A Day To Remember at O2 Academy Brixton, Night 1

Even before any music was played inside the O2 Academy Brixton, the venue felt more like a sauna than a concert hall. With no air conditioning and a sold-out crowd packing every corner, fans were already fanning themselves, visibly sweating, and asking security for water. And this was before support band Guilt Trip even hit the stage.

Guilt Trip

Kicking off the first of two sold-out London nights, Guilt Trip brought an aggressive burst of energy that immediately set the tone. The Manchester hardcore outfit stormed in with “Sweet Dreams,” igniting a pit that never really let up. Our well-known Cookie Monster costume surfed over the crowd and joined quite a few mosh pits.

Frontman Jay Valentine was tireless. He didn’t just perform, he sprinted, leapt, screamed, and demanded chaos at every corner of the stage. His energy kept the heat up through the rest of the set. It’s safe to say they weren’t just a warm-up act; they were a wrecking ball that left the room stunned.

Between sets, a brief break was filled by something almost as loud as the music: thousands of voices singing along to Linkin Park when “In the End” played over the PA. Everyone knew every word, screaming it with the kind of emotion you usually save for the headliner. It’s rare to see such a excitement in the crowd in between sets.

A Day to Remember

When A Day to Remember finally took the stage, they did so with a blast, shooting up smoke as they launched straight into “The Downfall of Us All.” Instantly, the floor erupted. Crowd surfers came flying over the barrier, one after another, like a human wave. Security was fully engaged, helping fans down as fast as they were coming up, and still trying to get water to those beginning to overheat.

The setlist was packed. Around 23 songs, it was a set that leaned heavily on their latest release, You’re Welcome, and Big Ole Album Vol. 1, but still had plenty of time for the old favourites. No fan was walking away thinking they didn’t get their money’s worth, but everyone could agree they were walking away drenched.

The band’s live sound was heavier, thicker, and more aggressive than on record. Tracks like “2nd Sucks,” “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End,” and “I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” hit like a freight train. The transitions between the pop punk choruses and the metalcore breakdowns felt more natural live, especially with frontman Jeremy McKinnon showing exactly why he’s one of the most commanding performers in the genre, always interacting with the crowd (and the photographers).

Of course, ADTR being ADTR, there were some great covers of “Rescue Me” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” that had the crowd screaming with just as much enthusiasm as the originals. It’s a weird trick they’ve mastered, slipping in pop covers without derailing the intensity, and it works because they lean in hard, turning them into full-blown party anthems.

It was a night and a concert that didn’t lack anything; fire cannons blasted, confetti rained down, and giant beach balls bounced through the crowd.

Even with people fainting and gasping for air due to the heat, almost no one left early. The crowd stayed put, sweat-soaked and exhausted, but definitely happy. No gimmicks needed. Just a band in peak form, giving everything.

If this was night one, night two had a lot to live up to.