LIVE REVIEW: Shinedown @ OVO Arena Wembley, London
With the year of live music winding down, bands find themselves scrambling to put on the best shows possible to go out with a bang. While gig of the year lists aren’t a staple in the industry or spectator spheres, that doesn’t mean they can’t be a talking point. Vying to be a coveted water cooler moment before workplaces shut down for the holidays are SHINEDOWN with their Planet Zero UK production.
Opening the final night of a tour comes with a certain amount of pressure. Especially if it’s a group’s first time playing a UK arena. It’s fair to say the UK comes with a reputation for its ferocious love of live music in all forms. Striding solo onto the stage of OVO Arena Wembley came ZERO 9:36, an alternative rock act from Philadelphia. With a feature on WE CAME AS ROMANS’ recent record Darkbloom and a semi-successful single under his belt, it’s safe to say the rapper had some expectations of his own.
Spitting ii x two’s bars acapella is a brave thing to do in front of an audience who are largely new to an artist’s material. It struck an imposing image. The silence the crowd met ZERO 9:36 with was not one of indifference but one of testing the water with the lyrical content. The proclamation of “I don’t need no fuckin’ write-up” is bold from someone wanting to make their name is commendable nonetheless. As the full band takes to the stage and introduces metal riffs to rap delivery, ZERO 9:36 becomes a chilled experience the crowd is more than happy to vibe to.
“Let’s get some fucking mosh pits going” is a sentiment which is repeated many times. It was also one that is lost on this audience. While there are small pockets of pits this simply wasn’t music to open the floor. The musicianship on display isn’t in question at all. There are juicy breakdowns hidden within Take Me Instead and WWYDF. The somewhat frantic delivery of In My Hands against a mellower background displays the duality of battling addictions. However, the vocals were fast to the point of verging on mumble rap and being difficult to pick up on.
ZERO 9:36’s set passes us by in a hazy blur. Bar Adrenaline. The vibe stayed primarily the same; chill, with a lashing of heavy breakdowns and pop-punk style clean choruses. Whether the crowds of our shores lived up to ZERO 9:36’s expectations is relatively unclear but this is an act which needs to sit with us a while longer.
Rating: 6/10
When we think of ASKING ALEXANDRIA, we think of Danny Worsnop and his somewhat tumultuous past. Though hoping to divorce themselves from the drama, the British band take to the stage and launch straight into Alone Again. They’re met with a warm reaction from fans who admit they prefer the older material as opposed to the recent but will enjoy the show regardless. Perhaps living up to a prima donna perception those have of him, Worsnop struts out onto the stage donning a leather jacket and sunglasses prompting some comments from the crowd around us. We’re not here to judge outfit choices or people however, we’re here for the music which is unadulterated British hard rock in places.
An early highlight comes with The Violence. A track full of hard hitting riffs from the tandem of Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell. It’s here the myriad of pyrotechnics begins which is a welcome reprieve from the bitter cold patrons had to face before being admitted into the arena. A slight criticism comes with the realisation ASKING ALEXANDRIA had more pyro than the headlining act but again, we’re here for the music. Older material clashes with the new as Into The Fire melts into the slower Someone, Somewhere. It’s easy to see this is a band which has matured and grown from their past experiences. They sound a much tighter unit than before. Worsnop has also aged for the better as his clean vocals have a touch of soul to them in parts.
Those who came into the set thinking they were having to endure parts of this set were instead treated to ASKING ALEXANDRIA’s older material, complete with growls and screams from Worsnop. A welcome sound to a crowd anticipating those deeper cuts. Do Worsnop’s growls stand the test of time? Absolutely but perhaps a little too well. Not a criticism in the slightest. It became a personal pondering point for someone intrigued about vocal wear and tear.
The highlight of the set for many people was the closing The Final Episode (Let’s Change The Channel). The heaviest cut of ASKING ALEXANDRIA’s set evokes the biggest reaction from the crowd. Looking at the Yorkshire clan, this was the track the band most enjoyed playing. Ending their UK tour in Wembley Arena, playing a track which propelled them to popularity was an infectious high. With the final blast of pyro seeking to singe people’s faces and a roar to warm the crowd for what was to come, ASKING ALEXANDRIA’s closing moments leave patrons at fever pitch.
Rating: 7/10
Remember COVID? The period of time where live music came to standstill? We’re still trying to forget it but SHINEDOWN swiftly reminds us with a video montage stating it had been almost six hundred days since their last visit to the UK in 2019. For many, that period of time was about to culminate in this very moment.
The Saints Of Violence And Innuendo is simply a statement of intent. From Barry Kerch’s pounding drums to the grind of Zach Myers’ guitars, SHINEDOWN’s mission statement is to make this a night to remember. This song alone set the standard high. How do you follow an opener like that? With Devil of course. Vocalist Brent Smith is nothing short of militant in his delivery. Exercising restraint yet still able to pour his entire being into a song as aggressive as this is a feat we can only applaud. The trio of hard hitting slugs ends with recent Planet Zero. While the album of the same name was met with mixed reception upon release, the live rendition is simply sublime. The tone of the track changes with context and grows into its own as personal stamps are placed on it. Myers launches himself across the stage with the greatest of ease without missing a single note. While he draws the eye, it’s difficult to completely divert attention from the almost cyborg nature of Smith. “Look at me, I’m not lookin’ for a favor/ I’m just lookin’ for an axe to grind” oozes resentment and venom in the way we were hoping the record would have on first listen.
Drawing himself front and centre after slower How Did You Love, Smith takes the time to address the crowd and remind us we are all here for the same reason; to release our negativity and support each other. Addressing the next year for SHINEDOWN, Smith shocks many by stating 2023 houses the 20th anniversary for their debut album Leave A Whisper. While we were questioning if we’re really that old, SHINEDOWN slides into a powerful rendition of 45. When coupled with Dysfunctional You which received its live debut in Cardiff, it’s hard to not compare the two. While both are soul stripping and incredibly introspective, Dysfunctional You seems slightly more refined yet 45 still packs the punch it did back in 2003.
It’s a well known fact SHINEDOWN is a band which has been open about mental health since its inception. From talks of rehab, addiction, and struggles with depression, SHINEDOWN is a band of brutal honesty yet has the ability to relate. Set to a piano melody from bassist Eric Bass, Smith addresses that very fact. “We don’t want anyone on this planet to feel like they are unloved, unwanted, unnecessary, but above all that they don’t have a purpose” comes from a broader speech of reassuring empowerment we wish we could implant into your brain, dear reader, as well as our own. Following Daylight resulted in many tears throughout the arena. Smith’s otherwise barking vocals are softer as if taking the role of therapist or friend while the presence of “Have faith that you’re not alone” on the screen behind them drives the point home.
Firmly in the palm of their hands, Smith takes the opportunity to jump into the crowd to encourage them to ramp up the energy for Enemies. With rage back on the menu, Enemies and Cut The Cord shake the rafters of the arena. This carnival of chaos doesn’t last long as anthemic Second Chance and Unity bring the crowd together once more and showcase their singing voices. Turning us introspective once more, Monsters is reserved in its delivery, the stage plunging into green lighting and pyro.
Ever been to a party where a guy pulled out an acoustic guitar and played an OASIS cover? Imagine that but in Wembley Arena and with Don’t Look Back In Anger instead of Wonderwall. With Myers and Bass sharing vocals, we couldn’t help but wonder why this was even happening. While the crowd engaged and drowned out the musicians, it still felt like that guy at the party. Though it is followed by a wonderful tribute to FLEETWOOD MAC’s Christine McVie who passed away on November 30th.
A band is only as good as its closing song. Celebrating its 15th anniversary next year, SHINEDOWN closes with the faithful Sound Of Madness. There are only so many adjectives we can use about how explosive this denouement is. With a gaggle of fans exploding into the night, abuzz with ecstasy yet completely spent from the 90 minute set they had just experienced there is one statement we feel comfortable enough to make. SHINEDOWN put on a show for the ages this evening and have proved why they are an upcoming mainstay for the heavy rock world.
Rating: 9/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Serena Hill Photography here:
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