New York outfit State Champs prove just how much fun a pop-punk show can be
Ain’t no party like a State Champs party that is one hill we are happy to die on. Fresh off releasing their incredible new record Kings Of The New Age, the NY-based band took over London’s Electric Ballroom for an electrifying performance with support from Cleveland punks Heart Attack Man and Melbourne punk band Between You & Me.
Playing tracks across their four studio albums, the crowd ate up every last drop of riffs and hooks the band had to offer. Kicking off with Here To Stay and Eventually off their new record, followed by Living Proof’s banger Frozen.
Having not played in the UK in quite a few months (or shall we say, years, due to you know what and who) they were welcomed with open arms and happy faces all around. With a stage energy that has only levelled up since the last time, State Champs proof why they deserve to play bigger venues. The connection to the crowd whether it’s during new tracks like Act Like That or fan favorites like Mine Is Gold is stronger than ever.
When ironically the sound went after Just Sound and just as the band launched into Losing Myself, Derek jokingly asked who tripped on a wire, entertaining the crowd for the few minutes it took to fix the issue.
And throughout the 19-track set, Derek DiScanio’s voice impresses alongside the infectious energy coming from the stage, making the symbiosis between the band and the crowd essentially the perfect storm for an epic show. One that, having seen State Champs a few times before we can say, is hard to match. Whether it was the excitement of the album release that week, the thrill of their return to the capital or the simple and pure goodness of State Champs remains to be argued but who cares when it’s giving everyone goosebumps.
Finishing their set with Dead And Gone before launching into a two track encore with Elevated and Secrets is like a rollercoaster ride you never want to end. So to no one’s surprise, when the lights come on, there are smiles all around, courtesy of State Champs.
High Fives & Stage Dives 