The Blackout

“We are the dynamite! We are the dynamite!” a chant not unfamiliar to fans of The Blackout across the world. The Welsh six piece post-hardcore outfit since inception in 2003 have worked fervently and in turn have put Merthyr Tydfil on the map. The seamless fusion of Sean Smith on unclean vocals and Gavin Butler on clean vocals have been become a distinct characteristic of The Blackout. Their debut album 'We Are The Dynamite' showcased their interpretation of the post-hardcore featuring classics such as “Spread Legs Not Lies” and “It’s High Tide Baby!” whilst displaying their tongue-in-cheek humour. Touring with other Welsh bands such as Funeral for a Friend and The Automatic provided a great platform to catapult them further into the spotlight. Their second album 'The Best in Town' released in 2009 and recorded with Jason Perry, secured their position as contenders for one of the best British rock bands. Co-headlining the Kerrang! Tour 2010 with All Time Low saw them take the stage by storm. 'Hope,' the name of the third album and also an underlying theme throughout is apparent with tracks such as “Ambition is Critical” and the title track “Hope (Scream it Out Loud)." The album was funded by Pledge Music whereby fans donated money towards its production. In contrast their latest album 'Start the Party' as the name suggests thematically departs from their last release.
Not only are they brilliant on record, you should see them live! Between the onstage banter between the members and their fans and then the insane live energy that they possess whilst singing microphones and jumping into the crowd, it doesn’t detract from their incredible musicianship. They definitely do know how to start the party!