rock and roll tinged punk sound, and celebrate a five album catalogue that needs to be heard.
The Menzingers have just announced a headline show at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum on the 3 August 2018, joined by Lagwagon, The Laurence Arms, Bad Cop Bad Cop, and The Lillingtons. Tickets are on sale from 9:00 on Wednesday 7 February 2018 through Ticketmaster.co.uk.
They’ll also be appearing at Rebellion Festival in August.
