Mest - The Croft, Bristol - Wednesday 7th March 2012

Mest are arguably one of the forgotten bands of the pop-punk generation, who have, somewhat curiously, popped up once again on a grey night in Bristol, to play what must be considered as one of the "dive" venues of the city.

They have a new record to promote, and it has been some time since anyone has heard anything from them, particularly since their 2003 heyday with their most successful track, Jaded (These Years) which saw some commercial success and some big support from pals Good Charlotte, around the time they first exploded onto the scene.

Mest faded away though, whereas their running buddies went supernova, and to this day are considered one of the most successful, and one of the best the pop punk scene ever spawned.

Mest however, deserve much more credit than they get though, particularly on tonight's showing. Being only familiar with a couple of their tracks (from pre gig research) meant that I expected a lot of this evening to go over my head, but to the contrary, their set was packed with excellent songs, that got a great response from the rabid, if sparse turn out.

There is barely 50 people in the room tonight, but they make the most of it, singing pretty much every word back at the sole surviving member of the band, Tony Lovato, and making this one of the most successful nights on the tour, according to the front man himself. They seem to have had a rough ride on this trek, but in all fairness, the shows have not be particularly well promoted, and a lot of people would perhaps not even known who they are these days - it has genuinely been that long since they have had any media or press coverage.

I too was shocked, when I first found out they were due to play the Croft, or that they were even still going. The venue is a dive, but perfect for shows like this, where the band and the fans can almost become one. The new material (new track Almost) gets a polite response, but it is the earlier hits that illicit the best reactions, particulary Jaded (These Years), Rooftops and Cadillac, with oftentimes members of the crowd getting up on stage to accompany, the band being good natured about it all, and letting them do so.

Last Kiss is another beast of a tune also, and overall, the band have more hits in their arsenal than I, or probably most, give them credit for.

For their entire set, it is hit after hit of expertly crafted pop punk gold, that clearly showed they never really got the credit or the mainstream adulation their tracks warranted. It would be good to see the likes of Good Charlotte (and other bands from that time still doing the rounds), give them a chance to support them, as they would go down well, and they would certainly enjoy a resurgence in popularity and some much needed exposure.

On the showing of this evening's 60 minute plus set, they still have it, and the songs speak for themselves. Overall this was a top night's entertainment, that deserved a bigger crowd, and a better venue. Whether they can ever transcend venues like this these days (no pun intended) remains to be seen, but after tonight, they certainly deserve a shot.

A truly underrated band, with bags of tunes and a charismatic frontman. The Madden bros need to call now right this minute, and hook up Tony Lovato and co one more time.

Setlist (likely) - Fuct Up Kid / Opinions / Paradise / Long Days Long Nights / Drawing Board / Hotel Room / Jaded (These Years) / Last Kiss / 2000 Miles /Almost / Cadillac /Rooftop