My Gigs of 2023 (So Far)

I have seen some amazing bands over the last few months so I'm going to cram in as much as I can into this blog about some of the best bands I've seen so far this year.

So, if you read my blog regularly you may be aware that I have fallen behind on my reviews. It has been tough trying to keep up with it all. To try and catch up I have decided to once again go over the gigs I have been to over the last few months all in one blog. There are some gigs of the year contenders here so let's get into it.

Beartooth

We started with the gig which unfortunately got ruined due to circumstances out of our and the band's control. if you are wondering what I'm talking about then check out the link below.

I want to cover however how good Beartooth where at this gig. The same goes for our support bands Stray From The Path and Motionless In White who impressed the Wembley crowd with the back catalogues of great songs. Beartooth did steal the show however with moments such as Caleb Shomo getting a flamethrower onstage, their superb performance of 'You Never Know' to Shomo running into the crowd to the sound desk and rocking out to 'The Last Rift'. This show had so many great moments it's just a shame that a situation tainted that night's excellent performance.

Tom Grennan

It has been incredible to see how far Tom Grennan has come in the last few years. I remember back in 2018 when we saw him play on The Festival Republic stage at Reading Festival. Now he plays to a packed-out O2 Arena. It's great to see him doing so well and playing in a big venue and reaping the rewards from the last few years.

As for the show itself, Tom played a set which featured some big band belters such as 'All These Nights' and 'Found What I've Been Looking for' and then delivered into some dance tracks such as 'Lionheart' and 'By Your Side'. This showed Grennan's diversity as an artist and proved he was not a one-trick pony. He has a range which allows him to appeal to po fans, rock fans as well as dance fans. It's rare to see an artist cover different genres but this is what Grennan is so good at. As well as guest appearances from Ella Henderson and GRACEY, this made his O2 show quite the spectacle. He was also backed by a fantastic band who sounded fantastic. Grennan also showed that he cared for his fans as he stopped the show before the end to allow a collapsed fan to get help. While he was unsure what to do, it was great to see artists being more attentive to their fans. Overall, Tom Grennan's show at the O2 wasn't just one of the biggest moments of his career but more the start of something bigger and o feel this won't be the last time we see him headline a stage like this.

Don Broco

For years, Don Broco have been slowly working their way up festival bills, headlining bigger venues and even scoring themselves a number one album in the UK charts. 2023 saw them playing possibly one of their biggest shows to date. Not only were they playing a sold-out Alexandra Palace but they had the legendary Papa Roach as their support. This lineup had the making of one of the craziest nights of the year.

Papa Roach was the first band to hit the stage and they play a mix of their new releases and their classics in an action-packed set. Opening with 'Kill The Noise' demonstrated lead singer Jacoby Shaddix's vocals very well with a mix of melodic vocals and screams which was followed by the classic 'Getting Away With Murder' which would get the crowd moving. This would then be followed by more of Roach's greatest hits as well as some covers such as 'Firestarter' by The Prodigy. This set had everything you wanted from a headliner slot. Big singalong songs, some fun covers and a heavy set to get the people moshing. It's a shock to not see them playing these sorts of venues themselves but regardless, Papa Roach put on a nostalgia-filled set to get everyone ready for the main act of the evening.

If Papa Roach got the people moshing, then it would be hard to describe what Don Broco had done. From the moment lead singer Rob Damiani lit the flair at the start of 'Bruce Willis' the atmosphere in Ally Pally was electric. People jumped around and sang like there was no tomorrow. so much so that the band had to briefly stop their set due to pressure on the front barrier causing it to break. This was thankfully fixed for the rest of the show but it's crazy to think a crowd could cause such a scene at Ally Pally. Just goes to show how good Broco are at getting their crowds hyped up but just like Tom Grennan, can recognise danger and keep their fans safe.

