Review: Parkway Drive shake the O2 Academy to its core
- Parkway Drive returned to Birmingham’s O2 Academy on Monday February 15th 2016
- Support on the night came from Thy Art Is Murder & Bury Tomorrow
- Parkway Drive whip crowd into a frenzy with the likes of ‘Carrion’
Thy Art Is Murder are a band who have a lot expected of them, especially since the departure of ex-vocalist CJ McMahon but Nick Arthur (vocals) soon became a crowd favourite as he took to the stage of the O2 Academy. Despite them being the opening band, the whole crowd was moving, with the circle pit stretching back to the sound desk instantly. Arthur’s stage presence didn’t quite match the brutality of CJ’s however he sure knew how to rock a crowd, leaving them chanting for more and more as the set progressed. Teaming with the vocals were the fast-paced guitars that supplied the rhythm for the movement that passed around the room.
The excited atmosphere of the crowd decreased, however, as Bury Tomorrow took to the stage. Although they are a more popular band they received a lot less attention than the previous band, but this did not stop Dani Winter-Bates (unclean vocals) urging the audience to jump around and have a good time. On top of this Winter-Bates recreated his exceptional vocals, from studio work, with perfection. Mixing up their setlist with music from all three of their albums, the band definitely created a variety. Crowd favourite ‘Lionheart’ successfully poured some energy back into the room in preparation for headline band Parkway Drive.
Dry ice filled the stage as the opening chords to ‘Destroyer’ embraced the room and the band emerged from the smoke. Red and white streamers, displaying the colours of Parkway Drive’s latest album Ire, sprung from the ceilings and it was clear that this set was going to blow away every person in the room. As Winston McCall’s screams beckoned from the stage the heavy drum beat kicked in and the whole room began to move, the crowd in the palm of Parkway Drive’s hands. It was clear that the production for the set had been thought through with an amazing light show and special effects such as cannons shooting fire. Each song that was played went down well with the crowd as the band had chosen tracks from throughout their career. ‘Carrion’ streamed out through the speakers and instantly the crowd were singing and screaming along to potentially the favourite song of the night. In that moment, the room fused together as one and an environment was created that is not witnessed often at a gig. Parkway Drive definitely gave their fans their money’s worth, with an incredible show throughout, leaving them anticipating their return immediately.
