Music

Review: Of Mice & Men are unstoppable at O2 Brixton Academy

Don’t judge a book by its cover; don’t judge a band by its audience. An important lesson I learnt when I went to see Of Mice & Men play in London.

Tonight’s support comes from Volumes and The Amity Affliction; the latter of whom play a headline-worthy set at the iconic London venue. The Aussie metallers have been gaining momentum since 2003 and made easy work of getting the crowd amped for OM&M.

Walking into O2 Brixton Academy and being met with a sea of screaming 14-year-olds made me think I was going to hate this show, but OM&M completely changed everything. Frontman Austin Carlile demanded attention from the second he jumped across the stage. Kicking in with Public Service Announcement from their latest album, Restoring Force, the band set the bar for the rest of the evening. Austin’s energy is so intense at this point, I expected him to give up towards the end of the set, but both him and the rest of the band fed off the audience.

The result? The best show I have seen in a long time.

Of Mice & Men - Broken Generation (Official Music Video)

Austin’s screams are cut through so perfectly by guitarist and clean vocalist Aaron Pauly, who joined the band in 2013; his voice resonates throughout Brixton, which sparks the audience to burst into song. The guys are incredibly tight tonight, and when coupled with an eye-watering light show, it’s clear to see why they’re getting so big (especially in the UK). Older tracks like O.G. Loko and Second and Sebring stand to prove OM&M are a band that know how to entertain. New single, Broken Generation, was a total set highlight.  The crowd’s energy spiked with every breakdown; it was easily one of the most intense moments of the night.

Words: Nikki Hegarty

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