UK pop-punk outfit As It Is returned to The Academy 2 on Abbey Street for a high-energy Wednesday night performance.
From the second doors opened, the room felt tight, warm, and packed with longtime fans all ready to scream along. The Academy 2’s intimate, low-ceiling setup was the perfect venue for the band’s signature blend of mid-2010s nostalgia and dark emo angst.
Support on the night was from Ireland’s own Greywind, an emo act from Killarney who proved that Irelands homegrown talent can easily hold their own with some of the heavyweights of the genre. Steph O’Sullivan is a force to be reckoned with on stage, never letting up throughout their high energy set and making sure everyone in the crowd (even the bar staff) got involved and enjoyed the show. The guys in the band were also extremely high energy and gave a fantastic performance, feeding off both Steph and the crowd. I haven’t seen these guys live before, but I’ll be looking forward to their next gig, hopefully a headline.
When As It Is stormed the stage, the energy went to a whole new level. Patty Walters was a live wire throughout the set, bounding across the stage, engaging heavily with the front row, and keeping the crowd-surfers moving. (He was even joined by O’Sullivan during their first song, which resulted in enough energy to power the whole venue).
The performance leaned heavily into their career high points—balancing the anthemic pop-punk hooks of Never Happy, Ever After alongside the heavier, atmospheric riffs of The Great Depression. They played a jam packed set of 21 songs that felt like it was over way too soon.
This was their fourth time playing in Ireland, and clearly they love coming back as the fans were singing and screaming almost as loud as the band.
It was a sweat-soaked, passionate mid-week show that proved As It Is still knows how to command a room. Great mix, relentless crowd participation, and tight vocal harmonies made it well worth what I imagine would be a lot of sore throats the next morning.
Greywind photos:
As It Is photos & set-list:
Set-list:
I’m So Alive!
Live, Laugh, Love, Los Angeles
Sorry
Okay
Cheap Shots & Setbacks
Until I Return
The Two Tongues (Screaming Salvation)
Play Video
The Wounded World
Hey Rachel
Marilyn
Last at the Party
Turn to Dust
You, the Room & the Devil on Your Shoulder
If I Ever Lost You
Lose Your Way & Find Yourself
Ruin My Life
Do You Remember?
Winter’s Weather
Concrete
The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)
Dial Tones
Photos & Words – David McEneaney @experimentzero