Fightstar - Academy, Newcastle, 23/10/2008
by Kelly Smith
published: 28 / 10 / 2008

intro
At the Newcastle Academy, Kelly Smith watches the still grossly under rated Fightstar in support to a dull Feeder play an energetic and atmospheric set
Fightstar have been going for five years. FIVE! That’s probably longer than the career length of everyone in the current charts put together. Five years is a lifetime in today’s music industry. It makes them grandparents. It makes them veterans. It makes me feel old, because Charlie Simpson was only born a few months before I was, but that’s beside the point. The point is, I’m now watching Fightstar in the Academy, and they are amazing. Feeder’s name are above the door and they are probably the reason most people paid the £22.50 ticket price to get here, but those people are now seeing a band who by rights shouldn’t be supporting anyone any more. Fightstar walk on stage and let first track ‘Floods’ do the talking for them. It’s a brilliant way to open the show – a classic song for the Fightstar fans, a melodic ease into the music for the Feeder contingent. Guitarist Alex Westaway provides a vocal which complements both the song and Charlie’s voice – all together, it works perfectly. Speaking to the band before the gig, they were convinced that about 30 people there would be there to see them, but this is either a massive false modesty ploy on their part, or they genuinely underestimate the amount of people who would turn out for them. From where I was standing, everyone was really into Fightstar, albeit from behind the constraints of their newly purchased Feeder T-shirts. New single 'The English Way' is a departure from the more usual Fightstar fare. The inclusion of a choir gives the song an amazing atmospheric feeling, without removing anything from the harder chorus. It’s a more mature, considered sound, and has managed to score them their first inclusion on the Radio 1 playlist. As Charlie predicted beforehand, 'Palahniuk’s Laughter' gets the best response, but I’m betting it’s not just because this is their best known offering. It’s brilliant live, sounding grand yet understated, and, if the band are bored after playing it for all these years, it doesn’t show one bit. Charlie grows as the song does, and the band seem completely together within the rise and fall of the music. As I heard one girl say on her way out for a cigarette, “What am I going to do now Fightstar have been on ? Might as well go home, I only came for them”. There can’t be many more occasions when this band will play second fiddle to the likes of Feeder, who, although they were heading the field half a dozen plus years ago, are now less cutting edge than the Killers and Razorlight. Fightstar are a much better band than any of these – they have a better sound. They are growing with time and they’re grossly under rated as a credible act. In the end, I took that girl’s advice. Feeder, to put it bluntly, were dull. The lack of energy surrounding them was exhausting, so I upped and left in favour of a chip shop. Say what you will about Fightstar – I would never choose a cod over them. Fact. The photographs that accompany this article were taken exclusively for Pennyblackmusic by Katie Anderson.
Picture Gallery:-





interviews |
Interview (2008) |
![]() |
Kelly Smith chats to increasingly acclaimed post-hardcore emo band Fightstar about touring with Feeder and their third full length album which is due out early next year |
features |
Fightstar 1 (2007) |
![]() |
Katie Anderson photographs post hardcore/emo act Fightstar at a show at the Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms... |
Fightstar 2 (2007) |
reviews |
The English Way (2008) |
![]() |
Highly impressive new single involving a choir from Fightstar, the first from an as-yet-untitled new album which is due out next year |
One Day This Will All be Yours (2007) |
They Like You Better When You Were Dead (2006) |
most viewed articles
current edition
Peter Doherty - Blackheath Halls, Blackheath and Palace Halls, Watford, 18/3/2025 and 21/3/2025Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Lauren Mayberry - Photoscapes
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - Interview
Max Bianco and the BlueHearts - Troubadour, London, 29/3/2025
Sukie Smith - Interview
Maarten Schiethart - Vinyl Stories
Clive Langer - Interview
Kim Wilde - Photoscapes
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Doris Brendel - Interview
Beautiful South - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Kay Russell - Interview with Kay Russell
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Pulp - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Sound - Interview with Bi Marshall Part 1
Jay Reatard - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboNigel Stonier - Wolf Notes
Wings - Venus and Mars
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn - Songs For The Trees
Neil Campbell - The Turnaround
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Darkness - Dreams On Toast
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Charles Ellsworth - Cosmic Cannon Fodder
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart