LIVE REVIEW: Set It Off @ O2 Ritz, Manchester

Patience is a virtue, and over the last few years live music is something we have all had to be patient for. Few tours though have had quite as many postponements as that of American pop rockers SET IT OFF. Morphing from Part Two of their The Midnight World Tour in April 2019, to Part Four of The Love of God Don’t Make Us Reschedule Again, and finally the Welcome To Elsewhere Tour, it’s fair to say SET IT OFF and their fans have been eagerly awaiting their return to the UK for some time. They arrive at Manchester’s O2 Ritz to prove whether the wait was worth it.

First to set the scene is LIZZY FARRALL, providing her feel good blend of candy sweet melodies and highly polished synthpop. It is proven from the off that this crowd is up for a good time, screaming and clapping along on command. Despite a few technical issues for her bass player, the party atmosphere doesn’t drop as she asks the whole crowd to crouch down and jump for the final chorus of Addict, which they dutifully oblige to do. She drops to the floor as the set ends accompanied by a brutal strobing light, and the bar has certainly been set.

Rating: 7/10

Next to take the stage are Californian genre-phobes CEMETERY SUN, fluidly blending between alt rock, trap beats, heavy screams, and anthemic hooks. They walk on to a drum and bass intro, before jumping straight into Break Me Down with a massive dance energy and catchy chorus that gets the whole crowd moving. Their set truly shows off vocalist Josh Doty’s broad abilities, quickly swapping between wrenching melodies, powerful screams, and fast rapping. A highlight of the night was getting the whole crowd to join in with the “na-na-na”’s in the chorus of Piece Of Shit as their engaging performance grasps the whole room to a great response.

Rating: 7/10

The final opening slot goes to alt rockers WEATHERS, donning pastel blue suits with a set chock full of feel-good singalong bangers, pointing attention at mental health and self-care. Singer Cameron Boyer iterates it himself before delving into Always Tired “Your mental health matters”. They are an outfit who exude positivity while treading darker subject matter, with all three of the frontline members vigorously bouncing around the stage. They know how to get the crowd on side as the whole room sings along with the jovial la’s in Happy Pills before an exuberant drum fill leads them into a cover of MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE’s Famous Last Words. Considering this is their first tour outside of North America, the room was unanimously fervent, and it surely won’t be long until they return.

Rating: 8/10

At last the wait is over, and the crowd knows it filling the room with screams merely at the unveiling of the SET IT OFF backdrop. After a series of tongue in cheek waiting room announcements building the atmosphere, the lights finally drop to an epic roar. “It’s been four fucking years, welcome to Elsewhere” announces singer Cody Carson as a sea of screens rise to their entrance during Skeleton.

Bright colours are unignorably on the menu, particularly given the band are accompanied by a mammoth lighting rig that could illuminate the Mariana trench to a rave given the opportunity. They follow this up with Little Projector to euphoric screams, the crowd matching Carson’s energy all the way clapping and swaying their arms along at any opportunity. He controls the room on a whim, encouraging the sold-out room to pull in closer for him to traverse the barrier and stand aloft held by adoring fans during Killer In The Mirror.

A lot has been made over the years of Carson’s vocal abilities, witnessing it in person justifies the esteem, but everyone in the room does their dutiful best to emulate as they sing along to every chorus and vocal ad lib from the records. No wonder he looks visibly delighted with the response they receive. Between Carson and guitarist Zach DeWall, every inch of the stage must have been covered as they seamlessly swap sides throughout the night. The set even features a nine-song medley of tracks from each of their albums throughout their fourteen-year career. Drummer Maxx Danziger even takes stage front to sing Bad Guy with Carson taking over drums. They end with fan favourite Why Worry, all arms aloft for the gospel inspired chorus returning for Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing to monumental ovation.

The question of whether SET IT OFF would be worth the wait was well and truly crushed from the off, and frankly seems ridiculous to even insult them with the notion by the end. They are inspired performers with a deep joy for their craft, which is readily reciprocated throughout the room. Their jubilation is infectious, and the wait for their return will hopefully be less than the last.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Jess Robinson here: 

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