9:55pm, October 9th. In the Oxford O2 Academy, the atmosphere is electric, as excited fans surge towards the stage. It’s almost time for the headlining act of the Eastpak Antidote Tour, which is travelling across the UK this month featuring Ghost of a Thousand, Four Year Strong, Anti-Flag and, the real reason I’m there: Alexisonfire. After the fast paced, politically charged set of Pennsylvanian punk-rockers Anti-Flag, (which included helping audience members on-stage to sing and dance, bringing the drummer, Pat Theic and his kit down into the pit, and a circle pit which consumed most of the floor) everyone is definitely in the mood. Chants of ‘Alexis! Alexis! Alexis!’ echo around the venue, which, with a capacity of just over 1000, is packed from wall to wall. The stage becomes dark, and the crowd is turbulent as pink and green lights start to flash and music begins to play, marking the imminence of the band’s entrance.

This is the fourth time I am seeing Alexisonfire; the first being almost three years ago, and the latest at the end of August where they played on the main stage at Reading, an 80,000 capacity festival. Though their popularity has climaxed, they continue to play smaller shows, also performing at Reading on a much smaller stage. As a fan, I feel this is incredibly important- the band respect their roots and their fans- playing for them rather than for themselves. Over the last few years their sound has been perfected; George Pettit’s wrenching screams are refined and precise, and Dallas Green’s voice is melodic and fine-tuned. Together they create a beautiful contrast, a cocktail of rough and smooth, light and dark. Alexisonfire have created a unique sound, the balancing of their vocals means their music appeals to more than just post-hardcore fans. Their latest album, ‘Old Crows/Young Cardinals’ is proof of that, peaking at number 2 on the Canadian charts.

Tonight, they step up to the stage and launch into ‘Heading For The Sun’ with confidence and energy. I am pressed against the barrier to the left of the stage, with Green the nearest to me, followed by Pettit and guitarist/back up vocalist Wade McNeil. Bassist Chris Steele doesn’t seem to be able to stay in one place for more than ten seconds, bouncing around the entire stage constantly in a state of wide eyed, frenzied excitement (which, Pettit later jokes is due to him walking past a window earlier and seeing five topless women!). Playing not only songs from ‘Young Cardinals,’ the band stay faithful to old fans by playing material from 2006’s ‘Crisis’ and 2004’s ‘Watch Out!’. Songs from ‘Crisis’ in particular are the high points of the night; they are met with great enthusiasm, prompting roaring sing-alongs.

The band’s energy does not diminish as the minutes wear on, it builds. The heavy bass and layers of intricate guitar, the pounding drums and the angst ridden vocals blast from the speakers, so loud I can feel the sound inside of me, causing my body [...]]]>

9:55pm, October 9th. In the Oxford O2 Academy, the atmosphere is electric, as excited fans surge towards the stage. It’s almost time for the headlining act of the Eastpak Antidote Tour, which is travelling across the UK this month featuring Ghost of a Thousand, Four Year Strong, Anti-Flag and, the real reason I’m there: Alexisonfire. After the fast paced, politically charged set of Pennsylvanian punk-rockers Anti-Flag, (which included helping audience members on-stage to sing and dance, bringing the drummer, Pat Theic and his kit down into the pit, and a circle pit which consumed most of the floor) everyone is definitely in the mood. Chants of ‘Alexis! Alexis! Alexis!’ echo around the venue, which, with a capacity of just over 1000, is packed from wall to wall. The stage becomes dark, and the crowd is turbulent as pink and green lights start to flash and music begins to play, marking the imminence of the band’s entrance.

This is the fourth time I am seeing Alexisonfire; the first being almost three years ago, and the latest at the end of August where they played on the main stage at Reading, an 80,000 capacity festival. Though their popularity has climaxed, they continue to play smaller shows, also performing at Reading on a much smaller stage. As a fan, I feel this is incredibly important- the band respect their roots and their fans- playing for them rather than for themselves. Over the last few years their sound has been perfected; George Pettit’s wrenching screams are refined and precise, and Dallas Green’s voice is melodic and fine-tuned. Together they create a beautiful contrast, a cocktail of rough and smooth, light and dark. Alexisonfire have created a unique sound, the balancing of their vocals means their music appeals to more than just post-hardcore fans. Their latest album, ‘Old Crows/Young Cardinals’ is proof of that, peaking at number 2 on the Canadian charts.

Tonight, they step up to the stage and launch into ‘Heading For The Sun’ with confidence and energy. I am pressed against the barrier to the left of the stage, with Green the nearest to me, followed by Pettit and guitarist/back up vocalist Wade McNeil. Bassist Chris Steele doesn’t seem to be able to stay in one place for more than ten seconds, bouncing around the entire stage constantly in a state of wide eyed, frenzied excitement (which, Pettit later jokes is due to him walking past a window earlier and seeing five topless women!). Playing not only songs from ‘Young Cardinals,’ the band stay faithful to old fans by playing material from 2006’s ‘Crisis’ and 2004’s ‘Watch Out!’. Songs from ‘Crisis’ in particular are the high points of the night; they are met with great enthusiasm, prompting roaring sing-alongs.

The band’s energy does not diminish as the minutes wear on, it builds. The heavy bass and layers of intricate guitar, the pounding drums and the angst ridden vocals blast from the speakers, so loud I can feel the sound inside of me, causing my body to vibrate. The music penetrates the audience, it becomes a sensation- and as the band plays the anthemic ‘We Are the Sound’ I feel like I can interpret the lyrics now- ‘We are the sound/ We have no voice/ We are the sound/ We don’t belong/ So raise up your hands/ And sing along.’ Green has apparently said that this song is a rally call to the youth of today, those who feel they are voiceless and place-less in society. As we raise our hands to the ceiling, the audience becomes one with the band and the music, our individual voices bond together and in these moments, we are the sound.

‘Happiness by the Kilowatt’ (from ‘Watch out!’) is their final song of the night, and the audience goes so wild with cheering the sound is deafening. Pettit performs his infamous ‘bending the microphone stand around neck’ trick, and Steele continues to go rather hilariously crazy. The band has a dynamic that clearly works brilliantly; they interact with each other and the audience, throwing their all into the performances and putting on a show which is nothing short of amazing.

It feels like there are miniature car alarms inside of my ears, but you know what? It was so far beyond worth it.