Times gone by are often fondly remember with the rose tinted glasses placed tightly over our eyes. When a tour containing Hoobastank, P.O.D. and Alien Ant Farm came to fruition those spectacles were firmly thrust upon fans faces and overplayed albums were dug out. Really though, how often does revisiting the past end well?

 

On arrival at the Wulfrun hall in Wolverhampton it was evident that the rock and metal community was out in force for this occasion. 40 years of band shirts were on show and there was a sense of excitement in the air. Although the whispers of “I’m only here for _____” and “I only actually know 3 songs by any of these guys” were audible.

Alien Ant Farm took to the stage first. The band I was most excited about and a band I never actually thought I’d get the chance to see live. Their recent album, Always And Forever, fits in very well with their back catalogue and I was hoping that they’d be able to live up to nearly 15 years of expectations.

 

What followed was an hour of awkward banter from a bunch of middle aged blokes that have put on a bit of weight and who still think they've still got it. Luckily, they do. Movies and Courage sounded fantastic and the crowd's participation throughout these songs lifted the set further. New tracks Yellow Pages and Simpatico (the scene of some of the awkward banter) were both well played and well received. The Wolverhampton crowd sang along more than even the band expected. Highlights of the set were Movies and new track Let Em Know. Both knocked out to perfection.