In the little over a decade since Neck Deep formed in the Barlow brothers’ spare room in Wrexham, Wales, a lot has changed. From the scrappy, naively hopeful beginnings that define the starting of so many teenage bands, the pop-punks have gone on to be one of British Rock music’s most successful global exports in recent memory: top 5 records in both the US and UK, global touring, viral hits and over a billion streams just some of the fruits of ten years spent mastering their craft.
But now, as the band stand on the brink of their fifth, self-titled LP, there’s an acknowledgement that the more things change, the more – in some ways at least – they stay the same.
“This album is the sound of us knowing ourselves and knowing our ability,” explains frontman and youngest Barlow sibling Ben. “It’s unapologetically us. We’re professional songwriters now and we’ve really honed in on what we’re good at – but it’s also about having fun and enjoying writing these tracks. And there are those little sonic signatures in the mix that even I can’t really put my finger on that just make it Neck Deep. It happens when we get in a room together and it clicks - it’s us just doing our thing like we always have.”
For this record, the band, completed by Ben’s older brother and bassist Seb, guitarists Matt West and Sam Bowden and drummer Matt Powles, took ‘doing their own thing’ – and only their own thing – to the next level. Eschewing a keen list of collaborators and producers eager to work with one of rock’s hottest properties and choosing, instead, to write and record in their own warehouse space, mere miles from where they grew up. Old school, just like it used to be.
“It was all us,” smiles Barlow. “There have been no compromises and that’s the way we like to do things these days. At this stage in our career it’s what we needed to give ourselves the freedom to make the exact album we wanted to make. It was hard at times, but it also meant we talked a lot internally and got really clear about what we really wanted this album to sound like - what we really do best.”
True enough, this collection encompasses everything the Walians have excelled at across their career, enhanced and dialed to eleven. From the bouncing bombast of Dumbstruck, Dumbf**k and Sort Yourself Out’s ripping intensity, to the poetic introspection of They Don’t Mean To (But They Do) and sun-down-at-a-festival singalong of It Won’t Be Like This Forever, it’s an LP that boasts a song for almost any occasion (including, in recent single Take Me With You, the impending alien invasion).
“I think it’s one of my favourite songs we’ve ever written,” extolls Barlow when asked about It Won’t Be Like This, the track the band have chosen, amongst stiff competition, as the lead single for the album. “It’s a tune that has a wide appeal. That song is a real arm round the shoulder to the listener from us, the songwriters. That’s the thing about our band, we can write these fun songs but when we touch on something emotional it normally works because it tends to be these quite universal emotions that everyone can relate to. I’m really proud of that.”
And perhaps it’s that metaphor of the arm round the shoulder of the audience, more than anything, which sums up where Neck Deep find themselves ten years into their career. “We want to do this forever,” nods Barlow. “And there are fans out there who have given so much to us in the last decade. I’ve always said I hope Neck Deep can help get people through some of their worst times and be the soundtrack to some of their best times. If this music can reach someone a thousand miles away and get them out of a funk they’re in, then that’s what it’s all about for us.”
“We don’t need to be models,” finishes Ben. “We don’t need to be fashion icons, we don’t even need to be political commentators. We just need to be the soundtrack to people’s best and worst times.”
And as they move into this new era, Neck Deep look set to be nothing short of just that for a growing army of fans.
PLAN AHEAD
Location: The Rave/Eagles Club
This is an all ages show
This is a general admission (standing) show
For ADA Seating, call 414-342-7283
Box office open until end of show
Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Credit/Debit cards accepted at all bars
You must be 21 or older with valid ID to drink alcohol.
Smoking is not permitted in the building
Smoking is permitted for those of legal age in the Penthouse Lounge
AVAILABLE AMENITIES
ARTIST LINKS
Neck Deep
Wrexham, UK
The Home Team
Seattle, WA
Super American
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Diet Lite / Modern Joey / The Keystones / Chapped Lips September 7, 2024
Spoon September 8, 2024
Arlo Parks September 17, 2024
Flogging Molly September 25, 2024
Jazmin Bean September 26, 2024
Alkaline Trio September 27, 2024
The Rare Occasions September 28, 2024
Saosin September 29, 2024
Palaye Royale October 1, 2024
Ricky Montgomery October 4, 2024
Chrissy Costanza and VOILĄ October 4, 2024
The Get Up Kids October 8, 2024
Switchfoot October 8, 2024
Marianas Trench October 11, 2024
Judah & The Lion October 12, 2024
PICTURES FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS
NECK DEEP - AUGUST 5, 2022
NECK DEEP - OCTOBER 5, 2018
NECK DEEP - NOVEMBER 7, 2015
BEWARE OF SCALPERS
The Rave/Eagles Club strongly suggests you purchase tickets only from TheRave.com, eTix.com, lyte.com and official band websites. The Rave does not sell tickets on Ticketmaster. If you don't see The Rave logo, the Etix logo, or the band logo, on the purchase site, please ask or check TheRave.com or feel free to ask us, before you purchase!
The Rave/Eagles Club does not advise purchasing tickets from craigslist, ebay, ticket resellers/scalpers (such as StubHub, TicketsNow, seatgeek, tickets-center, eventticketscenter, cheaptickets, ticketliquidator, viagogo, box-officetickets, ticketnetwork, tickpick, and others), street vendors, or other private parties, and cannot guarantee the validity and subsequent admission on such tickets. These tickets are overpriced and sometimes counterfeit/duplicate that will not get you into the show.
No professional cameras. No 35mm cameras. No cameras with removable lenses. No high definition DSLR cameras allowed without photo pass, and then only in the pit during allotted time set forth by the band. No video recording equipment, or audio recording equipment allowed. If your cellphone camera has a flash, please turn the flash off. This policy is subject to change depending on the band's day-of-show decisions.
All shows are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling for the show, we suggest that you call ahead. You can also follow The Rave on Twitter and Facebook. We send out updates with everything from set times, cancellations, to new shows. No returns or exchanges unless the headline act cancels or postpones. See our return policy for full details. Published show time is the time the event starts and does not reflect what time the headliner will go on stage. Doors usually open one hour before showtime.