Yesterday was just so overwhelming.

I made the move from Newcastle to London in the morning. Normally, I can’t wait to get away, but it was a lot harder than usual.

Then I went to Promise of Redemption at The Black Heart and as soon as I walked in with so many familiar faces, I knew I was back home.

Shane’s When The Flowers Bloom is probably in my top 3 albums of all time, so getting to see him again with some of the people I care most about was just perfect. The saddest songs were made the happiest. :)

OH, AND SAM LITTLE COVERED WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL AND CALL ME MAYBE AND KEEP ON MOVIN’.

Best show! Big ups to Chris for putting it on!

bloggerihardlyknowher:

So excited to come back to the UK!! I’ll be there for my bday for the second time in my 26 years on this earth. Come celebrate with me all may long on this tour ;)

-Shane

So excited. All the cries to Promise of Redemption!

<333333

bloggerihardlyknowher:

This week only!! I will be doing a huge sale for the POR “When the Flowers Bloom” Cd. From now till Sunday check out the offers:

-POR “When the Flowers Bloom” only $1 !! (plus shipping). All Cd’s will be signed upon request! 

-For every shirt order, receive a free signed “When the Flowers Bloom” Cd, and a free signed POR/ Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife, I Am the Avalanche) Poster! 

-COMING SOON FOR YOUR SPECIAL VALENTINE!!! I will be setting up a song shop esque option for your favorite significant other Valencia/POR fan, you will receive a call from me, we will talk about your story and what you would like to add to it, you tell me their favorite song from my catalogue and I will personalize a video of me playing it for them with a special message from you! I will be very excited to deliver your messages of love to your loved ones with the gift of music!!! :) 

check out the link! Look forward to setting this up and hearing from you all! 

Love,

Shane

Ok, someone do this for me. You will forever have my heart. Song of choice: Let The Waves Crash Down. ;)

Valencia are playing their last show in Philadelphia today. I don’t even know where to begin with this one. I’ve been trying not to think about it, but since today’s the day, I feel the need to write something…

When I first heard This Could Be a Possibility back in 2006, I was hooked. Shane, their singer, then released When The Flowers Bloom under his acoustic side-project, Promise of Redemption, which had the biggest emotional impact on me than any other album. So, I just knew Valencia’s second album We All Need A Reason To Believe was going to be something special. And it really was!

Obviously, music is subjective, but WANARTB is seriously one of the most perfect pop-punk releases. Definitely in my top 3 albums of all-time, anyway. I always said that if they weren’t going to explode after that, then there’s really no hope for them. It gave them a little recognition, but nowhere near what they deserved.

The thing I appreciated about Valencia the most is that they didn’t have any gimmicks. They weren’t pretending to be sad anymore, they didn’t attempt to ‘defend pop-punk’, or purposely immerse themselves with ‘cool’ bands. They were just Valencia. Real guys writing the most heartfelt music.

I saw them on tour supporting Kids In Glass Houses in 2008, I went to the Middlesbrough and Sheffield shows - practically, the only one singing along to them. I don’t really know why, but I had a sinking feeling a break-up was on the cards - I even told Shane when I interviewed him in September, ha. I never thought I’d get to see them again, but they finally came back, three years later, with The Wonder Years. I’m seriously so relieved I got to see them two more times, in Brighton and London, with all my best friends.

If the show was announced a lot earlier and I hadn’t gone to Fest, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’d be in Philly right now. Going to Boston for Have Heart’s last show was the best thing I’ve ever done, and ignoring genres, I’d put Valencia right up there with Have Heart in regards to their unparalleled sincerity.

Fuck. :(

This year has been pretty incredible for gigs. I definitely made the most of my time in London and have been to more shows and festivals than any other year of my life - 91 to be exact (full list HERE)! So, here’s my top five. I was going to do a top ten, but I’ve been to so many amazing ones, it was hard to pick and choose, but these five didn’t require any thought.

1. Four Year Strong – Fighting Cocks, Kingston - 16/02/11.

This band has had such an impact on me. I’ve seen them 16-times, so getting to see Rise or Die Trying in FULL at a 120-capacity venue and going batshit crazy with so many of my friends was just incredible. It was also the last time I saw them with Josh. Sob.

2. Promise of Redemption – Purple Turtle, London - 24/09/11.

I don’t think there’s been an album that’s affected me more than When The Flowers Bloom. It was made even more special, because myself, Chris and Leigh really helped make it happen. When we heard Valencia were coming over with The Wonder Years, we emailed Shane asking if he was up for it and he was! I never thought the day would come where POR would do a show over here, but it did. Not even ashamed to admit that I cried during a couple of songs. Everything just flooded back. 

3. The Ghost of a Thousand – The Underworld, London - 23/07/11.

This was The Ghost of a Thousand’s last headline show, one of my favourite UK bands. Absolutely insane. I saw their final performance at Hevy Fest and while shit was lost, it certainly didn’t come close to the intimacy and intensity of The Underworld two weeks prior.

4. Terror – The Underworld, London - 07/07/11.

There’s no doubt that Terror are one of the best live bands around and pretty much my favourite active hardcore band. I’ve seen them a bunch of times and their sets are always awesomely predictable, but this one stood out for one reason: 15 stage dives. I had a bet with my friend Sam that I could do 11 stage dives during their set, I was dead after the second one, but I powered through with UNRELENTING WILL and achieved a personal best! They didn’t even finish their set, they did about 16 songs then during Keepers of The Faith a fight broke out and immediately stopped playing - only at a Terror show!

5. Great Cynics – The Atlantic, FEST - Gainesville, Florida - 29/10/11.

Getting to see Giles with a load of my favourite people, at my first Fest, was just wonderful. So many friends, sing-a-longs and human pyramids. It was pretty much a Kingston show just 4000-miles away from home. I hadn’t smiled and laughed so much during a set in a long time, if ever! Maybe I would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn’t broke a rib the day before, ha.

And another!

Promise Of Redemption / Valencia - The Space Between @ Purple Turtle, Camden, London.

This video makes me so happy. Just want to repeat that whole night forever.

Promise of Redemption - How Fast @ Purple Turtle, Camden, London.

“How fast can you have your bags packed?”

So, so perfect.

I can’t believe this actually happened. I finally saw Promise of Redemption. Absolutely incredible. I managed four songs before weeping - When The Flowers Bloom set me off! There really aren’t any words and just to know that myself, Leigh and Chris had a part in making it happen… :)

Best show. Best people. Best send-off!