Atreyu / Rock City / Nottingham
Atreyu are one of those bands I’ll come back to see again and again. Indeed I saw them headline at Rock City and again at Download 2024. This time, we’re back at Nottingham’s iconic venue as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of the album “The Curse”.
First up in support is Zero 9:36, an American rapper/rock musician from Langhorne Pennsylvania. Joined just by a guitarist and drummer Zero 9:36 delivers a high energy set mixing modern metal with some fantastic old school rap beats.
The mix of styles was spot on and worked effectively, the metal vocals both melodic and screams balancing well, and the musicianship was excellent. Zero 9:36 delivers boundless energy throughout and builds a strong ,link to the audience, with jumps and posing on the monitors, waving and encouraging the crowd as much as possible to get involved.
A thoroughly enjoyable opening set.
Setlist
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After a short break to reset the stage, next up, Eighteen Visions step out into the limelight. Formed in 1995 Eighteen Visions are an American metalcore band from Orange County, California. However they split in 2007, and after a decade apart, they reformed in 2017, going on to release their sixth album “XVIII” on Rise Records.
Eighteen Visions bring something a bit different to the table. Their songs start with droning synth tones and shoegaze guitar licks, as the tracks morph into something much heavier. The transitions seem so natural and gel the two styles effectively into one.
At the forefront is vocalist James Hart who pulls the whole thing together with his entertaining style and incredible vocal range/tone. From intense screams and high-end vocals blended with lover melodic sounds is exceptional.
Just like Zero 9:36, the energy levels are top draw, with everyone moving and jumping around. The crowd reacting to it and raising their voices in response, the intensity perfectly epitomised in tracks such as Crushed, Bleed by Yourself and the excellent set closer Tower of Snakes.
The perfect foil and set up for whats to come next.
Setlist
Obsession
I Let Go
Crushed
Vanity
The Disease, the Decline, and Wasted Time
Waiting for the Heavens
Bleed by Yourself
A Long Way Home
She Looks Good in Velvet
Motionless and White (with Cameron Miller)
Tower of Snakes
Credit to the support acts, time has flown by and its time for the headliners. Atreyu Are an American metalcore band from Yorba Linda, California, formed in 1998. The band's current line-up consists of Brandon Saller (vocals), Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel (guitar), Marc "Porter" McKnight (bass) and Kyle Rosa (drums).
The band has released nine studio albums from their 2002 debut “Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses”, “The Curse” (2004), “A Death-Grip on Yesterday” (2006), “Lead Sails Paper Anchor” (2007), “Congregation of the Damned” (2009), “Long Live” (2015), “In Our Wake” (2018), “Baptize” (2021), and their most recent release “The Beautiful Dark of Life” (2023).
Tonight we’re here to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their classic album “The Curse”.
The stage design is sparse. No big risers and banks of lights, fire effects. Drumkit at the back and a small riser at the front of the stage….. and lots fo room to move in !
Atreyu take to the stage to huge cheers and applause from the Rock City crowd, and they jump right into the excellent Bleeding Mascara. It's fast, it’s loud and sets the atmosphere expectations from the off. Vocals are shared between Marc and Brandon. The guitar riffs are powerful and compliment the excellent drumming of Kyle perfectly. The crowd are in the mood for some fun, and Atreyu are delivering in bucket loads !
Dan Jacobs is a whirl on guitar, pulling off some incredible riffs as he paces the stage from side to side, with his trademark headband and ear to ear grin. Influenced by classic 80’s rock, his riffs are soaring and wail with intense energy. Dan is a man that LOVES his craft, and sharing it with the audience every single night.
But Atreyu are a band full of entertainers. Brandon on vocals chats at ease with the crowd between songs, Dan races round the stage and is joined by Travis. After Right Side of the Bed I look up to see guitarist Travis Miguel casually standing there chomping on a glazed doughnut ! I turn to see Marc McKnight combing his impressively long red beard ! (and offered to comb mine too lol).
This is a band that have fun doing what they do best, making brilliant, lively and energetic metal, and entertaining their fans. And the fans respond, and then some – chants, shouts, screams, cheers…. You name it. The atmosphere is incredible.
The set just flies by, with highlights such as The Crimson, My Sanity on the Funeral Pyre, Becoming the Bull and high energy set closer Lip Gloss and Black.
Atreyu are one of those bands you need to see. Not just incredible musicians, but entertainers. And once you’ve seen them, believe me, you’ll want to come back again. A great night all round. The support from Zero 9:36 and Eighteen Visions were high energy and set the scene perfectly, and Atreyu were on stunning form. Top top stuff !
Setlist
Blood Children 2.0
Bleeding Mascara
Right Side of the Bed
This Flesh a Tomb
You Eclipsed by Me
The Crimson
The Remembrance Ballad
An Interlude
Corseting
Demonology and Heartache
My Sanity on the Funeral Pyre
Nevada's Grace
Five Vicodin Chased With a Shot of Clarity
Encore:
Becoming the Bull
Ex's and Oh's
Dead
Lip Gloss and Black
