Given that Bring Me The Horizon have long since been able to pack out arena sized venues, it was hardly a surprise that when treated to a Reading and Leeds warm-up show at the 1,200 capacity Academy, Liverpool’s music fans sold it out in minutes. It was also no surprise that after a rip-roaring support set from the energetic Turbowolf, sweat was dripping from packed room’s ceiling long before Sheffield’s finest ever set foot on the stage. But if any present thought this may be a band simply about to go through the motions and practice a few new songs, they were to be quickly set right.
Opening with the anthemic new track Happy Song, Bring Me The Horizon tore into their set with mushroom clouds of smoke and fevered screams from the crowd. Already it’s clear That’s The Spirt is going to be another huge album for the band, and while not as heavy as earlier material, will be just as catchy. Shadow Moses continued the now en masse sing along, though 50% of the crowd couldn’t resist mentioning a certain garden toy as Oli stomped his way across the stage. House Of Wolves and Go To Hell kept the tempo at break neck pace, as track after track the band nailed fan favourite after fan favourite. Five albums now down, the guys are no longer the young whippersnappers they once were, but with hardened experience comes the ability to knoch a show out of the park, and tonight getting smashed. Chelsea Smile saw one of the evening’s heavier spells, as throat tearing vocals met crunching riffs in a meltdown which incited a pit as wide as the room.
Offering a perfectly timed respite from the mayhem which had just unfolded, recent single Thrones with its Linkin Park-esque samples and screams may be one of the band’s lighter songs, but was clearly already loved by those assembled. Arguably it has less edge, but if it’s the shape of things to come, it’s not that far fetched to think BMTH may one day be moving up once more to stadiums, and festival headline slots. Can You Feel My Heart, Sleepwalking and Antivist completed a trilogy of tracks taken from Sempiternal, as the short set was brought to a close in style.
With the fans baying for more it wasn’t to be the end however. Returning to the stage for Blessed With A Curse and Drown, the Steel City heroes completed a night that well and truly proved that they deserve to be at the helm of the Metalcore ship. I’m sure like all bands who mature and change their sound for one more melodic, their will be some who proclaim the end. But with a more accessible sound then ever before, and a live show that still kills, BMTH are in a very happy place.
