Black Veil Brides bring their electrifying sold-out UK tour to Southampton’s O2 Guildhall, taking to the stage with all the signature style and explosive energy that fans have come to expect. Vocalist Andy Biersack looks dapper tonight, wearing a black suit and fingerless, elbow-length gloves, with his dark hair slicked back. Guitarists Jinxx and Jake Pitts and bassist Lonny Eagleton are dressed in signature leather jackets with cut-off sleeves, and drummer Christian “CC” Coma is bare-chested from the get-go, ready for a hot and sweaty night.
The intro already brings the mainly young front few rows to a fever pitch even before a single note has been played, and then the band kicks off big time with the crunching “Crimson Skies” from last year’s “The Phantom Tomorrow” album. For the second number, Andy disposes of the suit jacket, revealing a white vest with braces, and they go full pelt into the classic “Coffin”, with the vocalist making full use of the large Guildhall stage, gesturing for the fans to raise their arms and sing along. Before “Rebel Love Song”, Biersack apologizes to the crowd, saying he is struggling with his voice tonight but doesn’t want to let Southampton down. It is evident throughout the show that his throat is causing him problems, spraying it between songs to relieve some of the pain, but at no time does this distract from the performance, and they still manage to belt through a snapshot of the last 17 years’ back catalogue.
“You guys are fucking awesome”, states the frontman. “You can’t believe how happy it makes us hear you guys singing along” as they launch into “Scarlett Cross”, the stage illuminated in reds and purples. The lighting is excellent, with large banks of white spots on either side of the drum riser pulsing to the double bass beat of CC, who is lost in the rising dry ice at the rear of the stage. For “Shadows Die”, the band leaves the stage as the intro plays, and Jinxx takes centre stage on electro-violin before the rest of the band rejoins him.
Throughout the night, Black Veil Brides kept up the relentless energy, and crowd favourites “The Legacy”, “Wretched and Divine”, and “Knives and Pens” all leave a lasting mark on the fans. The encore is a stunner with a beautiful rendition of “Lost It All”, with the frontman and Jinxx again on electro-violin setting the mood before the rest of the band steps out from the shadows. “Fallen Angels” gets every fist in the venue pumping the air, and the chorus sounds huge when sung by every voice in the house and is definitely one of the night’s highlights. It’s an epic finale with “In the End” and a last chance for everyone to show their love for the band with a mass sing-a-long.
As the final notes echo through the O2 Guildhall, it’s clear that Black Veil Brides have left their mark on Southampton. The band delivered a stunning show despite Andy Biersack’s struggles with his voice. Black Veil Brides are still one kick-ass rock n’ roll band in 2023 that should be on your list to catch live.
Black Veil Brides didn’t come alone tonight and brought 2 support bands along for the ride, the first being Cemetery Sun.
Their unique sound blends alt-rock, pop, and electronica with catchy hooks and good anthemic sing-a-longs. Fronted by the energetic Josh Doty, who makes good use of the stage, constantly moving from one end to another. The band certainly have a few fans in the crowd, as I eye a few in the front row singing along. The Opener “Misery’s Company” is a good start with a strong chorus and bags of energy. Still, surprisingly it’s the poppier numbers of the set that make the most impact on me, including the rap of “19” and the intriguing “face Love”. A top crowd-pleasing opening set from these LA natives.
Next up is Lilith Czar, the hard rocking alter ego of Juliet Nicole Simms, who drops a powerful unapologetic set of pop-alt-rock bangers. From the moment Lilith hits the stage, she owns it. The crowd erupts as she launches into “Feed My Chaos,” a wild and unapologetic pop-alt-rock banger, all screaming guitar solos and crashing drums.
The beautiful “Unholy” starts slowly and bursts into a catchy as fuck chorus with an alt-country feel. The Stevie Nicks “Edge Of Seventeen” is treated with the utmost respect, signed, sealed, and delivered with style. Lilith saves the best for last with the incredible female empowerment single “King” it’s ferocious rock ‘n’ roll bursting with energy and classic lines, “Who’s to say a woman can’t think with her dick?” Set closer, “Anarchy” is another glorious rocker with a huge sing-a-long chorus, and Lilith drops down into the pit to sing it along with the crowd. Impressive stuff.
Lilith Czar is a force to be reckoned with, just check out the “Created From Filth and Dust” album and watch out because she’s only just getting started!
Photos and Words by Cris Watkins
