A new feature for the page and there was only ever going to be one place to start with gig reviews and that would be the Arcade State boys final show of 2023. A sold out show sending their current era out with a bang while being able to showcase what’s they have up those sleeve for 2024 this was a night to remember with everyone being catered for some old favourites played for their final time some new album tracks making their live debut and two phenomenal covers including a Wham classic and a pop punk anthem.

Opening the set with the lead single and title track from their debut album Life Is Not Linear was the perfect choice for an opening song on the night a statement was made. Next up was the mandatory Christmas cover and I was so glad that they picked Last Christmas in my opinion one of the better Christmas songs and it brought me so much joy that the band put their own unique spin on the track rather than just covering the song as it is known.

Even In The Dark Days You Draw A Smile was a very welcomed surprise one of my favourites by the band hopefully that isn’t the last time we ever hear it they followed that up with another track from their new album Lacuna which some of you may or may not have heard before under a different title at previous gigs throughout the year definitely a highlight for me from the upcoming record.

Arcade State covering an emo classic was always going to be on the cards at some point and we know these boys don’t do things in halves so it comes as no that they tackled Decode by arguably one of the biggest and best pop punk bands of all time Paramore and boy they did that song justice a very fun and unexpected surprise.

The Lost Boy, The Barrens and The Dark sees the band highlight tracks from the A Slave To The Waves EP reassessed earlier in the year while also giving us another unreleased track at this point during the set we are just being spoiled with tracks from the bands upcoming album Life Is Not Linear the gig provides bands with a glimpse of the direction that band have been teasing a move to for a while now while celebrating old favourites one last time. Speaking of one last time we got the final performance of fan favourite Hard To Grow which will be missed and I know a lot of people will be sad to see it go but being their to witness the last performance of the track was a very special moment with vocalist Ciaran performing a special acoustic performance for the first half before his brother Jordan joined him on stage and the brothers had a moment whilst also having the audience in the palm of their hands as chants of “Uh Oh Oh Oh Oh” rung out.

The final song on the printed Setlist was their latest release Paper Heart the song that brings the stinkiest of faces out with that phenomenal yet filthy breakdown that was extended and sounds even better live in the nicest sense it is tremendously foul an experience I can’t wait to do all over again. We did get a surprise bonus song to end the set another track from their new album Thunderstatement a very fitting track to some up what we witnessed during their set with each time these boys play together they grow as performers the sound gets tighter the little added bonus outro’s and crowd interaction moments are different each time these boys thrive in the live environment and you would be silly not to catch them in a town near you next year.

Speaking of that the boys will be taking their debut album on tour next year I will leave a link below for the tickets just incase your silly and haven’t actually got any yet

Ending an era on such a high the sky is the limit for Arcade State in 2024 they are sounding better and bigger than ever with their debut record just around the corner and a UK tour to promote it I expect 2024 is going to be a very exciting year for the fans and for the band.