NEWS: Titus Andronicus @ Pop Recs Ltd.

Image by Nicole Rifkin

‘Unforgettable’ is one of those terms we reviewers tend to overuse. How many nights we casually tossed the term at have actually lived long in the memory? And can a show only be deemed such with the benefit of hindsight?

In any case, one which has stood the test of time is Titus Andronicus’ only previous visit to our region – a remarkable, raucous appearance at Newcastle’s Cluny 2, which even now inspires knowing looks and hushed, revenant tones among those lucky enough to have attended.
More than 12 years have passed since that show, and for many the album they were touring, The Monitor, remains their finest hour.

Nevertheless, the New Jersey troupe remain a formidable proposition. A worthy addition to their canon, last year’s The Will To Live harbours all the frenetic drive, lofty designs and bare-all lyricism which have rendered Patrick Stickles and company such an enduring cult favourite in the indie and punk worlds – and crucially, their reputation as an explosive live act remains undimmed.

This month’s return, then, feels long overdue, with the band paying their maiden visit to Sunderland’s Pop Recs Ltd. on Saturday 11^th February. Expect fresh additions like (I’m) Screwed to raise the roof, alongside a wealth of old favourites which snared your heart in the first place. To reel out another writer’s cliché, this one promises to be ‘unmissable!’

Titus Andronicus play Pop Recs Ltd., Sunderland on Saturday 11^th February.