On June 24th, Le Transbordeur in Lyon, France, hosted an explosive metalcore concert featuring While She Sleeps, Bury Tomorrow, and ERRA. Unfortunately, due to an early start time of 6:30 pm, we missed the first opening act, Make Them Suffer. However, the night quickly picked up momentum with ERRA’s performance. Originally Thrown was also on the line-up, but they had to cancel their appearance at the show due to illness.
As ERRA took the stage, the energy in the venue immediately felt palpable. The crowd began clapping almost instantly, setting the tone for an enthusiastic reception. The venue was already packed, and the band wasted no time in engaging with the audience, calling for hands in the air – a command that was eagerly followed. The lighting setup was impressive, its vibrant colours enhancing the overall experience. The guitarist’s constant spinning added a dynamic visual element to their performance, perfectly complementing their heavy, djent-style breakdowns. Their set climaxed with ‘Snowblood’, featuring a standout solo that left a lasting impression.
Next up was Bury Tomorrow, who kicked off their set with ‘The Seventh Sun’, followed by ‘Abandon Us’. During ‘Begin Again’, the band asked the crowd to illuminate the venue with their phones and flashlights, creating a magical atmosphere. Dan Winter-Bates, the band’s charismatic frontman, even orchestrated a Mexican Wave, commenting on how he could see the entire back of the venue participating. Clean vocalist Tom Prendergast’s performances were a highlight, with ‘Black Flame’ standing out as a crowd favourite. The powerful vocals and intricate guitar work led to an eruption of crowd surfing and the first circle pit of the night. Dan shared a heartfelt moment, reminiscing about their early performances in France to just five people, and gave a moving speech about tolerance, encouraging fans to make new friends by putting their arms around each other’s shoulders. The band’s new song, ‘Villain Arc’, received a fantastic live rendition, and the set ended with an intense wall of death, leaving the audience buzzing with adrenaline.
The headliner, While She Sleeps, delivered a scorching set, both literally and figuratively, with the heat and energy in the venue reaching peak levels. Loz Taylor, the band’s frontman, had to take a brief break due to the intensity. During ‘Faker’s Plague’, some lucky fans got to join the band on stage, adding a personal touch to the performance. The stage production notably improved compared to their last show in Lyon, which took place in a smaller venue (Ninkasi Kao). The band’s sound was ferocious, with heavy guitar riffs that resonated throughout the hall. Genuine gratitude was evident as they repeatedly thanked the Lyon crowd, who responded with chants of “WHILE SHE SLEEPS” midway through the show. New tracks ‘To The Flowers’ and ‘Rainbows’ sounded even heavier live, and classic hits like ‘Four Walls’ had everyone screaming the lyrics. Loz Taylor kept the crowd entertained for example with a joke during ‘Silence Speaks’, teasing an appearance by Oli Sykes. He expressed genuine happiness at the fans knowing all the lyrics, despite them being in a foreign language.
Overall, it was a sick show by While She Sleeps, who continue to level up with each performance. Their sold-out concert confirmed their status as one of the biggest names in metalcore today. From ERRA’s powerful start, to Bury Tomorrow’s captivating middle set, and While She Sleeps’ explosive finale, the night was a testament to the vibrant and passionate metalcore scene in Lyon.
Written by: Florentine Pautet
Photographed by: Florentine Pautet
Edited by: Marieke Weeda
