Hundred Reasons & Hell is for Heroes Review

Manchester Academy //Saturday 26 February 2023

“The Old School Way” – a MoshMag review by Stanley D Kippax

“What was your intention in attending Saturday nights gig at the Academy Stanley?” I hear you cry, well dear reader it was for a…(you’ll like this one)…Hundred Reasons. That’s right, Saturday night saw the long awaited return of Hundred Reasons to the Manchester Academy and boy was it worth the wait.

Now letting you into a little trade secret here, we don’t always make it earlier enough to see every show’s support act. It’s time consuming running the world greatest online music magazine, focussed on the North West region generally but more often than not just Manchester, bar none . As such, it takes a special kind of event to drag this old hermit out early doors but Saturday was one such example, Hell is for Heroes were the support act.

As you can see from the photo gallery those gents from London proved a very shrewd choice, Justin Schlosberg (vocals) looking resplendent in a grey suit, ever the charismatic front man. The excitable Saturday night crowd entering hardly needed much encouragement, many of whom I assume had been spent the day watching West Didsbury and Chorlton, but both figuratively and literally embraced him. Emerging from the crowd mid-set Schlosberg declared Manchester their spiritual home, seems the feeling was reciprocated.

And so to the main event, with excitement palpable, Hundred Reasons stormed the stage opening with Glorious Sunset a song title perfect for an early evening festival slot if there’s any bookers reading this. “Are you ready for your Saturday night Manchester?” a superfluous question for the one chap front and centre; a man pogoing so incredibly high I actually included him in my notes. I swear to God, he should be preparing himself for Paris 2024 or something, assuming he could pass the various drug tests.

A metal horns and arms aloft sing-along, song after song. “It’s been a long time coming” Colin Doran (vocals) almost apologised to his adoring crowd. In the week building up to the gig I was chatting to a friend of mine about the band “Oh yeah, I went to their “last ever” farewell tour”. So if there’s one benefit to the aging process it’s knowing that you’re favourite bands will often start touring again.

Hundred Reasons have been touring since the late 90s, building and retaining many of their fans from their early period. But in amongst the very busy Academy crowd were one or two younger faces. Hopefully this is the start of a new chapter and the break wont be as long next time, all those who attended on Saturday night will have ther fingers crossed.

Check out our galleries of both bands at the bottom of this page.

There still time to catch the end of the tour;

02.03 BRISTOL O2 ACADEMY

03.03 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY

04.03 LONDON O2 BRIXTON ACADEMY

Tickets available from Tour — HUNDRED REASONS.

Set list;