Novelists, August Burns Red and Bury Tomorrow
O2 Institute // Birmingham, England // 29 October 2022
Photos and review by Sophie Jones
The show was initially meant to take place on Saturday, 20th November 2021, but due to the global pandemic, it had to be rescheduled; you can tell from the hoards of fans lining up around the venue they are so ready to lose their minds and give it their all in there tonight for two of the biggest metalcore bands from the UK and USA.
Novelists
Opening up the show was a band called Novelists, who were recently added to the lineup as a last-minute replacement for Miss May I, with only six days notice after two previous bands had to pull out. Novelists frontman Tobias Rische couldn’t come along for the ride, but they thought, “f**k it,” got someone else to step in and came anyway.
August Burns Red
Up next was August Burns Red. The lights dimmed down; dry ice started filling the stage as the crowd erupted; Intro music started playing as they opened their set up with a cover of System of a Down’s hit track “Chop Suey.” August Burns Red took the energy bar even higher with tracks including “Vengeance” and “Bloodletter.” Lead singer Jake Luhrs entertained the crowd with various anecdotes, including, “If you’ve got long beautiful locks of hair, unlike me,” before raising his cap off his head, “I want you to move your heads.”
The energy throughout their set eminence with lead singer Jake showing off his mic skills by throwing the mic out towards the crowd and pulling back on the wire just before they could reach it. Along with the CO2 cannons that went off throughout the performance, creating a haze across the stage, “JB” Brubaker and Brent Rambler brought the heavy-hitting riffs and guitar solos.
Setlist: Chop! Suey (Cover Track) / Vengeance / Bloodletter / Paramount / Invisible Enemy / Meddler / Back Burner / Composure / Ghosts / Defender / Marianas Trench / White Washed
Bury Tomorrow
Now it was time for Bury Tomorrow as the lights dimmed down and each member filed on to the stage, taking their respective places. Shortly after, Dani Bates came front and center, grabbing his mic and looking out into the crowd. As the first chord struck, the chaos began; the band opened their set with “Choke,” and it wasn’t long before the crowd surfers were in their element as they came flying over the barrier, keeping security on their toes.
Halfway through their set, Dani set himself upon the front stage riser to get a better view of the audience, asking each section how they were doing before making a joke about if the people on the floor are thirsty, the people from the tip-top balcony can just lean over and drip on them.
Dani also checked in with security to see if they were okay, as the crowd surfers had been non-stop from the start of their set. He joked with them, “Are security up for it?” to which he told the crowd, “Security just said they’re up for it; they’re bored. You heard me. [I] just asked, ‘are they ready?’ and they just went, “‘yeah, we’re ready.’”
Just before “Better Below,” Dani took to the mic to say, “We’ve done this every night on tour, and I didn’t think we’d be big enough to do it. Can everyone put your lights in the air, bar staff you too and security put your torches up if you can” before continuing to say, “Just like you’re at an MGK concert,” which the crowd erupted with “booos.” Dani continued to say, “Just sway” as he gestured the motion and said, “F**K MGK man, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got Travis Barker on a track that doesn’t make you f**king cool man.”
After “Better Below” finished, Dani expressed his and the bands’ gratitude saying, “This has surpassed any expectation, and I had high expectations.” He carried on saying, “This is my medication, my treatment, never underestimate your power, and if you haven’t heard from people, your friends haven’t texted you back, or you haven’t heard from them in a while, check in on them. Please, check that your people are okay.”
As we were now nearing the end of the set, chants could be heard, “Bury Bury Bury” from floor to ceiling as the band dropped into a new track, “Bolt Cutter,” from their upcoming album ‘Seventh Sun.’ They ended the night with “Death (Ever Colder),” and what a way to end the night; I’ve seen this band countless times live, and they never disappoint, and you can guarantee you’ll be leaving the venue a sweaty mess, but by god do you feel great and energized about it. It’s a tour you don’t want to miss, so make sure to turn up as they come through your city.
Setlist: Choke / The Grey (VIXI) / Black Flame / Cemetery / Life (Paradise Denied) / Abandoned Us / Earthbound / The Age / Better Below / Man On Fire / Bolt Cutter / Cannibal / Death (Ever Colder)
