August Burns Red returns to headline Europe for their Death Below tour, starting off their first show in the United Kingdom, after which they played three dates across the country. The Pennsylvanian band kicked off their tour in Manchester, at the 02 Ritz, on the 21st of March, with openers Dying Wish and thrown. They played songs from the release of their latest album, with a selection of older tracks that certainly contributed to a memorable and energetic performance.
First up to open the night, Swedish hardcore band thrown were definitely ones to watch. They took the stage at 7:30 p.m., with the centre of the crowd reciprocating their energy, as a very animated pit immediately commenced. Having yet to release an album, they played their entire discography to date (with the addition of a new unreleased song), which has evidently attracted a large and dedicated audience in recent months. This could be seen through the recognition and crowd’s reaction to them playing ‘on the verge’. Their presence on the tour has been favourable, having provided them with another opportunity to showcase their live talent and potential.
Next up, Dying Wish continued the movement within the room, with their set taking off at 8:25 p.m. Despite being the first date on this Death Below European tour, the American band played the previous night in Birmingham, at Devils Dog Digbeth, for their own one-off special headline show. Nevertheless, Dying Wish were as impassioned and intense as expected, delivering a powerful performance that definitely got the crowd going. A notable moment was vocalist Emma Boster giving a much needed and respectable statement to “Free Palestine” in between songs. Their set and performance throughout definitely highlighted Dying Wish as a versatile, dedicated, and audacious band within the metal scene.
Finally, August Burns Red headlined the stage at 9:25 p.m., beginning their set with ‘Empire’, the opening track of their 2011 album Leveler, a fast and energetic song that ultimately set the tone for that night and the rest of the tour. Once again, the energy in the room was matched by the crowd, with the ever-growing addition of crowd surfers throughout. They continued the night with a selection of songs from their latest 2023 album, before going back even further to their 2007 album to play ‘Truth of a Liar’ and ‘Composure’, which was earned with several cheers of recognition and appreciation from the crowd.
Throughout their performance, August Burns Red brought a lively and playful personality to the stage, juxtaposing their brutal breakdowns, with vocalist Jake Luhrs at one moment proclaiming “put on your dancing shoes” before swaying during the guitar solo of ‘Animals’, as well as making several other small quips to interact with the room. On the contrary, the band also played a few more melodic and sombre tracks dispersed throughout the set that ultimately raised emotions from long-time fans within the audience.
Despite being the opening night, this was only the starting moment for a very promising and fun tour that showcases a mixture of tracks from throughout their discography since being formed in 2003, which offers something not just for diehard fans of the metalcore band, but also gives an induction for new listeners.
