Beartooth ? a band whose albums might be hit or miss, but when it comes to live shows? They?ve got it down. Honestly, at this stage in their career, their recordings only tell half the story. Their live shows have a totally different energy that fans come back for. Tonight?s crowd at Alexandra Palace might look a bit scattered, but keep in mind: this is a huge venue, practically an arena. Beartooth?s come a long way, and you can tell they know exactly what works for them.
First up on the lineup, though, are the so-called “special guests.” Lately, that term gets thrown around pretty loosely. I mean, it?s just two more metalcore bands before the headliner?not exactly wild. Beartooth could?ve gone for something out there, like HARDY, to really mix it up. That would?ve been interesting!
LANDMVRKS
LANDMVRKS kick things off, doing everything they can to stand out. They play as if this is their show, even though their blend of metalcore, nu-metal, rapcore, and deathcore can feel a little all over the place. They?re ambitious, though, and they?re not standing still. Florent Salfati brings this 2000s energy, strutting around like a French Fred Durst, which honestly, is fun to watch. The highlight has to be when Zelli from Paleface Swiss joins them for ‘Say No Word’?suddenly, it?s like they?ve kicked things up a notch.
Polaris
Polaris take the stage next and are more of your classic metalcore band. They pull out synchronized headbanging on ‘All In Vain,’ which brings back some old-school vibes, and frontman Jamie Hails goes all-in, practically risking whiplash with the way he thrashes around. They?re straightforward, but they?re good at what they do. When Salfati joins them for ‘Hypermania,’ the energy cranks up, and Polaris close things out strong.
Beartooth
Then Beartooth finally takes over, bringing nothing but pure effort to the stage. Most of their set is from their latest album, ‘The Surface.’ Maybe it?s not their best work on record, but live, these songs really hit. The show kicks off with confetti and Caleb Shomo?s silhouette in front of the crowd, and it?s clear they?ve grown into this arena-rock vibe. They?re technically the lightest band on the lineup, but there?s no question who everyone?s here for.
This big-stage version of Beartooth didn?t just appear overnight?they?ve built up to this. The whole setup feels natural for them now, even if it?s lost a little of the raw punch Shomo used to be known for. But that?s all part of their journey as a band. Songs like ‘Doubt Me’ and ‘Might Love Myself’ come with this brighter, more anthemic vibe that totally works. Shomo still leads the charge, but the whole band matches his energy and brings it all together. They even get their own spotlight moment during ‘The Last Riff,’ packing all the heavy vibes into one intense part of the set.
But it?s not all shiny, new Beartooth; they?ve still got some old favorites. ‘The Lines’ and ‘Body Bag’ bring back that gritty, heavy feel, while ‘Devastation’ bridges the old sound with their new style. Then, with Shomo handling a flamethrower and pyro bursting around them, it?s Beartooth at their most intense.
One of the most memorable parts of the night is the quiet moment when Shomo steps to the back of the room with just an acoustic guitar. He leads the crowd through ‘Mr. Brightside,’ and everyone?s on board. Then he plays ‘Look The Other Way’ for his wife, which makes the whole show feel more personal. He even shouts out House of Protection as a new band he?s into, proving he?s still all about live music. For Shomo, Beartooth has always been an outlet, and now it feels like he?s using it for growth, connection, and a bit of self-love. And, as always, Beartooth live is where the real magic happens.
