Flapper & Firkin, Birmingham (16th August 2007)

I remember over 3 years ago watching 35 Seconds at the Flapper & Firkin. The room was barely full, only the die hards had made it out. The band ripped through an amazing set which included old time favourites like 'A Better Cross' & 'No Batteries' leaving us again thirsty for more. In 2007 the band have never sounded so good. Gone is the old set, slowly phased out through a series of creative and fruitful writing sessions. Tonight the band have a full house. Frankly the Flapper hasn't been this packed in my memory for well years! The band rip straight into 'Youth Club' which makes use of some jolting rhythms and almost mandolin style manic thrashing. The band are in high spirits, lifted higher by the turn out. Each gig at this stage is pivotal to their transition as band.
New bass man Kev is a joy to watch. He's the first bass-man to fit the mould yet break it. Dressed in a tight fitting vest showing some bone cracking biceps he struts and bounces like a toddler on red bull. He's into it and it shows.

Songs like 'Walk The Plank' show singer Andrew Hickman in great form. Each "BRRRRRRR" bringing a smile to the crowd. The tight musicianship really comes to the fore here. Danny & Andy bEAR's contrasting guitar creating a real groove. It's been a while since I've seen people actually dancing at a gig unless they are trying to get noticed by the press but tonight people are going for it. I can see the singer of another prominent Birmingham band literally melting the floor with his moves.
The band throw in two new tracks tonight which whilst not knowing anything about them, or being able to make the lyrics out I could feel deep down how they work in their set. There's definitely more grind to their song these days. Darker, sexier, dancier.

'Filth' tonight was a clear stand out, the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. The song uses some clever backing effects which the band play along to which isn't always easy. The drums literally pounding out the beat of the dance floor. Kev again shining with some exemplary bass work which was meatier than the studio recording and sounded fantastic. The room literally exploded to the beat of 'Grudge Match' which nicely wrapped up their set. With it's almost Industrial approach, the whirl of effects, jolting rhythms and pitch shifted guitars; it had people stomping the floor. The chorus again immense. 35 Seconds each time are on the cusp of bigger things. I'm sure I was saying this three years ago but someone had better put their money where their mouth is. This is the best band in Birmingham.

Pete Stanley, The Plastic Ashtray

Tin Pan Alley Festival, London, 15-7-07

Gigwise favourites and Indie Idol winners at this year's Camden Crawl, 35 Seconds, have the unenviable task of taking to the stage next. It's been a whirlwind of a year so far for the boys from Birmingham and their exhilarating and fresh slant on contemporary rock stands them in good stead much to the delight of an ever growing booze fuelled crowd. The sharp and at times intimidating sounds that are brought to the likes of 'Dinosaurs', 'Filth' and 'Walk The Plank' shine through the ominous clouds and echo through London's streets despite a few technical hiccups and the loss of their well crafted techno beats and bleeps. It's a job well done and TPA is back on.

Mob Monday, Birmingham, The Fly 2007

35 Seconds are a fierce five headed cyborg sent from the future to exterminate all post/sub Oasis/Libertines cack and prevent any further pollution of the planet's imagination. This is forward. The future is now. The new Radiohead? Pah! It is only a matter of time before people will be citing bands as 'The New 35 Seconds'.

35 hours ago the five unlikely looking Birmingham lads assembled on the Underworld stage tonight weren't even sure whether they were going to be in London, let alone appearing on The Camden Crawl itself. With their concoction of frayed beats, sonorous vocals, electronic tinges, angular guitars and fucking awesome basslines, 35 Seconds have sailed through every round of Gigwise's Indie Idle competition to earn their rightful, coveted place on stage tonight. True, the judging panel showered them with superlatives on both yesterday's demo playback and three song mini session earlier this afternoon, but playing in front of the boozed up Camden Crawl crowd is a different kettle of fish. Luckily they don't disappoint.

Having hardly ventured further than their Midlands homeland, understandably there's a palpable sense of anxiety etched on the band's faces climbing onto stage. But as soon as they launch into their trademark driving bass hooks and boyish-looking frontman Andrew Hickman contortedly belts out his uplifting words, everyone is emphatically won over. Sounding very much a band of the now, but importantly not in the least generic, you're never quite sure where they're going to take you. 'Filth', as the name implies, is all taught beats and Mew-esque vocals before during the mesmerising breaks the band shift tone and reach euphoric levels, before bowing out with orchestral chimes - the concentration and belief is clear from all of the band, especially hoodied guitar wizard/songwriter Andy McBurney who very much looks like that bloke from Ultrasound's long-lost cousin. 

As well as taking us down darker avenues tonight a la the fraught and rapid 'Walk The Plank', there are also moments of sheer simplistic pop on display tonight. 'Youth Club' serves as a respite to the trickery and genius displayed elsewhere during the set, while the impossibly catchy 'Dinosaurs' is delivered with the kind of aplomb you'd expect from a much more seasoned outfit. It's little wonder that the famously static London revellers are inspired to form a mini-moshpit at the front. But undoubtedly, the highlight of the set comes from the brilliant 'Grudge Match', which embodies everything which is great about this band - ever shifting, intriguing and catchy-as-fuck, it's a dazzling moment.

