Bring Me the Horizon’s visual experience came to Arizona on Thursday, filling an ecstatic Comerica Theatre for the first stop on the band’s Threesome Tour. Joined by Sleeping with Sirens and Poppy, the British rock juggernaut’s visit was highly anticipated in the wake of last tour’s canceled show.
Poppy and Sleeping with Sirens warmed things up, providing stellar and fitting support for BMTH. Poppy’s mix of metal and bubblegum pop pulled the focus of the early crowd, many of whom were new to the sound. Sleeping with Sirens, already Valley regulars, had fans singing along to staples like “If You Can’t Hang”, while also mixing in tracks from their latest album.
BMTH took the stage with an assist from a massive video screen flashing abstract images and lyrics to “Mantra”, off the band’s polarizing new release, amo. Frontman Oli Sykes was equal parts seduction and snarl, stomping around the open stage while the band tossed their guitars and smashed the drums. Sykes successfully riled up the audience, keeping the mosh pits moving and the fans in the seats jumping.
The evening was a massive visual spectacle, including videos to accompany each song and the addition of backup dancers in various masks and costumes. BMTH has only gotten more theatrical with each new release and their live shows have followed suit. The band played plenty of Sempiternal favorites like “House of Wolves”, “Sleepwalking” and “Can You Feel My Heart”, while also injecting “nihilist blues” and “sugar honey ice & tea” into the mix. They closed the epic set with a three-song encore that included “medicine” and hit single “Drown” to end a night that seemed to fly past in a whirl of genre and color.
Check out photos from the show!
Story and photos by Olivia Khiel