Broco played some of their big hitter such as 'Automatic' and 'Pretty' and even got Jacoby Shaddix on stage to perform 'Manchester Super Reds No.1 Fan' and even 'Thug Workout'. I doubt Broco would have thought that they would be performing 'Thug Workout' with the lead singer of Papa Roach. while the set was mostly filled with bangers and an incredible crowd, there were some songs in the setlist which just did not live up to the rest of the set. songs such as 'Anaheim' and 'One True Prince' sound good on the album 'Amazing Things' but for some reason live on stage does not hit the same and more feel like fillers rather than the outstanding parts of the set they should be which is a shame. Despite this, Don Broco proved why they are regarded as one of the best live bands in the UK by putting on an incredible visual and audio experience which make you see why they end up at most festivals around the world.

Limp Bizkit

For a very long time, my friends and I have been wanting to see Limp Bizkit live. The band have built up a controversial legacy which has seen them recently make a comeback with a new album and back to playing festivals and arenas. The band also returned to the UK since their Boomtown set in 2018, so you could already tell that this gig was going to be a classic.

The band also had two bands on tour with them being BLACKGOLD and the other being Wargasm. we, unfortunately, missed BLACKGOLD but we would catch them at 2000Trees so stay tuned for the review on their set. We did make it in time for Wargasm who are massive fans of Limp Bizkit. the band did a very good job at getting the crowd warmed up with hits such as 'Spit' and 'Fukstar' getting the mosh pits opened up. It is great to see this band continue to be very successful and play on bigger stages.

Up next would be the headliners themselves, Bizkit's set is most definitely one of the wildest sets that I've ever seen. The number of people off their feet on the floor and in the seating area was remarkable. You would expect that maybe a band that formed in 1994 would be well past their best but this is very far from the case. Frontman, Fred Dust still has the same energy on stage to get the people moving on his every command while Wes Borland's guitar skills were on show with him playing some of the classic Bikit rifts as well as some cheeky nods to other bands such as Nirvana, Iron Maiden and Guns N Roses, While DJ Lethal was dropping the beats and the drops on the turntables which we had come to know and love. This band still had it to create an incredible sound as well as get the people bouncing and moshing from start to finish. even when the light came on in the arena the band would not stop finishing their set with 'Brake Stuff' with the whole touring party on stage as well as everyone on their feet in the arena. It has to be said that this may be an early contender for gig of the year. The show was spectacular and exceeded my expectations of Limp Bizkit, so much so I will be seeing them again later this year.

Paramore

Quite possibly one of the biggest bands that have come from the punk-pop explosion from the early 2000s made their long-awaited return to the UK in April. Paramore has never seen this sort of popularity in their career. Selling out two nights at the O2 is nothing to be scoffed at. They also came to town with their new album 'This Is Why' so you can imagine the excitement was palpable between me, one of my best friends and the rest of the O2.

Another reason for my excitement would be the fact the support for this tour would be indie rock legends Bloc Party which Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams has cited to be one of the big inspirations for the band's latest album. I had always wanted to see this band live and finally, I got to see them in action, which was fantastic. The band had made a perfect setlist with all their hits such as 'Banquet' and 'Helicopter' as well as their new single ' High Life' which made a well-rounded setlist. The band had some technical difficulties, and the crowd was a bit quiet throughout but the band put on a good show which saw me and my friends dancing throughout in the gods. Highlights included 'Hunting for Witches' and 'Rachet'. It was a great way to start the evening and I'm very much interested to see when the band do another tour in the UK.

It seemed Paramore was making up for lost time on this tour as they came out with a ferocious start to their set by playing 'You First' which set the mood for the night. The band where not here to mess about. This was followed by hits from each corner of their career with songs such as 'The News', 'That's What You Get', 'Playing God' and 'Rose Coloured Boy' just to name a few. This certainly got the crowd fired up and singing along which gave me goosebumps every time.

It has to be said that lead singer Hayley Williams was on fine form that evening singing every note perfectly whilst running around the stage dancing the night away. There is no denying that Hayley is one of the best front people from the last 20 years and this show was simply a fine example to prove my point. Her vocals on 'All I Wanted' and 'The Only Exception' were extraordinary and some of the highlights of the set. Without Hayley at the helm then Paramore would not exist period. The other members have their moments to shine, and Hayley introduced them to the O2 crowd. most notably Drummer Zac Farro swapped his drum set for the mic as he got on vocals to perform the music from his solo project HalfNoise. This was something different from the band; they were all having a lot of fun even though this was Zac's project.

