Tonight, Bring Me The Horizon are playing the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Often abbreviated as BMTH, the band consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls, and keyboardist Jordan Fish. Malia is not currently touring with the band, and his guitar technician, Joey Black, has stepped in to fill his position. BMTH initially gained recognition for their heavy metalcore sound, but over the years, their style has evolved to include a mix of alternative rock, electronic, and pop influences.
Tonight is the first time that I will see BMTH perform live. I speak to a fellow photographer who tells me that he interviewed the band many years ago before they were famous and they were about to play a small metal festival in Reading. He says that the band’s name is inspired by a line from the 2003 movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” in which Captain Jack Sparrow declares, “Now, bring me that horizon.”
Kicking off tonight’s lineup is Melbourne’s own daine, captivating the audience with their brief, yet enchanting set. A slight letdown ensues when daine tells us that they will be singing Oli Sykes’ parts on their duet ‘Salt’ tonight. Sykes joined them onstage for the song in Melbourne. Sydney fans are left ruing their luck. In a striking moment, daine calls upon the crowd to light up their phones, and they comply, transforming the vast arena into a colossal, shimmering metal Christmas tree.
Make Them Suffer are up next and the shift in energy is palpable as they hit the stage with a juggernaut of energy. Singer, Sean Harmanis is electric tonight, a Duracell bunny incarnate, darting across the stage with an energy that feels limitless. At the keyboards, Alex Reade is a revelation, headbanging with abandon, completely lost in the joy of the moment. It’s refreshing to see a healthy number of female fans in the crowd, mirroring the inclusive lineup onstage that proudly features several female artists. A fan is pulled out of the mosh during the first song and then crazy crowd surfing ensues. One after another, fans are lifted over the barriers, only to dash back into the crowd for another go.
The crowd goes berserk as the Sleep Token insignia flashes, signaling something epic’s about to go down. As the band slinks in, to a foreboding tune, it lays the groundwork for a show shrouded in near-total darkness. Not a word from the band the whole set, just a series of cryptic gestures—yeah, maybe they’re onto something, because the crowd eats up every silent command. The tunes? A bizarre, entrancing concoction of metal with these pop hooks that sometimes smack of Depeche Mode. Meanwhile, the venue’s security is all business, drawing a firm red line around the mosh pit. And there, just skirting the fringe, is a heavily pregnant woman in shorts and a T-shirt, daring the boundaries of the chaos.
Bring Me the Horizon burst onto the stage, confetti lazily drifting down over the ecstatic crowd. A dystopian narrative unfolds on the screens, while the band seizes control of the venue with a commanding presence. The lights are a spectacle, the visuals behind BMTH a relentless assault of intensity—there’s even an angel with bloody wings and exposed sternum looming ominously at one point. You see, these guys might look the boy band part with their sharp looks, but their sound? It’s sheer, unadulterated ferocity—no Harry Styles ‘Watermelon Sugar’ to be found here.
Circle moshes erupt throughout the crowd, the frenzy only intensifying as ‘Shadow Moses’ kicks in and fake snow starts falling, painting a stark, beautiful contrast. Oli Sykes hoists a flare, the crowd’s response is electric. Amidst the chaos, a mother clutches her young boy, who’s rocking out so fiercely on one of the upper levels, I’m half-convinced the kid might tumble over the barrier. Even a guy in a yellow banana suit is throwing himself into the circle pit—metal fans, man, they’re here for the pandemonium, not to fiddle with their phones, I think as I realise that hardly anyone is filming the spectacle.
Sykes can’t help but admire the madness, shouting, “You guys are off your fucking heads!” Even as he speaks between songs, the mosh doesn’t let up. BMTH dive into ‘Die4u,’ the stage now awash in dreamlike neon hues, confetti blasting through the air once more. The dystopian tale keeps rolling onscreen between tunes, and Sykes yells, “Shake your dicks!”—even Banana Suit is feeling it. Then, a sudden shift: the band dials it down with an acoustic rendition of ‘sTraNgeRs,’ clustered together on a mid-stage riser. No sooner does the calm settle than we’re thrust back into the thick of it, Sykes rallying everyone to “Find a friend and get on their shoulders!”
I came in knowing nothing about BMTH, but damn if I’m not leaving a fan. This show’s a knockout—stunning visuals, meticulous details, all cylinders firing. They’ve got another night in Sydney, then it’s off to Melbourne and Brisbane. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this.
Ticket and venue information HERE.
Thanks to Dallas Does PR and Destroy all lines for the pass.
