It Often Takes A War – Half Term Report

Attendance

Despite a cumbersome six man line-up the War boys have appeared at seven of their eight scheduled shows this term with only personal injury preventing a clean sweep of gigness. They have been joined by excellent DIY students Silent Front, Frau Pouch, Death Pedals, Data Errors, Calva, Commungos, Ragweed, Cherry But No Cake, Houdini, Bogong In Action, Common Deflection Problems, From Great Height, Plague Sermon, Lamp!, and Fat Bicth and proven to be a fine example to others, even with their penchant for being the class jokers.

Excellent

Good

Needs Work

Poor

Appearance and Presentation

IOTAW often display a healthy disregard for fashion and convention preferring to present themselves in a flurry of noise, chaos and questionable dancing. Whilst their post-hardcore tag could peg them for fringe wearing, earnest young men they have shown an inability to play by the rules which has marked them as “weirdos” to many of their peers. Smiles and inter-band heckling seem to contravene what we have come to expect from other students at this level and we do hope this flagrant ignorance of the norm will not harm their future development.

Excellent

Good

Needs Work

Poor

Communication

Embracing social media and embarking on a journey into websites and blogging has really begun to enhance the Warsters ability to communicate with other likeminded individuals this term. Despite the fact that their lyrical output remains pretty incomprehensible as it descends into various grunts and screams, on paper (on and offline), their personality and ethics have really begun to shine through. They consistently bang on about their DIY beliefs whenever prompted and thankfully have plenty to backup their rhetoric.

Excellent

Good

Needs Work

Poor

Conduct

The boys from IOTAW have firmly established themselves as excellent classmates on any given night. Prompt with their performances (never passing the 30 minute mark), low on demands (soundchecks appear to be a inconsequential despite audience’s belief that they probably should have them, monies and riders are never requested) and always eager to support fellow students with whoops, claps and general good natured banter (other children take note…sulking in the corner until its your turn in the spotlight will result in a loss in grade). What they lack in talent they make up for in sheer exuberance and, dare we say, volume.

Excellent

Good

Needs Work

Poor

Overall

These past six months nurturing the It Often Takes A War boys have been a real pleasure. They must now take the logical next steps and branch out from their safe haven of London’s underground and take their particular brand of “music” to more exotic climes (Scarborough maybe?). However, our only reservation is a lack of productivity in the past 6 months and we hope the summer break will see the boys concocting a few more slices of brutalness before the new term starts….if we have to hear those same six blasts of aggro again we may have to downgrade them to a C. 

B+