Better Left Alone
This year has seen Preston-based Better Left Alone begin to get the attention they deserve.
After a great set at Liverpool's Hub Festival in May, the pop-punk quintet have since gone on their first UK tour, recorded a free acoustic E.P. as a "thank you" to their fans, shot their new video and completed a second, mini North West tour, culminating in a triumphant hometown show at Preston's 53 Degrees.
It was the band's biggest hometown show to date, and with some label representatives watching they had to make sure they impressed.
Better Left Alone put on a typically brilliant live set, despite the room being less than half full (which isn't surprising considering the likes of Fightstar and Kids In Glass Houses have played here in recent years).
Although small in numbers, the atmosphere from the crowd was electric, from the opening drums of 'Move Forward' right to the set's conclusion, which saw vocalist Eddy Robinson join some fans in the crowd for the end of the final track.
Perfoming three tracks from their recent E.P., two brand new songs and an old, yet-to-be-recorded track, the band's set was well-paced and energetic, BLA playing like their lives depended on it.
Credit must go to whoever was working the sound desk, because it was mixed beautifully, with nothing getting lost or pushed into the background.
'We Will Never Know', the band's first single, went down a treat as the fans faithfully shouted back the title in all the right places.
For an unsigned band, the amount of energy both on and off stage was surprising and admirable.
It may be a bit early to say (although the band have been together since 2006), but Better Left Alone already perform like an establish, signed act, and have the tunes to back it up.
From this performance, it's clear that they could well be the next big thing in UK pop-punk, and should be a fixture on some more summer festivals next year.
Keep an eye out, because 2012 really will be Better Left Alone's year.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge