As It Is ‘s latest tour ‘Ben Today, Gone Tomorrow’ was for them to send off founding member and guitarist Ben Langford-Biss on a high note, after his decision to step down from the band. This final farewell tour was an opportunity for the band to play together one last time and allow the fans to take their turn in saying goodbye.
The tour consisted of 11 intimate shows that took place throughout November, across Europe and the UK. We caught the Brighton pop-punks at Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, on 10th November, where they were supported by Survive Said The Prophet on the UK dates.
Taking this opportunity, I’d like to point out how pleasantly surprised I was with watching Survive Said The Prophet ‘s opening. Coming all the way from Tokyo, Japan, the guys really managed to set the mood for the night. Their tunes were so catchy, I found myself singing along to songs that I’ve heard there and then for the first time. They were very exciting to watch, full of energy, which clearly transmitted to the audience. Being the opening band can sometimes be hard to engage with the audience, but these guys really managed to bring themselves forward, so kudos to them. I would highly recommend you catching them next time they come back for shows (I surely will).
Survive Said The Prophet
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As It Is played a mixture of older and newer songs, a set-list exclusively chosen by Ben. The set was much less structured in terms of performance and song choices – It was, however, great to see them be themselves without having to worry about the show structure, as it all added up to what felt like a bunch of friends rocking out together and having fun. The guys even exchanged roles, with Patty taking the guitarist’s position and Ben that of the band’s front man for a couple of songs, showing us a different, rawer side of As It Is.
There definitely were many emotional moments, both in terms of music and between the band themselves. The guys spoke out about Ben’s decision and expressed their love and support, with Patty taking the lead, and later with Ben sharing his appreciation towards his experience, the band and the fans.
As It Is
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The support and respect for each other filled up the room, with the audience playing an important role – it was very refreshing to see the audience and fan-base being so supportive and respectful. It’s always hard seeing members leaving the band, especially one of the founding members, who were there since the beginning. I’m sure the As It Is fans will need some time to adjust to this change, but everyone is very supportive, which is what is important.
It is the end of an era, and an emotional one, for sure. We want to wish Ben all the best in this new chapter of his life and career, and we’re excited to see what the future brings for him and the boys in As It Is.
Review + Photos by Andrea Pavlou // View full gallery on www.andreaxpavlou.com
