Beartooth
02 Academy 03/18/23
Birmingham UK
Claire H. Head Insomnia Photographer
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Live Review
Several years in the making, Beartooth finally arrived back in the UK to commemorate their fourth studio release, Below. Playing sold out shows across four major cities before going onto conquer Europe, it was no rest for the wicked for Caleb Shomo and co. Joining them for the ride were politically-charged hardcore titans, Stray From The Path and Gothic metalcore veterans, Motionless in White.
A mere thirty minutes after doors to Birmingham’s O2 Academy flung open, Stray From The Path stepped onto the stage and were greeted to a full house. Diving into ‘Needful Things’; the opening track from their 2022 full length release ‘Euthanasia’, it was clear that the band were not messing about. For the first band on the bill, it was evident that a lot of their fans were in attendance. Lead vocalist Drew Dijorio challenged the crowd to beat the record of twenty five for the amount of crowd surfers during their set at the Manchester show the day prior. Of course, within a minute of the next track kicking in a sea of bodies could be spotted in the air all hurling towards the barricade, much to the delight of venue security. Given their twenty plus years career longevity, it wasn’t surprising to see the levels of command the band had over the crowd, despite it not being an exclusively Stray From The Path crowd. Their thirty minute offering had everything from high kicks to piercing vocals and everything in between and concluded perfectly with their mammoth hit single, ‘First World Problem Child”.
Setlist:
Needful Things
May You Live Forever
Goodnight Alt-Right
III
Fortune Teller
Guillotine
First World Problem Child
Up next it was the turn of Pennsylvanian champions, Motionless in White to take to the stage. Presumably, a band that the crowd were more familiar with which was evident through the masses of merchandise and horror-esque make-up in the room. Ripping an impressive forty five minute set, there were moments during which you’d have thought it was a Motionless in White headline show. Spanning through some of their biggest hits including – ‘Another Life’ and ‘Werewolf’, the crowd screamed along with every word, with devoted fans not missing a beat. A standout moment from their set was opting to play a cover of The Killers’ anthem ‘Somebody Told Me’, something which the band had been doing for quite some time. This gave bystanders the opportunity to get involved in what was a momentous spectacle of a show. Closing the set, lead vocalist Chris Motionless took a moment to thank their fans - “We are Motionless in White and we are eternally yours” before playing ‘Eternally Yours’. Saying one final goodbye, Motionless took a bunch of roses from his mic stand and threw them into the adoring crowd.
Setlist:
Thoughts & Prayers
Cyberhex
Slaughterhouse
Break the Cycle
Masterpiece
Werewolf
Another Life
Soft
Somebody Told Me
Eternally Yours
As Motionless in White fans began to clear from the barricade, a wave of Beartooth fans surged forwards to secure their spot ready for the headliners’ long awaited appearance.
Accompanied with a phenomenal lights show, ‘Below’ straight into ‘Devastation’, kicked off Beartooth’s first Birmingham headline in over six years. Frontman Caleb Shomo was a ball of energy that just wouldn’t give in. His rousing live performance was nothing short of amazing, a sentiment that could also be applied to his fellow band mates who all delivered. Deep cuts and fan favourites ‘Body Bag’ and ‘Beaten in Lips’ were played in between tracks taken from the band’s fourth studio album, ‘Below’. The sold out crowd delved into chaos at every given opportunity, with not a single body remaining still throughout their jam packed set. The five-piece are famously known for their raw lyricism, often touching on the harsh realities of Depression, addiction and everyday life. Translated into a live setting, the hard hitting tracks; such as ‘Disease’, create a cathartic experience that is beyond comprehension. Shomo decided to get well and truly stuck in towards the end of the set, taking a ride over the sea of fans with guitar in clutch. Appropriately chosen, ‘The Last Riff’ rounds off the intense set which had left Birmingham a little worse for wear.
Setlist:
Below
Devastation
Disease
Body Bag
Riptide
Dominate
The Lines
Beaten In Lips
Skin
Hell of It
You Never Know
Bad Listener
Hated
In Between
The Past Is Dead
The Last Riff
