Volbeat / Motorpoint Arena / Nottingham

Back to the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham to catch Volbeat on their “Greatest of all Tours” tour. This was one I didn’t want to miss. I last saw Volbeat in late 2022 at the same venue, (supported by Napalm Death and Skindred) and they blew me away.

Tonight we open with a set from Manchester based Witch Fever. I last saw Witch fever two years ago when alongside Modern Error, they supported Hot Milk. A band who refuse to be confined by any one gender or genre, they always deliver a powerful and emotional performance. They have released two albums to date, Congregation in 2022, and Fevereaten released last month. Having seen them in a smaller venue, I was excited to see how it would transition to an arena environment.

I need not have worried. Despite no set of their own, and a huge stage, Amy Walpole, Alex Thompson, Alisha Yarwood & Annabelle Joyce owed the place. Amy commanded her stage, walker every inch to get as close as she could to her audience, and Alisha threw out some power rich riffs that resolated round the arena.

Most of the short support set came from latest album “Fevereaten”, the highlight being a swaggering rendition of Dead To Me!

It’s a big step up to large venues and a risk if stadium/arena audiences are ready for what you bring to the table, but Witch Fever were excellent, and I’m sure they grew their fanbase tonight.

Setlist

Drank the Sap

The Garden

Burn to Hit

Dead To Me!

Reincarnate

Fevereaten

I See It

Next up we are joined by Bush. I have to admit, Bush are one of those bands that are a household name, and yet somehow…… they have not come across my radar much at all. (My loss lol). For me, they’re one of those bands you say ‘oh year Bush…..’ and yet I knew little about them. From London and formed in 1992 Bush are lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Gavin Rossdale, lead guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Corey Britz, and drummer Nik Hughes.

They cane to worldwide attention in 1994 with the release of their debut album “Sixteen Stone” that went on to become a multi-platinum selling album. One of the ost commercially successful bands of their time, Bush broke up in 2002, but reformed again in 2010 and since then have gone on to release six more albums from 2011’s “The Sea of Memories” 2025’s “I Beat Loneliness”. In total Bush have released ten studio albums.

Rossdale, is an enigmatic frontman and with a stage presence made for large stadiums / areans. There’s something of the Michael Hutchence in his looks (no bad thing) and at 60, he remains an energetic whirlwind on stage.

Part way through Rossdale leads the crowd in a stunning cover of the Beatles Come Together giving it a different, edgier feel. As always with this classic, the audience threw themselves with vigour into the chorus sections. Simply spine tingling !

Perhaps my highlight was a wonderful version of Swallowed which Rossdale delivered perfectly. As his voice has matured it adds a warm melodic tone to the track. Rossdale asked the audience to turn their phone lights on, and the area was awash with twinkling stars of light as he performed this incredible number. A wonderful moment that will last long in the memories.

Rossdale also went for a wander round the arena, climbing down from the stage, across the floor and up into the seats on the side to sing, before journeying back across to the delight of everyone he came by.

They ended their set with “Flowers on a Grave” from 2020’s “The Kingdon”.

Watching and listening to this performance, I wonder to myself how I hadn’t got more into Bush before. Masters of the live performance, and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. A band I will definitely have to see live again real soon.

Setlist

Everything Zen

60 Ways To Forget People

The Land of Milk and Honey

More Than Machines

Identity

I Am Here to Save Your Life

Come Together (The Beatles cover)

Swallowed

I Beat Loneliness

Flowers on a Grave

A longer break as the curtain is raised round the stage, for the crew to set up read for Volbeat. Formed in Copenhagen in 2001, Volbeat are a force unlike any other, delivering a cross between rock and roll and heavy metal. Their current line-up consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Michael Poulsen, drummer Jon Larsen, and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen. Guitarist Rob Caggiano left 2023 and has been replaced by Flemming C. Lund.

Volbeat have released nine studio albums from 2005’s debut “The Strength/The Sound/The Songs” to God of Angels Trust released this summer. Their most commercially successful being the brilliant 2016 album “Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie” which reached #4 in the US charts.

The lights finally dim, and the lights come on behind the curtain, revealing an image of the four main band members. The excitement grows and the curtain drops to cheers and screams. Michael Poulsen struts along the long walkway to the front of the stage as they dive right into The Devil's Bleeding Crown from 2016’s “Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie” Poulsen has a magnetic stage presence, always smiling, and chatting with he crowd with ease. Before Lola Montez from 2023’s “Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies” he asks the Nottingham crowd how long its been since he’d been in our beautiful city. Hard to believe its been three years already.

Poulsen is not the only performer in the band, with Kasper Larson and new guitarist Flemming C. Lund also regular visitors down the long ramp to the front to pose and solo for the crowd. And what an addition the Danish guitarist Flemming is. Formerly of Autumn Leaves and The Arcane Order he delivers some spine tingling solos through the set.

The set is well constructed, with tracks from across their back catalogue, including newer, heavier tracks such as By a Monsters Hand from 2025’s “God Of Angels Trust” to stadium anthems such as Fallen, from 2010’s “Beyond Hell/Above Heaven”.

An acoustic guitar is brought out, and Poulsen chats with the crowd about life and music and takes us into a cover of the Johnny Cash classic Ring of Fire. It’s a song that is impossible not to sing along to, and Poulsen goers quiet and listens to the Nottingham crowd belt out the chorus. Magical !

Then came the hush, a lone acoustic strum, and Poulson took time to chat to the fans, we all knew what was coming as he teased us with the familiar melody of “Ring of Fire” It was the ghost of Johnny Cash standing just behind Poulsen, then the band slammed full-force into “Sad Man’s Tongue”

For me, the highlight was back to back tracks from my favourite album 2016’s “Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie” with Seal the Deal and For Evigt that light the room up. Movingly, Poulsen invites some of the crowds youngest fans up onto the stage for Still Counting and they take time to talk to the kids and interact with them all, strumming Poulsen’s guitar. A magical moment and something for lifetime memories for those young fans.

When watching Volbeat live, there is always the same problem…. The rules of space/time seem to go out the window and an hour blows past in what feels like a moment, and before you know it, we’re at the final song A Warrior's Call / Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza.

Volbeat were triumphant….. yet again, delivering a powerful, electric and emotional performance for the Nottingham faithful.

Setlist

The Devil's Bleeding Crown

Lola Montez

Sad Man's Tongue

Demonic Depression

Fallen

Shotgun Blues

In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan's Spawn in a Dying World of Doom

By a Monster's Hand

Heaven nor Hell

The Devil Rages On