Live Review: Beartooth in Vienna

On October 15, 2024, Beartooth performed at Gasometer in Vienna, Austria. Upon entering the venue, the unmistakable scent of beer and cigarettes filled the air. In the dim light, the crowd was a sea of black, with most people wearing metal band shirts. Landmvrks opened the night with an energetic performance, featuring an impressive light show. From the first moment, there was constant movement—not only on stage but in the crowd, with people jumping up and down in sync with the music, clearly enjoying themselves.

The band’s logo, glowing behind the drummer, caught attention with its appealing design. A standout moment came when the band left the stage, leaving only the singer behind. He began playing ‘Suffocate’ solo with a guitar, and the rest of the band later rejoined him. Their set wasn’t limited to English; they incorporated some French into their music as well. During the final song, ‘Self-Made Black Hole,’ the first crowd surfer of the evening made their way across the sea of people.

Right on schedule, Polaris took the stage, and something about their music or performance was instantly captivating. Despite not having listened to them before, a few songs really stood out. The same went for Landmvrks; both bands left a strong impression, and it would be worth catching their sets again at a festival or local event. Their energy was undeniable.

During Polaris’ set, hair was flying everywhere, and the crowd’s arms shot up, fully immersed in the music. It was surprising to see how much energy the crowd gave to both supporting acts, and they absolutely deserved it, as both delivered fantastic performances. Near the end of the set, singer Jamie Hails gave a heartfelt speech, thanking the crowd and speaking about the importance of music for the soul. He also paid tribute to their late guitarist, Ryan Siew, who passed away last year. The room immediately erupted in chants of Ryan’s name, creating a powerful, emotional moment. After 45 minutes, their set came to an end, with Jamie forming a heart with his hands and shouting “thank you” in German.

Beartooth kicked off their show with a big bang of confetti, immediately matching the high energy of their support acts and the crowd. From the start, crowd surfers could be seen gliding across the sea of fans. The stage setup featured video wall screens on each side and in the back, with additional angled screens pointing toward the crowd. The design was simple yet unique enough to keep things visually exciting, while still being very pleasing to look at.

By the third song, ‘Bad Listener,’ pyrotechnics lit up the stage, and for the next track, ‘Riptide,’ a small laser show added to the spectacle. With fog machines blasting, it became clear that Beartooth had brought every possible stage effect with them—but they used them sparingly. Each element felt perfectly timed and fitting for the moment, enhancing the experience without overwhelming it.

During the set, Beartooth’s singer Caleb Shomo made several outfit changes. He started in a plaid jacket, then switched to a shirt, which he eventually took off. After ‘Might Love Myself,’ Caleb briefly left the stage while the band played an instrumental, only to reappear on the B-stage under a single spotlight, guitar in hand. There, he delivered a solo cover of ‘Mr. Brightside’ by The Killers. The next song, ‘Look the Other Way,’ was dedicated to his wife, and the room lit up as fans raised their phone flashlights.

Afterwards, Caleb parted the crowd like Moses parting the sea to make his way back to the main stage. They continued with ‘The Lines,’ an older hit, while also mixing in recent tracks. When ‘ATTN’ (read as “attention”) kicked off, a seemingly endless wave of crowd surfers surged toward the front. It was the most crowd surfing witnessed, even compared to festival shows—it was safe to say that security had their hands full that night.

The highlight of the set was ‘You Never Know,’ a personal favourite. Somewhere along the way, Caleb had changed into yet another outfit, this time a pink suit jacket, sparking curiosity about the reasoning behind the wardrobe changes. Whether it tied to specific songs or was just part of his stage persona, it was captivating to watch.

For the encore, Caleb emerged wearing only a mesh vest and sunglasses, adding a final touch of flair. Confetti exploded into the crowd, accompanied by pyrotechnics and fog, making for a massive, energetic finale. Unfortunately, the bass became overwhelming at that point, making it difficult to fully enjoy the end. Still, the closing was undeniably impressive, and the crowd’s enthusiasm was unmatched. Even with earplugs, the audience’s screams left ears ringing—it was the loudest, most intense crowd experienced.

As the lights came back on and ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ played over the speakers, it felt like waking up from another world. Overall, it was a highly enjoyable evening, and though the bands were unfamiliar beforehand, their live performances made a lasting impression.