When Bring Me the Horizon announced an intimate show at the 900-capacity Rose Theatre in Kingston, Banquet Records saw tickets sell out in a record six minutes. But it’s not surprising considering the hype surrounding the Sheffield quintet at the moment. The handful of tracks that they’ve released from their upcoming album ‘That’s the Spirit’ has gone down an absolute storm with both fans and industry professionals alike; they sold out three of their four November tour dates within hours of being announced; and, perhaps most importantly, they smacked any doubters in the face with their raw, visceral, and mighty powerful performance when they played at Reading and Leeds festival this year, demonstrating that they’re strong contenders for a headline slot at a festival of that size and stature in the near future.
Kicking off tonight’s proceedings is SHVPES, who show that, from the opening chords, they’re more than capable of opening this show. ‘State of Mine’ sees them dishing out gritty riffs, creating a solid track that is charged with adrenaline and heat. Frontman Griffin Dickinson’s robust vocals are on point, and clearly resonate within the room during ‘Shapes’, an anthem if there ever was one. And as Dickinson throws himself into the thick of it, allowing the crowd to jostle him left, right, and centre, it’s clear that this Birmingham quintet are having the time of their lives tonight.
The atmosphere in the venue is absolutely buzzing as everyone waits for the arrival of tonight’s stars. And not a soul in the room is disappointed as Bring Me the Horizon stride onstage and launch straight into ‘Happy Song’, to which the room happily chants along to with no encouragement needed. They race through tracks such as ‘Shadow Moses’ and ‘The House of Wolves’, tracks that are punchy and visceral.
The power that Bring Me the Horizon hold in their songs explodes in your face over and over with every song that they play. Riffs are frenetic and solid, and the drum work is huge; ‘Chelsea Smile’ roars to life, while ‘Antivist’ bristles with pure, unadulterated rage. And the addition of Jordan Fish to their line-up is truly one to behold – his contribution of synths and programming make tracks like ‘Throne’ and ‘Drown’ exhilarating and bold, and are a mere taste of what to expect from their album.
It’s incredible seeing the support that the crowd offer the band; during the bridge of ‘Can You Feel My Heart’, Oli doesn’t even have to say a word as the room sings back every word with gusto and heart. To see such adoration and support for a band, ten years after their formation, is always heart-warming. But the real highlight of the show is hearing Oli Syke’s vocals; they’re absolutely huge, and don’t falter once throughout. Admittedly, it’s odd to hear more clean vocals from Oli, as opposed to his trademark growls and guttural screams, but he’s really pushed his vocal range this time around. They’re dynamic, dominant, and compelling.
To see how Bring Me the Horizon have matured from the deathcore group that they started out as back in 2004 is astonishing and staggering. The style of their sound has changed dramatically, but they haven’t lost any of their raw ferocity or bite in doing so, and in changing their musical direction, they’ve had so many more doors open to them. Tonight’s show, coupled with their Reading and Leeds performances, shows that Bring Me the Horizon are ready to take to bigger stages – and possibly world domination.
