Bury Tomorrow have already reached a number of milestones in their career – Main Stage performances at Reading & Leeds and Download Festival, US and Australian tours, and selling out London’s KOKO back in October 2014 – and they are showing no signs of slowing down. Tonight’s show at The Forum in Kentish Town is their biggest headliner to date, and the trio of Any Given Day, Black Peaks, and Crossfaith have been tasked with keeping the seat nice and warm for the big occasion.
Germany’s Any Given Day are up first, but only the earlybirds are lucky enough to catch the full set. You only need one hand to count the number of fans before a note is struck, but by the time they’re showing off their metalised cover of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’, many are well and truly converted.
The same can’t be said for Black Peaks, though. Their sludgy, occasionally heavy breed of post-hardcore is delivered with confidence, but they are pitching to the wrong crowd and the atmosphere falls noticeably flat for half an hour or so.
The evening does get back on track when Crossfaith clock in, with ‘Monolith’ and ‘Rx Overdrive’ sounding particularly huge. As they rip-roar through a varied set, the Japanese quintet’s energy and enthusiasm for delivering chaos is mesmerising and infectious. The whole room bounces with them as they soak up a headliner’s reception, which is a sight worth the ticket price alone.
Yet, as Bury Tomorrow nonchalantly arrive on stage, it’s clear from the noise that the punters are here for them. They kick off with ‘The Eternal’, lashing it out at what feels like double the speed as adrenaline runs high, but it only adds to the ferocity. They really come into their own as they settle, reeling off hits like ‘Waxed Wings’ and ‘An Honourable Reign’ as they have done many times before. Dusting off ‘Her Bones in the Sand’ surprises and satisfies the faithful, and an onslaught of ‘Earthbound’ singles treats the newer followers, but it’s the encore of ‘Man on Fire’ and ‘Lionheart’ that sets the venue alight.
Bury Tomorrow are a notoriously good live band, so the strength of their performance is no surprise, but they have proved capable and comfortable commanding thousands, and that is great for them and for British metal. Their flag is now embedded into yet another stage, and they’ll no doubt be plotting their next assault already. Realistically, next on the list has got to be Brixton Academy – having twice played there as a support act – and if they continue to please crowds on this scale, only a fool would bet against them achieving it.
MATT BORUCKI