The concert concludes with the likes of 'Mistery Business', 'Ain't it fun', 'All I Wanted' and 'This Is Why'. The first song saw three fans invited upstage to sing with Hayley and the rest of the band which was cool for everyone involved. 'All I Wanted' was my song on the night and the band ended their set with confetti for 'This Is Why'. Overall, this set was as good as I expected it to be. Excellent setlist and an incredible performance from the band. It's no wonder Taylor Swift has asked the band to support her UK dates next year.

Måneskin

For the review of this gig, I'm going to hand it over to one of the people who have made this blog possible, is a blogger and more importantly, my girlfriend take it away Leia.

Hello! I’m a guest writer on SharpNote. James and I attended the Måneskin show at the O2 on the 7th of May 2023. It was our first gig as a couple, so it was already pretty special.

We arrived early at the O2 so we could just hang out, go bowling and do a bit of shopping and while outside the F1 pop-up shop, they began soundcheck. Even though it was muffled, the excitement bubbled as James and I shared a knowing look.

After filling our stomachs with an overpriced Five-Guys, our anticipation was palpable. I’d not been back to the O2 since 2020 for Super M and before that 2017 for KISS, so I was glad to be back for the 2021 Eurovision winners, affectionately called: Horny ABBA.

We found our seats which were side on, but had perfect views of the main and B stage. The main stage was shrouded in fabric emblazoned with Måneskin‘s logo. The crowd’s excitement was tangible - there were many young people in attendance, possibly this was their first gig.

The pre-show playlist stops and the crowd erupts. Lights flash, illuminating the silhouettes of the band against the red fabric. Drums and bass thunder against our ears and my heart thumped to the rhythm.

The fabric peels away and Horny ABBA are revealed. Immediately you sense how comfortable they are on stage, a very IDGAF attitude which the crowd really vibed with. Damiano is casual and cool, Victoria is sexy in her feather boa, and Thom and Ethan are pure rockstars.

They start with Don’t Wanna Sleep from RUSH! And most of their set list is from their newest album. But I think the song was the perfect opener, it's aggressive and rough to set the tone for most of the evening. Cameras switch between each member of the band in black and white and it felt like one of those 80s band-biopic-movies. The atmosphere is immediately electric.

GOSSIP is next and the guitars are grungy and dirty, having carried over from the previous song. All throughout, the staging is crazy, for some reason, I was mesmerised by the lighting rig which it kept moving between geometric shapes to create different shapes on the band. The lighting and staging felt like an extension of the sound. I would not shut up about the light rig. James can attest.

Then we move into Zitti E Buoni, which felt like a misstep of the evening. It was fabulous but because it was such a huge song for the band, James and I felt like it should have been placed later in the setlist. Still awesome, wrong placement. Damiano took the piss out of UK fans butchering the song, but the band were surprised at how many Italians were at the gig.

We return to RUSH, where the songs remain upbeat and fast and at this point, the band are feeding off of the crowd. There’s gyrations and lewd gestures that make the crowd go wild.

Coraline is the first slow song of the night and the vibe does change along with the lighting. I’d heard the song before, but live is completely different. It was soulful and beautiful, heartbreaking.

Throughout the gig we were being drip-fed RUSH! Which felt like they wanted to play the entire album, and I won’t lie I couldn’t always distinguish between songs.

Personally, Beggin’ was a highlight because honestly, its a banger and the band candidly stated how much they hate playing it. So I guess its more of a meme for them now.

For Your Love was a random stand-out as mid-song Damiano grabs a spotlight to face the crowd while Victoria crowd-surfs.

Gasoline was another stand out as there were actual pyros - Damiano’s mic stand caught on fire and surrounded Ethan. I was majorly impressed by Thom’s shredding - he’s an amazing guitarist and it's high time people realise that.

