Finnish Nu-Metal outfit Blind Channel are our warm-up act for the night with their energetic and eclectic mix of music styles and song choices keeping the set fresh and intriguing throughout. I’m sure many attendees didn’t have a heavy metal interpretation of “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys on their bingo card for tonight. However, when the classic bop is deployed towards the tail end of the set it’s met with a thunderous reception. Mix this with a mid-set encore that sees one-half of the vocal duo land a brief solo rap session directly followed up with a version of System of a Down’s “B.Y.O.B.”

The rest of the set is likewise geared towards getting those feet off the floor with bouncy rhythm sections and big choruses that demand to be sang back at volume. The group unleashed a set of originals including a selection from their 2024 release Exit Emotions (Century Media). A Blind Channel set is truly a wild and unpredictable experience.

Time for things to take a turn for the gothic now as the lights dim and Lacuna Coil prepare to take the stage.

Draped in various black garb the band launch into “Blood, Tears, Dust,” a pounding start to any set, the iconic duo of Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro trading off soaring vocals duties and crowd work. The rest of the band are of course in peak form as well. Corpse-painted up, guitarist Daniele Salomone and bassist Marco Coti Zelati prowl the stage providing pounding riffs and drummer Richard Meiz proves a very enjoyable watch from behind the kit.

The fantastically crafted setlist includes a selection of tracks from Comalies (Century Media) which take the form of their XX reimaginings. The new arrangements, sounding satisfyingly meaty, blend well with the newer material. Speaking of which, sprinkled throughout the set are teases of Lacuna Coil to come with the band showcasing the four currently released singles from their upcoming Sleepless Empire release slated for Feb 2025. This new material may still be fresh on the ears but it is all met with the utmost enthusiasm and levels of participation as the rest of the tracks.

The setlist staple of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” rounds off the set proper along with “Never Dawn” as we head into the encore for the night. A triple header of Comalies XX favourites and an absolutely soaring rendition of “Nothing Stands in Our Way” bring the festivities to a rapturous close.

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WORDS AND PHOTOS BY BILL MAWDSLEY
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