After a long day of work, it was time for my first gig of the month (and in a long while for me) as Alt Metallers Bad Omens brought their tour of the Concrete Jungle to Birmingham, the home of metal, alongside Alt-Rock Hip-Hop four piece Oxymorrons and “Nu-Wave” Nu-Metal/Electronic Metal act Ghøstkid featuring Sebastian “Sushi” Biesler (ex-Electric Callboy). After finding my way to the venue, I took in how gorgeous it was as I’d never actually been to The Mill. Luckily for me, it wasn’t long for the first act of the night to hit the stage.
Until getting approved for the show, I had never heard of Oxymorrons but God damn they got the energy going from the opening moments of their set. Blending elements of ’90s and modern Hip-Hop lyrics alongside a tight mix of Metalcore and Hardcore instrumentals. I was absorbed into the band’s set from the moment they started to the final moments of their time on stage and can see them blowing up incredibly fast due to how genuinely different and authentic their music is. Enemy, the band’s most recent single was my personal highlight but there wasn’t a single track that didn’t manage to get me moving along. One powerful moment from the set was also the talk about how the rock and metal scene is only killing itself with the constant, never-ending gatekeeping against anything that doesn’t sound traditional, something I firmly agree with. Easily one of the best opening acts I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing and I highly recommend seeing them soon, it won’t be long till they’re selling out headline shows.
After a short break, contemporary Nu-Metallers Ghøstkid took to the stage. Featuring Sebastian “Sushi” Biesler, the EC energy was as strong as ever with great stage presence and a tight performance that felt both incredibly well rehearsed whilst feeling completely natural. With the crowd fully absorbed by the end of their second track, the band’s job was purely to keep their attention and the blend of catchy choruses and immense breakdowns managed to do so easily. By the halfway point, the band’s songs started to blend together a little for me personally, but it didn’t stop the crowd from enjoying every moment. even with some small technical issues part way through the set, Ghøstkid are a great band that while I wasn’t a fan of personally doesn’t take away from the skill and creativity of all involved. If you’re into your more Electronic focused metalcore, give them a shot.
After the final changeover, Bad Omens took to the stage with an onslaught of applause fitting for one of Metal’s fastest-growing acts. Starting the set off with Concrete Jungle and Artificial Suicide, it only took a few seconds for the crowd to become absorbed by the tight set. The band focused primarily on their newest album for the set list, pulling out such fan favourites as The Death of Peace of Mind, Like A Villain and Just Pretend. The band’s set was as tight as expected and helped showcase exactly how they’ve blown up as fast as they have. I’m also incredibly glad that the venue for the show got upgraded to a bigger space, as it allowed for the vast layers of sound to come across on the larger PA and stage that help create the tonal nuances within the band’s music. A great set filled with tight, technical performances that were loved by all in attendance.
Honestly, this is an easy gig, to sum up, all 3 bands were great, and it was obvious from my spot on the balcony how much the crowd got into the night. 3 great bands that gave it their all and I cannot recommend seeing them all live enough.
Review: Dan Stapleton
Photography:Bryan Kirks
@brybarian on Instagram