Then we move to the quieter acoustic set of two songs on the B stage in the middle of standing. Everyone got their phones out for the torches and it was a real moment. There was a tenderness in Damiano’s voice and the thoughtful guitar.

We then have the one we’ve all been waiting for: I Wanna Be Your Slave. It’s dirty and nasty which the crowd lapped up. It was just a huge party at this point, and Thom had another moment to shine. Damiano worked the crowd and made us all slut drop in slow motion before letting us completely let loose, where we all were jumping. The room shook.

We’re carried through more of RUSH and during KOOL KIDS the band invite some of the standing crowd on stage to dance and fawn over Victoria, understandably. They prostrated themselves to Thom’s guitar playing like acolytes completing a pilgrimage.

The Loneliest finishes out the main set list as we all mourn the end of the gig, its a sombre moment before I Wanna Be Your Slave returns for the encore, it reignited everyone’s energy and it was a slutty, gorgeous night out.

My main takeaway was how fun the gig was, it was everything you’d expect from a Måneskin gig. It’s hot, sweaty, dirty, horny, the right amount of encouraged sluttiness - don’t argue with me. The whole band could get it in my opinion. But there were a couple of hiccups; as I mentioned earlier, the winning Eurovision song should have been placed later, it felt like a throwaway to have it so early. And both James and I felt like the setlist was a little bloated - the gig was a full two hours and while that is bang for your buck, it’s a lot of RUSH, which admittedly does make sense as this is a RUSH tour - we felt like they needed another album under their belt for the length of the set. An hour and a half would have been just fine. But overall a fab night, a pretty KOOL gig for me as a returning concert-goer.

Don’t worry, I won’t be here to review my next gig, which would see me into my ERAS era, if you know, you know.

Thanks to James for the awesome night out and for letting me be a guest writer on his blog, 🖤

Thank you Leia for taking the time to write her thoughts on the gig. If you want to check out Her blog which may be reviewing one of the biggest gigs in 2024 then check it out below.

Heriot

Now for something a bit different, Heriot has built up a reputation over the last few years as one of the most exciting extreme metal bands around. They have been receiving support from the like of Kerrang as well as supporting Lamb of God on their most recent tour so there is no wonder why there is such a buzz around this band. It's crazy to think the band haven't even done a headline UK tour at this point so I had to go to their show at The Black Heart in Camden.

There were two support bands playing as well. Complete Snake where first. While I wasn't so sure on the vocal front, I liked the way the band would switch the tempo of their songs and it was clear that they were very talented musicians. The other band was Greif Ruital who did impress me with their take on heavy metal. The band where also very open about their mental health issues which is refreshing to see in the metal scene and certainly made the Black Heart a safe space.

As for Heroit, the band walked on stage with a bassist and Vocalist Jake Packer walking on stage welding an axe as if he was ready for battle. This certainly got their fans riled up as the floor would open up for the mosh pits to take place. Despite taking place in a small room, there was no stopping Heriot's fan from causing some chaos.

One of the best parts of this band is their vocalists Jake Packer and Debbie Gough. The two share vocal duties on stage and complement each other very well. Jake can do the deeper guttural growls while Debbie can do more higher screams as well as some haunting clean vocals which make for the perfect combination and an unreal experience live. Debbie is also a master of her guitar as she can shred with the best of them. The band are also very good at changing the pace of a song in an instant without it becoming irritating or not sounding right. It almost chances you off guard on some songs such as "Demure" which starts slow and then finishes with a frantic end.

The band ended their set with a wall of death forming in the Black Heart with Debbie screaming at the crowd to open it up "Side to fucking side!" which the crowd obeyed. The set ended some of the roughest pits of the night. Some people might say don't believe the hype when it comes to new bands however Heriot does not fall into this category. They are one of the most brutal and heaviest acts I've seen all year, but I can't wait to see where this band will go.

Tenacious D

For nearly thirty years, Jack Black and Kyle Gass have been in one of the most successful comedy rock acts of the modern era. Tenacious D are a band that has produced many different media projects over the years which has seen them become a favourite in the rock and metal scene. I have wanted to see what Tenacious D and to see what their live shows are like. It's safe to say I wasn't disappointed.

