REVIEW: Five Finger Death Punch, O2 Academy
To say the O2 Academy was bursting with energy on Saturday night would be a complete understatement. The noise and excitement of a sold out crowd for Five Finger Death Punch’s first UK show of this Headline tour was outstanding.
With support from PopEvil and Upon A Burning Body, FFDP exploded onto their tour with their latest album “The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell” under their belt.
First on were the American based rock band Pop Evil, who announced to the crowd that this was their first ever English show. And you could tell they were excited to be there. The movement on stage was only beaten by the way the crowd reacted to the band, opening pits left right and centre to the command of the lead singer Leigh Kakaty. With their number one hit on Rock Radio in the US ‘Trenches’, it became apparent that the UK were accepting them with open arms as they played through their set.
Following shortly after came Upon a Burning Body, a deathcore band also from Stateside. With a very different attire to most bands, suits and ties, the band launched into their set, with the bellowing cry ‘Welcome to the Family’! The night had already begun for the audience as they continued to show why Birmingham is known as the home of Metal, as they reacted with nothing but energy for the 5-some on stage.
As the night moved forward, the crowd began to get anxious, with cries of ‘Five Finger!’ ‘Death Punch!’, and as the lights dimmed down, the cheers sparked up. With the opening of ‘Under and Over it’ FFDP kickstarted their UK tour. As a Union Jack flew on stage, Ivan Moody grabbed it and flung it up in front of him.
Moving through the night with ‘Burn it Down’ and ‘Hard to See’ following, the crowd began flying over the barrier, and didn’t stop moving once. With plenty of banter and toying with the crowd, as well as smiles all round, the band seemed to be in love with this birthplace of rock, as they moved through the night, even when the equipment nearly toppled down upon them.
The night drew to a close with ‘Here to Die’, ‘Far From Home’ and finally ‘The Bleeding’. The night was over, even if the band didn’t want it to be. With this kind of start to the tour, everyone who has the chance to go see Five Finger Death Punch, needs to get to a show.
Jack Kirby
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Tickets for Five Finger Death Punch are available here.
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