You Me At Six Invade America

Photo Credit: EMILY PERL

BY EMILY PERL

The doors finally opened at 6 P.M. on November 18, 2011, allowing the restless mob of people to move inside. The crowd made its way down to the pit to be as close to the stage as possible, willing to shove past security and get thrown up against the barricade. The chaotic human wall of band t-shirts from The Make, There For Tomorrow, You Me At Six, We Are The In Crowd and Mayday Parade immediately drew in eager fans. The atmosphere was calm, but everything changed around 8 P.M. when You Me At Six took the stage. The crowd went wild when the British band performed, making it one of the most memorable performances of the evening.

With every jump and every sound, it was clear that the guys of You Me At Six have true passion for what they do. Feeding off the audience’s energetic vibe, they performed to the fullest, even encouraging crowd surfing. Their songs ranged from rock to pop-punk, making them a crowd favorite as everyone sang along.

“I’d say that we’re rock band, but we kind of branched to different areas of rock music,” bassist Matt Barnes said.

Forming in 2004, You Me At Six have come a long way in the last seven years. The band is comprised of vocalist Josh Franceschi, guitarists Max Helyer and Chris Miller, bassist Matt Barnes and drummer Dan Flint. They gained popularity in the UK in 2008 with the release of their debut album, Take Off Your Colors. Now, almost four years and two chart topping albums later, the guys of You Me At Six are making their way up to the top of the rock music industry in America.

The last time the band toured America was during Warped Tour 2010, so they were excited to be back promoting their new album, Sinners Never Sleep. The band feels this is their most honest record.

“The songs we wrote for this album came out a lot heavier than the previous ones,” Barnes said.

Though songs are deeper, the past two albums have a more pop-punk feel to them. Influenced by bands such as Fall Out Boy and Blink 182, all of You Me At Six’s albums have been nothing short of incredible. Each song is upbeat and full of energy, yet are filled with meaning that will keep you listening all through the album.

On their new album, the band kept an open mind when deciding on music styles. Songs like “Little Death” and “Loverboy” have a rock edge compared to the toned down melody of “Crash.” The songs are diverse; some have a Foo Fighters feel while others are full of throaty vocals.

Both Helyer and Barns agreed that their favorite song off the new record was “Bite My Tongue,” one of the heavier tracks on the album about the relationship between the band members. While singing it on stage, the band played their hearts and really connected with the crowd.

“If you want to come and see an English band who’s not cliché, you should definitely come out and see us live,” Helyer said. “We put a lot of energy in our shows and we try and give something different compared to other bands.”

Aside from being amazing musicians, the guys of You Me At Six are incredibly friendly and down to earth. After their set, Franceschi and Flint came out and hung around to meet with fans and sign shirts sporting large, genuine smiles. One girl in particular showed off her new tattoo one some of their lyrics.

“If someone enjoys or is really touched by our music, then it makes it all worth while” Franceschi said.

Although the tour has come to an end, the group was grateful to have been able to be a part of it.

“We’ve met some amazing people on this tour and can’t wait to come back in February to play some songs off the new record.” Helyer said.

Their latest album, Sinners Never Sleep has already been released over in the UK but will be available in America on January 24, 2012. Make sure to pick up a copy and check them out.