As we walked into the O2, we caught the end of the support Steel Beans which I have seen on Instagram. The artist is well known for playing more than one instrument at a time. an example of this would be that he would use his strumming hand to play his guitar and hit his drums at the same time. It's something must to be witnessed live to truly believe. A very talented musician indeed.

There was no time for the main event. The D are back in the UK playing one of their biggest headline shows ever. Safe to say there was a sense of excitement going around the arena. The band opened with 'Kickapoo' which set the tone for the show that evening, with some clever musicianship and cracking jokes in between which allowed the band to find a perfect blend of comedy and music. The crowd where also very much on the side allowed with everyone in the arena chanting "D" after every song. It's safe to say that the band know how to work up their fans.

The rest of the set was filled with the band's best hits as well as jokes in between with some being used constantly through the set. An example of this would be the band calling out their tour member Biff who was in charge of pyro for the night, but the pyro was not working. The band would then label him "Biffy Pyro" for the rest of the night and would get the Pyro working for the last song of the night "Fuck Her Gently". Overall, this show was a lot of fun and a fantastic mix of comedy and music.

The Black Keys

Yet another band, playing the O2 who I've wanted to see for years. Seems to be a theme starting to appear. This time it was for the American rock duo The Black Keys who blasted through a twenty-song setlist which featured a range of songs from their array of albums. The band became part of my teenage years when they dropped the album 'El Camino' which saw the band gain a lot of their success so finally getting the chance to see them after all these years was something I was very much looking forward to.

The band opened their set with the iconic 'I Got Mine' which the opening rift got a roar of approval from the O2 crowd. The band would then take fans on a tour of their hits from the last twenty-two years. From their more recent work such as 'Fever' and 'Lo/Hi' to their much earlier work which includes 'Your Touch' and 'Heavy Soul'. despite jumping to different albums, the band had no trouble in capturing their iconic blues rock sound and its everchanging evolution from album to album. It made for one of them gigs where you just sit back and watch in awe of the band's raw talent.

The band would also play big hits with tracks such as 'Tighten Up', 'Howlin For You' and of course, the mega track 'Gold on The Ceiling' which got the fan's approval—then ended their show with 'Little Black Submarines' and 'Lonely Boy' which got the whole of the O2 singing along to finish the show in style. Was the wait to see them worth it? for sure it was.

Muse

My Next gig takes me just outside London, hosted at the legendary Milton Keynes Bowl would be Muse who were on their 'Will Of The People' tour after the album's release with the same name last year. the band would bring two other bands for the ride as well. The Warning would be the first out for the day. The Mexican sisters had been on tour with Muse throughout their UK tour and the two bands seemed to get on well which was demonstrated by lead guitarist and vocalist Dany Villarreal Vélez presenting her new yellow Manson guitar to the crowd. Proclaiming it to be a gift from Muse Front person Matt Bellamy. The group have a great selection of songs such as 'Money' and 'Disciple' acting as the standouts. Their cover of 'Enter Sandman' however fell short of my option. slowing down the song certainly is something different I don't think it quite works. The band are clearly very talented and makes a lot of noise for a three-piece band and acted as a pretty solid start to our day.

Next up was UK duo Royal Blood, who had created headlines after their outburst at BBC Radio One's Big Weekend. While many have used this to discredit the band's talents. This performance has moments to show that the band still have what it takes to play the biggest stages of them all. It wasn't perfect, however. Many songs such as the opening tracks 'Out Of The Black' and 'Boilermaker were being played at a slower speed and because of that, they did not sound right. 'Trouble's Coming' was the worst offender sounding so off due to playing it slower. It was bizarre. the band's setlist was also ballsy, to say the least. Playing one of their biggest tracks first left me and my mate's jaws on the floor. There were some positives from this however, the new track 'Mountings At Midnight' sounded as good as it does on the studio version and 'Little Monster' saw the band pick up the pace thankfully. An impressive drum solo from Ben Thatcher was then followed by the band finishing off on 'How Did We Get So Dark' and 'Figure It Out'. Overall, a good showing from the Brighton duo but if it wasn't for the slow start to the proceeding this could have gone down as one of the best support shows I've ever seen.

