There are some bands whose music becomes more than just something you listen to. For many fans, As It Is are one of those bands. Over the years, the Brighton pop-punk outfit have built a dedicated following around songs that capture heartbreak, growing up, mental health struggles, friendships and the complicated emotions that come with being young. On Tuesday the 8th September, that connection was crystal clear as they brought their So A-Live! Tour to the Adrian Flux Waterfront Studio in Norwich.
The current As It Is line-up of Patty Walters on vocals, Ben Biss on guitar, Alistair Testo on bass and Patrick Foley on drums. They delivered a set that felt both huge and incredibly personal, despite the relatively intimate surroundings of the Waterfront Studio.
Opening with “I’m So Alive!”, the room immediately erupted. There was barely a moment for the crowd to catch their breath before the band launched into “Live, Laugh, Love, Los Angeles”, followed by “Sorry”, “Okay” and “Cheap Shots & Setbacks”. The combination of older favourites and newer material made the set feel like a celebration of the band’s journey so far.
One of the most exciting parts of the tour has been the wildcard sections, giving each night’s audience the chance to hear songs that aren’t necessarily part of the regular set. Norwich was treated to three particularly special choices, “Horoscopes”, “Balloons” and “The Haunting”, which had the crowd in uproar and singing along to every word.
The reaction to these songs showed just how invested As It Is fans are. These weren’t simply people standing around waiting for the biggest hits, they knew the words, recognised the deeper cuts and reacted with visible emotions to every unexpected choice. The wildcard songs gave the night an added sense of unpredictability, making the Norwich show feel like a large community coming together. At one point, fans hugged each other and sang their emotions into the air as the band played. It was a touching moment to experience.
The main set continued with “The Two Tongues (Screaming Salvation)”, “The Wounded World”, “Hey Rachel”, “Marilyn”, “Last at the Party” and “Turn to Dust”. The atmosphere continued to buzz throughout these songs.
“If I Ever Lost You” and “Lose Your Way & Find Yourself” brought another emotional side to the evening, with the latter even featuring a brief snippet of Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me”. From there, the energy ramped back up with “Ruin My Life” and “Do You Remember?”, before leading into “Concrete”. The band joking with the crowd that they should do a ‘adult peek-a-boo’ encore moment for the last two songs, then walked off stage and through the back doors.
By the time the band came back on the stage, the crowd were still amped and weren’t ready for the night to end. The encore delivered two fan favourites: “The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)” and “Dial Tones”, bringing the 21-song set to a huge finish.
What made the Norwich show particularly memorable wasn’t simply the number of songs or the impressive mixture of hits and deep cuts. It was the feeling of community throughout the room. Fans knew the songs, celebrated the surprises and sang alongside one another as though everyone had been brought together by the same soundtrack.
As It Is have always understood the power of making people feel less alone through music, and at the Waterfront Studio, that connection was impossible to miss. From the opening notes to the final moments, Norwich was loud, emotional and completely alive.
For a band whose music has soundtracked so many different stages of people’s lives, the So A-Live! Tour proved to be a fitting celebration and Norwich certainly gave them the welcome they deserved.
For more information, find As It Is on their social links below
Words and photography by Haylea Allison
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