| Review: Hit The Deck 2014 - Nottingham [Live] |

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Alternative-rock music has found it's way back to the Midlands for a day of dashing between the wonderful array of venues Nottingham has to offer, yes it can only be Hit The Deck 2014!  Teaming up with Corinne Cumming we went in to see what this year's line up had to offer.

Local Nottingham boys Adelphia open things up here today at the Rock City main hall with mild pop-rock melodies, guitar hooks that draw you in,  including a cover of

'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton which unites the crowd. However despite this,  vocals are not on top notch due to sickness which makes it hard to draw up a fair conclusion of the band's quality. (4/10)

Death Remains are next on the list to see at Stealth, a venue filled with hardcore acts today, strong vocals and tight guitar riffs are the order of the day here and the crowd seem to love the music here with cheers after every song. (7/10)

Verses are the next big band it would appear, with The Forum filling up for the Brighton boys coming off tour with Derby trio LostAlone, the band bring out strong songs and dancing vibes from their forthcoming album 'Feel It Faster' which gets the crowd thoroughly motivated and the audience are keen to sing along. (9/10)

Rat Attack are next on at The Forum and are struggling to get the crowd motivated after ex-vocalist Mike Hodges quit the band last month, and now tour manager Adam Bates is having to step in for guest vocals with the band, classing it as 'Glorified karaoke' which it sadly is, a sad performance from an otherwise great band. (4/10)

Lyger bring out their indie-punk rock to the Rock City basement soon after sounding reminiscent of old-school Queens of the Stone Age,  the band deliver an effective set bringing a great wave of energy throughout the crowd, who stretch all sorts of backgrounds - even men in Slayer tops can't help but move to the music. (7/10)

The Summer Set come onto the stage next at Rock City main hall, but as they do the venue soon disperses as the mellow pop-rock just doesn't seem to satisfy the crowd. Vocalist Brian Dales just doesn't seem to have any control over the audience, despite the fact that they are an established band, the music just isn't hitting the right response today. (5/10)

Neck Deep are the essential embodiment of every pop-punk vocalist here today with Ben Barlow on vocals jumping round on stage, bringing positive feelings to the Nottingham Rescue Rooms, a strong performance with the venue being filled to full capacity can only represent the success that is seemingly following this band around. (8/10)

The Maine bring out the Arizona rock music here at The Forum again, despite the fact the venue isn't entirely filled, the band take it in their stride and still aim to bring a great show filled with songs from across their career. However vocalist John O'Callaghan doesn't seem completely involved with the set, spending most of the set looking down at the ground. (6/10)

Baby Godzilla are bringing the power to Nottingham tonight, as Stealth quickly fills up in anticipation of the band's set. Not long into their set, we see amps, microphone stands, guitars and band members thrown into the crowd, with hardcore punk/thrash being the order of the day. In fact it would be a fair assumption to say that the band and their equipment sees more time in the crowd then it would do on the stage. As the band end, guitarists/vocalists Matt Reynolds and Johnny Hall  finish by tearing the strings off their guitars and throwing them into drummer Tom Marsh's drum kit. This band is the definition of young-adult angst metal. (8/10)

The Word Alive bring even more metalcore here today at Rescue Rooms, blasting out songs with guitar riffs that bend your mind, and aggression that would fit in with the likes of a high-end prison riot. Tyler Smith is interested in one thing and one things only; making this a gig to remember, encouraging the crowd to start mosh pits in every song, packing energy in everywhere that they can, a powerful set. (7/10)

Kids In Glass Houses quickly fill up The Forum here again tonight, with this being one of their last shows before their disbandment later this year, and fans are keen to be a part of this history. Foam fingers with the band's initials are thrown into the crowd, before Aled Phillips gets the crowd off their feet for an enjoyable set. To sum up, Kids In Glass Houses give a set that only they could. (8/10)

The Blackout are the last on here tonight at the Rock City basement, competing with main hall headliners Brand New, however despite this, the basement is filled to the brim for the Welsh-rockers. Opening to crowd pleaser 'I'm a Riot? You're a Fucking Riot' the lads blast out hits from all their albums, as well as vocalist Sean Smith clambering over to the bar and over the crowd to grind up against a pole. The set sees a great amount of energy surge throughout the crowd, with crowd participation being on top form here in Nottingham tonight. Ending on 'Start The Party', the band finish strong and leave to a roar of cheers. (9/10)

Memphis May Fire are the last act for us tonight, and the Texan metal act are ready to end tonight with a bang, opening to 'The Sinner', the crowd is turned into a rowdy group of moshers, before going into their 2012 material from 'Challenger' with 'Alive In The Lights'. As well as older material, the band are keen to show off music from their latest album 'Unconditional' playing opening track 'No Ordinary Love'. Vocalist Matty Mullins proves that he is not just an amateur vocalist with both clean vocals and screams on top performance tonight. The set also included key single 'Miles Away' but there's no Kellin Quinn guest appearance. As well as this the band play 'You're Lucky It's Not 1692' for the older, more loyal Memphis May Fire fans. To close their set the Dallas guys end on 'Challenger' by playing 'Prove Me Right' and 'Legacy' - a top class performance from Memphis May Fire. (9/10)

Overall it was an excellent day that really portrays the great music that the alternative scene has to offer at the minute and can only lead to greater things for the bands here who played at the festival this weekend. Be sure to check out the Hit The Deck page and Talk Of a Troublemaker for interviews with Rat Attack and The Blackout.