Groezrock 2017: Now We’re Really Excited! Part Two [Preview]

For part two of our Groezrock Preview I’m going to focus on some bands on the Watch Out Stage. I mentioned last week that I found some of my new favourite bands last year by checking out the small stage, and this year looks set to be the same.

I’ve seen the name Boston Manor floating around the UK pop-punk scene for a couple of years now and have never got around to checking them out. That scene is pretty saturated with average bands that all sound the same, so I’ve been reluctant to check out many bands from it. Having finally checked out Boston Manor ahead of Groezrock, I feel like I’ve made a mistake over the last few years. I should have listened to them ages ago. They have some great songs and from what I can see on Youtube, they’ve got a pretty god live show too. The Groezrock website currently has them sat at the top of the Watch Out Stage on Sunday, a slot which Moose Blood played last year. Big shoes to fill, but I’m confident these guys can do it!

A quick look around this website and you’ll soon learn that I’m a big fan of acoustic punk. It’s no surprise then, that I’m really excited to see Tim Vantol play. If We Go Down, We Will Go Together has hardly been out of my headphones over the last year, and with a new album about to be released, this is going to be an awesome show. An early guess based on the line-up would suggest he’s on just before I head over to see Anti Flag too, which is even better.

Call It Off are a band that I wasn’t aware of until I started to write this preview. They’ve got a really cool 90s Green Day thing going, and if their live show is as good as their recordings then they’ll probably be one of the highlights of the festival. There’s not a right lot of pop-punk this year, but with these guys and Boston Manor representing, we’ve got quality over quantity.

Another band that I’m discovering for the first time while writing this is Young Hearts. Fast, melodic punk rock played with precision. I’m very impressed with their song Animals, so I’ll definitely be checking them out. My comment in the last article about discovering my new favourite bands last year could well happen all over again, if this is anything to go by.

Finally, for this week at least, another cool band I’ve just discovered are In Hearts Wake, a post-hardcore/metal band from Australia. Their style of music isn’t usually my bag, but I’ve often enjoyed it live, so they’re worth a shot. It’s heavy at times, melodic at others. If you’re more into the punk rock side of Groezrock, they might not be your thing, but give them a shot. They’ll probably change your mind.