The main band of the night was on form as always. You would think seeing Muse for the 4th time would start to get boring, but the band bring something different every time they tour which is why they are regarded as one of the best live bands going. The band opened their set all masked up with the title track of their latest album, 'Will Of The People' which got the bowl on their feet with a fiery edition of the album lego in the background. Talk about kicking things off in style.

The rest of the set was filled with classic tracks from the band's long discovery and the new tracks from their latest album. The standouts for me were the inclusion of tracks such as 'Bliss', 'Resistance' and the very cool edition of 'Undisclosed Desires'. As a big fan of Muse's earlier work and 'The Resistance' album, it was very special to hear these songs live as well as their big hits. It was not just the setlist which made this gig a standout. The visual effects and the pyro helped tell a story of an uprising taking place in a government-controlled state which looked like something out of a film. The amazing setlist also allowed muse to be part of the storytelling as well which made this concert a cut above the rest. The stage setup was also stunning, changing constantly with parts of the stage moving about in songs and massive versions of the resistance fighter's masks, a blow-up Satan and more appearing in the background which looked incredible.

As Muse finished on 'Knights of Cydonia', there was only one thing running through my head. This is the gig of the year. No Doubt. This was more than a gig. This was an extravagant and mind-blowing audio and visual experience which you must see to really understand just how good Muse are.

Soft Play

From watching a band in a massive field to seeing a band in a small grassroots venue, I went back to one of my favourite venues the Tunbridge Wells Forum to see a local band. However, this wasn't any local band. This was the legendary punk band formally known as Slaves. Now going under the name Soft Play, The duo returned to the venue where they recorded their first EP 'Suger Coatted Bitter Truth' and with the gig selling out within seconds, you could tell that this was going to be something special.

The band brought along another Punk band with them as their support who have been building their reputation in Kent. Animal Shithouse (yes that is their name) has been on my radar to see for the past year after seeing some footage online of the wild shows and they did not disappoint. If you have ever seen their shows online, then I have to say they are just as crazy in person. The band powered through their setlist which included the likes of 'I Lost My Mandy (in the Sainsbury Car Park), 'I Just Punched Piers Morgan' and 'Suitcase'. It reminded me of course of Soft Play but also more classic punk rock as well. This meld gives the band an incredibly loud sound which will appeal to hardcore punk fans young and old. My highlights of their set were the band asking for everyone's favourite airport before playing 'Suitcase' and the quite emotional performance of 'Words are Just That'. The song covers very dark themes such as suicide and mental health but what stunned me was that vocalist M.B Martin was able to express these emotions in his voice when performing the more spoken word song and also in his physical performance on stage. The Song acts as a standout in their set. This is a band you may be hearing more about in the future so keep an eye out for these guys.

After all of that, we still had another Kent Punk band to perform. For the first time since their name change and for the first time since they played their last show as Slaves in 2019, Soft Play took to the stage which was the stepping stone to their major success over the years. The crowd was in top form. Signing along to the whole of their opening song 'Sockets' and jumping around to 'Live Like An Animal'. After a strong start, the band continued to play through some of their back catalogue such as 'White Knuckle Ride' and 'Where's Your Car Debbie' which would have been recorded in these four walls, so it was special to hear these songs in the place where they were created. The band did complain that they were a bit knackered, but they didn't show this much as guitarist Laurie would run around the Forum mid-song and Issac would join the crowd for a sit down for 'The Velvet Ditch'. My highlights of this set would include the short but sweet 'Fuck The Hi-Hat' and the band's cover of the Skepta song 'Shutdown'. While the band have a new name, It doesn't mean that they have forgotten their roots. playing a chaotic set in their hometown is the best place to start and I'm sure there will be more to come from these guys. This set showed that they were still playing at their best and hungry for more.

