Opening the night is American Post-Hardcore band, Touché Amoré. Formed in 2007, the band consists of Jeremy Bolm (Vocals), Clayton Stevens (Guitar), Nick Steinhardt (Guitar), Tyler Kirby (Bass) and Elliot Babin (Drums). It’s a short yet tight set, with plenty of fans clearly having attended for the opening act. They end their set on their most streamed song, ‘Flowers and You’, which perhaps feels a more heartfelt choice as opposed to something heavier and more energetic in line with the bulk of their set, but somehow it just works!
Set List
Come Heroine
New Halloween
Rapture
Feign
Reminders
~
Limelight
Flowers and You
Next to take the stage is co-headliner ‘Thrice’. Formed in 1998, the Californian rock band includes Dustin Kensrue (Vocals/Guitar), Eddie Breckenridge (Bass), Teppei Teranishi (Guitar) and Riley Breckenridge (Drums). The last time Thrice played to crowds in the UK was before the pandemic except for festival slots throughout the summer, so it’s no surprise that fans are eager to see what the band have to offer for tonight’s set.
Thrice expectedly open their set with tracks from their 2021 album ‘Horizons/East’ but manage a satisfying blend between their newer material and fan favourites from their extensive back catalogue. Lead singer Dustin showcases his superb vocals throughout whether through the pop punk sounds of ‘The Artist In The Ambulance’ or the more muted melodic sounds of ‘Dandelion Wine’.
Tonight is billed as a co-headline tour (which for many seems a strange pairing given the very different sounds of each band) and whilst Thrice deliver a well thought out and performed set, it does feel more of a support for the main act as opposed to a co-headline one which is a shame as Thrice clearly have the talent as a headline act.
Setlist
The Color of the Sky
Scavengers
The Artist in the Ambulance
Black Honey
All the World Is Mad
Where Idols Once Stood
The Red Death
Anthology
Dandelion Wine
Hurricane
Summer Set Fire to the Rain
Robot Soft Exorcism
Beyond the Pines
The Earth Will Shake
Finally, the co-headliner left to play tonight is American Prog-Rock band, Coheed and Cambria. Formed in 1995, the band cover a myriad of genres including Progressive Rock, Pop, Heavy Metal and Post-Hardcore. The members of the band are Claudio Sanchez (Vocals/Guitar), Travis Stever (Guitar), Zach Cooper (Bass) and Josh Eppard (Drums).
With this tour marking the recent release of their album ‘Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind’, it’s no surprise that about half of the set contains songs from this album. Coheed and Cambria are renowned for their story telling within each album and tonight they bring the fans into the world of Vaxis with a visually stunning light show coupled with narration.
Before taking to the stage, the opening piano melody of ‘Unheavenly Creatures’ is played across the speakers as well as the voice of narrator, Vaxis, who provides context for the show – “It starts with them and ends with me, Their son, Vaxis”.
Opening the night with ‘The Dark Sentencer’, the crowd erupt and whether it is music from the new album or their earlier materials, tonight is a complete sing-along. ‘The Liars Club’ was a stand-out song for me from the album before I even heard it live, but boy did they do it justice – the anthemic chorus is made to be performed live and it certainly did not disappoint! Ending the night with ‘The Running Free’, the night is at an end far too soon and you’re left in somewhat of a quandary as to whether you feel short-changed because the set was too short or that you have had an epic night with not one, but two, great headline acts with a solid support band too.
Set List
Prologue
The Dark Sentencer
The Embers of Fire
Beautiful Losers
Shoulders
A Disappearing Act
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
The Liars Club
A Favor House Atlantic
Welcome Home
Window of the Waking Mind
Encore
The Running Free
