After the release of 2013’s Sempiternal, Bring Me The Horizon solidified themselves as one of the world’s biggest young rock bands. However, if it’s at all possible, they’ve managed to take yet another step up into rock’s stratosphere with this year’s far more commercial offering, That’s The Spirit, which is a far cry from the BMTH fans fondly remember from the late 2000’s.
On this tour, they’ve chosen to take along two bands who have only recently started treading their paths (in comparison to BMTH), but whom seem to have made quite the impact over this past year. First up are this tour’s American contingent, Pvris. Their goth tinged electro-pop-rock has made waves throughout 2015, and the amount of dedicated fans upfront, there purely just to see Pvris, demonstrates this. Although fans will probably welcome new music just for a setlist change, their hits are still consistently welcomed as if it’s the first time they’ve been played live. St Patrick and set closer My House especially emphasise the hauntingly inarguable quality of Lynn Gvnn’s vocals, even in a live setting.
Not to be outdone, yet absolute polar opposite to Pvris are Neck Deep, whose neck-breaking energy means there’s barely a second to be spared during their set. Losing Teeth is a highlight, while A Part Of Me; usually featuring Laura Whiteside provides a slight moment, however even this isn’t quite a lull thanks to Ben Barlow’s sheer punchy conviction that he applies to their entire set. Neck Deep bring things to an explosive end with What Did You Expect, bracing the crowd for the impending carnage that will come with tonight’s headliner.
Despite being bone-fide staples in today’s rock scene, Bring Me The Horizon hit the stage to a slightly slow start. Doomed from their newest album doesn’t quite do so well as a set-opener, however things are soon rectified as a wall of death quickly arises and columns of smoke shoot from the front of the stage, sound-tracked by the also new but far stronger Happy Song. ‘S-P-I-R-I-T, let’s hear it!’ is met with another level of excitement, and with brighter lighting and beads of sweat beginning to appear on people’s foreheads, this finally starts to feel like a party. Go To Hell For Heaven’s Sake is bleak and raw, while House Of Wolves sees the biggest pits of the night so far. All of this is about to change, however, as Chelsea Smile drops, one of only two songs on this tour’s setlist that aren’t from BMTH’s latest two albums. This aside however, Chelsea Smile isn’t quite met with the reception it deserves, but screams of ‘GET DOWN, GET. DOWN’ from frontman Oli Sykes leave very little time to ponder this before the drop slays any doubts that this still isn’t an absolute anthem. Throne is likewise an anthem, but for different reasons; commercial and accessible, once the antithesis of Bring Me The Horizon, clapping along from the crowd during one of their live shows proves all of the above to be true. Disregarding this, there is no denying that Throne is dark, weighted and still true BMTH at its core, while simultaneously showcasing their evolution.
Shadow Moses, followed by Sleepwalking make for an excellent power couple, and there is now a constant chasm down the room for the inevitable pits during every track. True Friends sounds far bigger and better live than it does on record, while Antivist, in all its anger and resentment is not only a sheer punch to the gut, it’s also oddly fitting considering the current state of affairs. Finally, BMTH descend into the latter part of their show, and Blessed With A Curse is tonight’s only homage to the band’s third album There Is A Hell…, whilst Drown ushers in the end of the show, aided by CO2 cannons and enough confetti for a thousand weddings.
No matter anyone’s opinion on the rise of this band, nor their thoughts on their evolution and the changes they’ve made to their sound, especially over the past few years- there is still one undeniable thing about Bring Me The Horizon, and that is that they have always known how to put on a damn good live show.
Photos by Erin Moore at Forte Photography UK