Dead Poet Society

Sticking with the Tunbridge Wells Forum, days after the Soft Play gig, Another band with a big following came down to The Forum to warm up for some festivals the band were playing at. This band was Dead Poet Society which I had reviewed before On my blog when they played Download last year. They sounded great at the home of rock and metal but how would they sound in one of the best grassroots venues the UK has to offer?

We also had support to watch as well. The first band I didn't catch the name of the band but I felt that the vocals were lacking but sounded alright on the music side. The other act was an artist called Bexley who was the surprise of the night. They are a mix of hard rock artists such as Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless as well as more indie and alternative rock acts such as Arctic Monkeys and Queens Of The Stone Age. This creates a band with heavy rifts and incredible vocals. They have an incredible set of songs which helps them create a stunning sound and their cover of AM 'Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair' would give Alex Turner and co a run for their money. Keep an eye out for this band as I think they could be something special.

Back to our headliners, Dead Poet Society brought their American-style rock to the Tunbridge Wells Forum and did a great job of putting on a fantastic rock show. No gimmicks, just solid rock music and fantastic musicianship which got the crowd banging their heads. Songs such as '.intodeep.' , '.CoDA' and 'American Blood' are incredibly catchy songs which can rock any music venue going. The band even tested out some new material with 'Running In Circles' which sounded fresh for the band but still had the bluesy alternative rock sound which the band are well known for. This band should be playing in much bigger rooms, but it was a real treat to see an international band of this scale play at my local venue and get warmed up for their summer of festivals. quite a treat I have to say.

Spritbox

The final gig that I will try and break down will be one which I think will go down in history one day. Spiritbox have seen a meteoric rise over the last few years and now see them playing their first UK tour including two sold-out shows at The Roundhouse in Camden. There aren't many times this band comes to the UK so you would be dammed to think I would miss this very special night.

The Canadian band did not come to London alone. They brought along Liverpool's Loath who are a metal band with an incredible progressive sound which makes them different from the rest. Their progressive style mixed with a metalcore sound makes their music very unique which does not change in a live setting. Their mix of clean vocals and screams is equally mastered by vocalist Kadeem France and backing vocalist Erik Brickerstaffe. Both their voices allow the music to take the twists and turns that they do and is effortlessly done here at the Roundhouse. If they can keep this up then I can see this band continuing their growth and becoming one of the most exciting metal bands in the UK.

At long last, after a year of waiting for this show, It was time for Spiritbox to play in London and nothing could prepare me for how outstanding this show was. The pyro, the visuals and the music made for a concert any metalhead would dream of. The band's set was a mix of their best hits from the album 'Eternal Blue' as well as deep cuts and new music. The band kicked things off with 'Ruel of Nines' and 'Hurt You' but the concert really started shifting up a gear when the band played 'Yellowjacket' which saw Architects lead singer Sam Carter joined the band which saw the crowd lose their minds, phones suddenly popping up through the crowd to capture the moment while others bouncing along to the song as Sam and Courtney LaPlante absolutely smashed it out of the park in the vocal department.

For the rest of the show, Spiritbox kept pumping out headbanging rifts and a mix of clean vocals and screams accompanied by pyro and amazing visuals which blew me away. Songs such as 'Circle With Me', 'The Void' and 'Hayclon' were highlights but the stand out would be 'Holly Roller' which blew the roof of the Roundhouse with some stunning vocals from Courtney and so crazy pyro. Guitarist Mike Stringer was also on top form with exceptional guitar playing and drummer Rosenburg and bassist Josh Gilbert was also on top form. The finale of 'Constance' and 'Eternal Blue' was really emotional with Cortney explaining beforehand that for a time the band didn't feel like they belonged anywhere when writing these songs but now told the crowd that the band have "Found our place right with you" which the crowd cheered and applauded in appreciation. It was a fitting end to an exceptional concert. It is certainly a highlight of 2023 and don't be surprised when this band are headlining festivals in the near future. This gig was the start of something much bigger.

So there you have it. Almost caught up with some of the acts I've seen this year. next up, looking back at festival season. Watch this space.