It’s raining in Liverpool, and it’s falling but that’s nothing compared to the tears that will crash around us when our inner teenage youth is exposed tonight!
Welsh heavy metal legends Bullet For My Valentine rock Liverpool tonight with nostalgic bangers and some modern heavy anthems. Supporting tonight are American metalcore rockers Atreyu and the Ukrainian heavyweight Jinger. It’s going to be loud and there will be chaos!
Atreyu kicks things off tonight with the ‘Darude Sandstorm‘ intro to get us psyched up and then straight into ‘Strange Powers Of Prophecy’. During the second track ‘Becoming The Bull’ lead singer Brandon Saller joins in with the crowd to ensure there’s some chaos! As soon as ‘The Time Is Now’ begins playing, the audience goes wild and Saller takes center stage once again.
Atreyu add some heat with ‘Save Us,’ as per Brandon’s request that we “f*ck shit up”. Marc Mc’knight, the bands bassist and Brandon’s best mate, has taken on the challenging role of filling Alex Varkatzas’ shoes as the band’s new harsh vocalist. Despite the pressure, Marc delivered an outstanding performance with his impressive screams and guttural vocals. The bromance between these two was undeniable, as they reminisced about cherished memories and bonded over their mutual love for Whitney Houston’s ‘I Want to Dance with Somebody’. They even broke out into song, causing everyone to burst into laughter. Although Brandon initially played it off as a joke, he eventually entertained the idea of performing the song on their next tour. Middle fingers in the air as ‘Blow’ ends this set!
The Ukrainian groove metal outfit known as Jinger launched into their set with the electrifying opener, ‘Who Is Gonna Be The One’. This particular track serves as an ideal introduction to those unfamiliar with Jinger’s signature sound, and it was eagerly anticipated by many fans in attendance tonight. For those who missed the band’s performance at Bloodstock last year, it’s worth noting that they haven’t toured the UK since 2019 on a much smaller scale. Suffice it to say that this show was pure chaos – but in all the best ways possible!
Tatiana Shmailyauk’s choice of attire and makeup was truly unique. Her bright neon top and bold makeup stood out even more under the dim lighting and flashing strobes on stage, adding an extra level of excitement to her performance. As a photographer, I was able to capture some amazing shots that really showcased her individuality and energy on stage.
Jinger’s latest album, Wallflowers, which was released in 2021, took centre stage on tonight’s setlist, being comprised of tracks such as ‘Colossus’, ‘Dead Hands Feel No Pain’, and ‘Copycat’. These songs have become some of my new favourites due to their catchy bass lines.
The band didn’t talk much during the set and focused on playing as many songs as possible. Despite this, they managed to deliver an electrifying performance that left fans ecstatic. The crowd was filled with enthusiastic crowd surfers, including one individual who rode a wave of hands while proudly waving a Ukrainian flag. At the end of the show, lead singer Tatiana grabbed the flag and dashed offstage – presumably to have it signed by the band for its owner!
Jinjer, the band, has been designated as Ukraine’s ambassadors since June 2022 by the Ministry of Culture. This decision was made in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, which has created a dire situation for many Ukrainians. It is a reminder to be grateful for our own circumstances and to show kindness to others who may be facing their own battles. Let us remember to say “Glory to Ukraine” (Cлава україні) in solidarity with those affected by this crisis.
Let’s go all out tonight and embrace the emo style – dye your hair black, sport an emo fringe, wear shag bands and skinny jeans. It’s amazing to think how far this band has come in nearly 20 years (excluding Matt’s “Jeff Killed John” era). As an older fan of the genre (yes, I’m old), their music still brings me joy. Not only does it take me back to my school days but it also makes me happy that Bullet For My Valentine still possesses the same passion they had all those years ago.
BFMV’s self-titled seventh album, released last August, is a heavy one that harks back to their roots on Poison. The gift keeps on giving as the band opens with ‘Knives’, a favourite track from the new album, before launching into ‘Over It’. Matt expresses his love for the crowd’s energy and playfully tells them to stop flirting.
The night was a perfect blend of new hits and classic tunes. Matt suggested adding more rarely played songs to the set list, which made sense given their extensive discography. However, I was not prepared for the electrifying opening of ‘Hearts Burst into Fire’, causing us all to go wild with excitement. The atmosphere was reminiscent of being back in school, with headbanging and couples serenading each other. But that wasn’t all – we ended the night on a high note with an energetic performance of ‘The Last Fight’. It was truly a memorable experience filled with love and energy.
The performance was divided into two parts. The initial half comprised mainly of the classics, while the latter showcased newer pieces such as ‘Shatter’, ‘Rainbow Veins’, and ‘Don’t Need You’. However, they also plunged us into a melancholic state with ‘Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow’ before concluding with ‘Death By A Thousand Cuts’ from their latest album.
But wait there’s more!? Saving the top-tier emo bangers that still rips though us to this day the encore was simply bananas, fully of fruity goodness! ‘Your Betrayal’, ‘Tears Don’t Fall’ and ‘Walking The Demon’ were played back to back one after another – our emo hearts can’t handle this! What the heck’s going on, why does it have to end now on a wet Wednesday, the tears can no longer fall because we all ran out.