Scott Colothan, Gigwise

First up, for the support acts were 35 Seconds. I was surprised by this band.

You can't really define a definite sound that you could label this band with, but what ever it is they are producing its different.

Each track is individual think of The Killers, Bloc Party and electronic beats all mixed in!

It wasn't just the sound that impressed me about these guys, but the energy added with a touch of cheekiness which they brought on stage with them.

By the end of their set I felt excited and even more so when realised that these guys are from Birmingham.

The current CD titled Dinosaurs has an impressive 7 tracks on it.

Birmingham Barfly, 22-2-07

35 Seconds Live - Dublin Castle, Camden, London 5th Feb 2007

When you play London, you want to make your mark. This is hard, A, when you are playing to people you don't know & B, when your bass player has had to drop out at the eleventh hour through illness. 35 Seconds have played many gigs & with the help of Greg from Sunset Cinema Club, tonight they played another successful night. Whether it be the euphoria of songs like 'Grown Ups' with it's building melodies & soaring vocals or the child like wonder of 'Walk The Plank', the band exude cool through their excellent musicianship. Guitarist Andy must have been warm on stage, with his hat & hoody dancing each guitar line from his piercing Telecaster. Obviously deciding to steer clear of too many new songs not to confuse Greg, who made a stellar performance at the drop of a hat. We got a grinding version of 'Filth' which with it's retro synth breaks made for great listening.

Everything about 35 Seconds these days says this band are NOW. Catch them. Their live sound is both brash & melodic, mixing between the two in a series of effortless maneuvers. To cap off the night the band brought out 'Grudge Match' which seemed to up the heat on the following acts. The loud distorted guitars, grinding rhythms & passionate vocals literally blew everyones ear drums out. 35 Seconds were the best band on the night. I didn't know the others, that could go against them but to be honest, none of the others had that edge which could propell them into the limelight. This band have talent beyond their years & 2007 is their year. With new material & a growing fanbase they are certainly worthy of 'the best band in birmingham' tag which has been thrown about over the last few years.

Pete Stanley, The Plastic Ashtray

35 Seconds - Jug of Ale 25/10/06

Don't call it a come back!
After four months of searching for the right bassist and singer Andy Hickman searching his soul in Australia (well, he went there with the missus) bionic boffin rockers 35?Seconds return to The Jug of Ale with refined intent.
To say that this band have compromised their sound would be nothing short of blasphemy but they seem to have evolved into a digestible outfit. We still have all the judders, jitters that have set out 35 Seconds as the kings of unconventional rhythm, but we also have now a new format evolving that is easier on your equilibrium but still as fresh as anything previously belted out.
Okay, so seasoned Seconds fans who were here tonight will tell you that they weren't totally on the money, but after such a lengthy absence, we can forgive them. Tonight was carried by the strength of the material -new and old.
It's good to have you back boys.

Andy RobertsMedia Assassin 

Hi everyone,

It's been a mad few days for us so we thought we'd update you on what's been happening. On Friday we won the "Indie Idle" competition at the Camden Crawl at Bar Vinyl. This was judged by XFM, NME, Timeout magazine, Universal, EMI, B-Unique and Vertigo records. For a review of the event and a particularly unflattering photo of Andy go HERE!

Winning this meant we got to play before a big and very enthusiastic crowd at the Camden Underworld that night sharing the stage with The Foals, The Brakes and Scroobius Pip. The following day NME.com called us "the future of rock"! So a massive thanks to everyone that voted for us and cheered us on at both shows.

Thanks

35 Seconds

Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy! It's wet your pants time. The melting of the polar ice cap is nothing to do with carbon dioxide emissions, no way; it's all to do with the amount of heat radiating from the new demo by the mighty 35 Seconds.
Opener, "Walk The Plank" is evidence of the first band in history able to play while being bound with straight jackets. It's simply not possible that people capable of making such schizophrenic music are not under constant surveillance in a padded cell.
Second track, "Grudge Match" is the bitterest, most violent tale of a twisted relationship ever committed to CD. A Rottweiler attack of anger while front man Andrew Hickman seethes; "A dog is for life not just for christmas, you need putting down." Awesome.
Fractured beats, rigid hard ass rhythms and a surreal futuristic exploration of sound, 35 Seconds are the most innovative tour de force this country, let alone this city, has spawned for light years.
If Radiohead's Kid A had had its teeth sledge hammered in by Nine Inch Nails while Aphex Twin detonated a nail bomb in Nathan Barley's flat then it would sound like a less intense 35 Seconds moment.
Chemically imbalanced and psychologically deranged, they are One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in a five piece. And this demo is possibly the best thing that has ever landed on Assassin's desk.
(5/5)

'Walk The Plank' was played on Huw Stevens new music show on radio 1 on the 27th September, alongside our pals Sunset Cinema Club.