The sold-out O2 Academy in Leeds was jam-packed on Saturday night for Pierce The Veil. It was the eighth and final night of their UK tour, a strong comeback to the UK after six years. They brought friends carolesdaughter and Against The Current to support.
Against The Current had an energetic set which included big hit “Running With The Wild Things” and a few songs from their last album released last year, fever, including “jump”, “that won’t save us”, and “again&again”. They also played brand-new single which was only released last week, “blindfolded” and did a fantastic cover of Taking Back Sunday’s nostalgic “MakeDamnSure”.
Next was headliners Pierce The Veil, kicking off the set with explosive confetti as “Hell Above” blared through the speakers introducing the band on stage. Immediately, their battery-like energy was not to be missed. Each member had their own excitable, contagious presence and it really amplified the set. The crowd instantly adopted this energy and continuously chanted ‘YORKSHIRE!’ between songs, which didn’t go a miss by the band who played a few riffs with the chant creating a short song, and encouraged them to reference the crowd as ‘Yorkshire’ as opposed to ‘Leeds’ the rest of the night.
The Californian band played songs from their upcoming album The Jaws Of Life (due to be released on February 10th 2023) including “Emergency Contact” and “Pass The Nirvana”, and also included older hits such as “Bulls in the Bronx” and “Hold on Till May”. One of the most memorable parts of the night was when lead singer, Vic Fuentes, asked the crowd who had seen the band before and who hadn’t, dedicating the huge hit “Caraphernelia” to all original PTV fans. The catchy lyrics of the chorus echoed in the venue, the band repeatedly asking the crowd to sing it back to them.
The main part of the set ended with Wayne’s World inspired track “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket”. The encore started with Vic coming back on stage with an acoustic guitar to perform “Stained Glass Eyes and Colorful Tears” which really highlighted his talent and vocals; a brilliant contrast to the usual chaotic energy and heavy instruments. He thanked the fans, stating the UK tour has changed their lives and it’s going to be a core memory for them. The rest of the band joined the stage and the Yorkshire crowd knew what was coming next, anticipating fan favourite “King for a Day”.
Typically, you expect the band to thank the crowd and leave the stage quickly – but they hung around afterwards as the house lights came on, Whitney Houston appearing on the speakers, and all members sang and danced whilst showing appreciation to the fans; handing out the setlist and guitar picks. It was a lovely way to end such a memorable night!
Photography and words by Jen Charlie: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook
Keep up with Pierce The Veil: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook
