Review
Review
Bullet For My Valentine celebrate their 25th with a triumphant Glasgow return
BFMV take their UK headline tour to the Barrowlands, rallying the crowd through two decades of metalcore heroics
Given the size and dedication of their fanbase, it should come as no surprise that a sea of BFMV t-shirts and hoodies is circling the Barrowlands a solid hour before doors even open. And with the success of the band’s 2021 self-titled album – not to mention a well-earned reputation for killer live shows – who can blame the Glasgow fans for being ready to chase that coveted space in front of the barrier?
Brutal and energetic opener ‘Knivesʼ is the perfect way to kick things off, as frontman Matt Tuck hammers out that introductory riff, backed by a wall of lights. A victory lap of hits follows, with ‘4 Words (To Choke Upon)ʼ and the chant-along anthem ‘You Want A Battle? (Hereʼs A War)ʼ dispatched early in the set. The rarely played ‘Hearts Burst Into Fireʼ also makes an appearance due to fan demand, met with chants of ‘Bullet, Bullet…ʼ by the enraptured crowd.
Elsewhere, bassist Jamie Mathias shows off his vocals and Michael Paget switches to acoustic guitar for the classic ‘All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)ʼ, and newer cuts like ‘Rainbow Veinsʼ and ‘Death By A Thousand Cutsʼ slip seamlessly into the mix, arguably getting some of the biggest and loudest audience reactions of the night.
As the encore approaches, Tuck takes to the stage solo, reflecting on 25 years as a band and their first ever Scottish dates supporting Funeral For A Friend: “To be able to keep coming back all these years later and still play in front of you amazing people… itʼs a humbling experience, so thank you very much.” As he leads the crowd in a triumphant singalong to ‘Tears Donʼt Fallʼ, it’s clear that he and his bandmates will continue to be welcomed back with open arms for many years to come.
Bullet For My Valentine are playing UK dates until March 11 – buy tickets here