Yellowcard @ HMV Forum

I have been a fan of Yellowcard for over five years. During that time the pop punk band have released several amazing albums, been on a three year hiatus, thankfully reformed and have recently embarked on a long-awaited European tour.

Due to being completely immersed in my postgraduate coursework, the band's UK tour in March earlier this year with fellow alternative rockers All Time Low passed me by. Luckily for me, during a rare break from study-hibernation, their second trip to London caught my eye and I quickly bagged myself tickets.

The gig took place in one of the few music venues in our capital city that I haven't yet visited: the HMV Forum in Kentish Town. I enjoy attending gigs in that area of North London as it has a great atmosphere and buzzing vibe. The venue was a decent size, but as usual became incredibly packed by the time the headline act graced the stage.

But the five year wait and crowded venue was completely worth it. Yellowcard are amazing live. Some bands sound great when recorded, but are a disappointment in person. Not Yellowcard. They actually sounded better live than they do on my iPod.

Ryan Key, with his true pop punk voice, can hit every single high-note he attempts, and Longineu W. Parsons III (what a name!) is an insanely talented drummer. But it is violinist Sean Mackin who steals the show for me. Having played the violin for a number of years, I have a soft-spot for this beautiful stringed instrument, and Mackin plays it to perfection.

The intricate violin playing (complete with vibrato) is a sound truly unique to Yellowcard. Most alternative music aficionados may say that a traditionally classical instrument shouldn't work in this way, but it does. It so does. In fact, it is the very thing that makes this band one of my all-time favourites.