Oli Sykes is ever the gentleman
Kerrang! Is well known for it’s brand of emo kid metal music breakdowns every week, so when I saw the line-up for this years tour, I was a little dubious to say the least.
Black Tide are your average cool-looking rock band who clearly have a lot of support from the skinny fit jeans clad audience tonight - they swan around the stage flinging their guitars all over the shop yet still look dwarfed by the massive backdrop behind the flailing arms of their drummer.
I’ve got to give credit to them as they do really ’put their back into’ their set and bless them, they try their hardest to get the kids moving around, yet it seems like they are just saving their energy for Oli Sykes and friends in Bring Me The Horizon.
So yeah, I’ve only ever seen BMTH once before - when they played at the gig venue I used to work - and they acted like a bunch of spoiled kids; so I wondered, two years later; would they still be as arrogant? Yes… but for once, I’d say they actually deserve to be.
Granted, they aren’t a band you would find in my CD collection, but live - WOW! - they captured my attention for the entirety of their 30 minute set as they ripped the room apart with their guitar breakdowns as Oli ripped the lining of his lungs apart delivering some top class vocals.
From the first note until the very last, BMTH are a band dead-set on bringing flawless entertainment to their fans, who go absolutely crazy - at one point leaping up onto the stage just to sing with their heroes for a few seconds.
I’ve been to a few hardcore gigs in my time but I never expected them to be able to set somewhere as big as Manchester Academy alight with their crowd surfing antics and death defying stage dives, even to the point where Oli shoves his band mates out of the way as he careers about the stage.
But high five to Oli Sykes and Co… they’ve gained a fan in me. Unfortunately however, the same can’t be said for Dir En Grey.
You know people say Marmite is one of those ‘you either love it or hate it’ foods? Well Dir En Grey are Marmite in band form. For the fans who love them they are amazing, but for people like me, it’s just painful to listen to as the singer pig squeals his way through the songs.
Albeit it’s another great show, the singer switches from making love to the music - to the point where it looks as though a little erection is poking it’s way through his Adidas bottoms - to leaping around the stage like someone just poured itching powder down said bottoms.
His performance seems to revolve around some bizarre Ikea coffee table that he keeps jumping on and off of as he teases and grinds every muscle and prying eye. It really is a joy to watch, I just wish I had some ear plugs.
Check out our amazing slideshow of the nights events here
Check out our review of the headliner, Mindless Self Indulgence here.
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison
Photos By Andy Squire
Keep a lookout for our interviews with BMTH later this week!