By Josh Bicknell
As autumn beckons and the summer festival season draws to a close, I was fortunate enough to kick off an electrifying run of live shows with The Plot In You’s European headline tour. Upon entering the venue, the crowd’s anticipation was palpable, with concertgoers enthusiastically chatting away while waiting for Acres, the night’s opening band, to finish making the final preparations for their set. It wasn’t long before the overhead lights faded, and the stage was illuminated in a sea of fluorescent red. A final wave of excitement washed over the crowd as the beginning of the show was now moments away.
In the lead-up to this show, several Acres fans had assured me their set was well worth arriving on time for, and now that I’ve caught them live, I can safely say that they were not mistaken. Despite having had almost no exposure to the band prior to their opening set, I was quickly impressed with the amount of variety that they managed to pack into their setlist. Featuring a blend of hard-hitting riffs and captivating guitar solos, neatly spaced around several catchy choruses, before I knew it, I had been adopted by a small group of diehard supporters and found myself reciting lyrics that I had heard for the first time mere moments ago. Acres can be summed up as metalcore done right, and their live show is testament to the fact that even in the age of experimentation, a mastery of the fundamentals is sure to lead to a stellar live performance.
Up next were Invent Animate, who have massively spiked in popularity since the release of their critically acclaimed album, ‘Heavener‘. What stood out most to me about their set was their ability to craft their own unique atmosphere, despite not sharing the’ headliners larger lighting rigs. This is something that could be felt from the moment they made their way to the stage, as they were all dressed in white and frequently opted to use only white spotlighting. This perfectly complements the progressive, almost otherworldly nature of their music, captivating the crowd from start to finish. I also loved how the band’s vocalist, Marcus Vik, let loose by incorporating several gutturals into his live performance. This added some extra punch to the breakdowns while also showcasing his impressive vocal range. Invent Animate didn’t miss a beat, and personally, I would love to see them headline in the future.
After the final interlude, the stage was once again pulsing with red light, but this time it was even more intense due to the added backlighting. As each member of The Plot In You arrived on stage, the crowd’s cheers grew exponentially louder, with Landon being the last to take his place. After a brief moment of silence, they opened their set with ‘Don’t Look Away,’ and for me, this was the most thrilling moment of the night. The studio version of the track kicks off with a visceral, extensive, high-pitched scream that I had initially thought would be impossible to replicate in a live setting; however, I am pleased to announce that I could not have been more wrong. In person, Landon’s vocals are every bit as powerful, and once the opening song had concluded, I knew that I was witnessing something truly special.
Thanks to not only Landon’s hellish screams but the cohesive talent of the entire band, their second song of the night, ‘Divide,’ was just as heavy. However, such an explosive opening was quickly balanced out by some of the American outfits more melodic tracks. Songs like ‘All That I Can Give’ and ‘Face Me’ served as a brief oasis, allowing moshers to re-hydrate and catch their breath, and this is also one of the reasons why I believe their live show has been so successful. Crafting a set list that seamlessly blends bludgeoning breakdowns with melodious choruses ensures that there is something for everyone, regardless of which side you gravitate towards.
Nearing the midpoint of their set, Landon and his crew dared crowd surfers to cross the barrier, quickly prompting the audience to begin ferrying one another out of the pit and towards the stage. We had been challenged to break Nottingham’s record of approximately 150 bodies, and from where I was standing, it certainly seemed like we gave them a run for their money. In my opinion, good crowd work is what makes a live show genuinely memorable, and considering I can recall specific moments from almost every song on the set list, I would say that their Manchester show was a resounding success.
The final song of the night was none other than ‘FEEL NOTHING,’ which has amassed just under 230 million streams since its release. This was a special moment, as due to its popularity, almost everyone in the crowd was chanting the lyrics word for word. It was a textbook example of music bringing people together, and it was the perfect way to end the night. Overall, I attended this show with very high expectations and still exited the venue feeling stunned. With a lineup this strong, it’s no wonder that it has been sold out for some time, even after already being upgraded from Club Academy several months ago.
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