Gracing UK soil after six years, Pierce The Veil made their way to Birmingham as part of their UK tour, ahead of the release of their latest album, The Jaws Of Life.
It was like they never left and their fans were still by their side as always. Birmingham’s O2 Academy was filled from the front of the stage, all the way to the seating area of the balcony for Vic Fuentes, Jaime Preciado, Tony Perry and Loniel Robinson to take to the stage.
With a setlist mixed with tracks including “King For A Day”, “Bulls In The Bronx”, “Caraphernelia” and “Pass The Nirvana”, the people of Birmingham were in for a night to remember. And so was Pierce The Veil.
First up to warm up the crowd on a cold winter’s evening was Caroledaughter. Showing their appreciation to the guys of Pierce The Veil for giving them the opportunity, the band were able to put on an energetic set, setting a nice tone for what was to come for the rest of the evening.
Carolesdaughter were able to grab the audience’s attention from the very beginning with catchy choruses, unique song titles including “Please Put Me In A Medically Induced Coma”, “XO I Hope U Die” and a cutting vocal style, this sets the overall tone for the evening.
The screams and excitement continued as Against The Current were up next. They were sure to make an entrance as they kicked things off with “That Won’t Save Us”. Cheers could be heard from the audience as they were singing along to every song and showed even more excitement when singer Chrissy Constanza began interacting with the crowd between songs.
The energy that radiated from the faces of the whole band was contagious, as it was evident that everyone on stage was living in the moment and taking in all the appreciation. “Running With The Wild Things”, along with a cover of Taking Back Sunday’s “MakeDamnSure” were definitely highlights of the band’s performance.
One thing that this band does well is captivate the crowd’s attention from the beginning and do it with confidence. Closing things off with “Weapon”, the crowd were left wanting more. It was time for Chrissy Costanza (vocalist), Will Ferri (drums) and Dan Gow (Guitar) to say their goodbyes to the people of Birmingham.
And now the anticipation for Pierce The Veil was finally about to come to an end as Vic, Jaime, Tony and Loniel took their position on stage and they were ready to give it all they had.
“May These Noises Startle In Your Sleep” was the first track and it did not disappoint as an opener. Following a confetti explosion, the atmosphere around the whole was wholesome.
It was very telling that Pierce The Veil had been missed and they were ready to bring that all back this evening. The energy from every member on stage was unmatched. Whether it was Jaime spinning with his guitar, Tony shredding the guitar on the platform or Vic’s strong vocals, they know how to put on a show.
“Pass The Nirvana” went down a treat, with the crowd singing back every word, just like they did with the band’s older tracks. The setlist was diverse, so there was something for older and newer fans to enjoy, Pierce The Veil knows how to put on a show and definitely one to remember.
The heavy guitar riffs, the contagious energy from the band and and the vocals made for a near to perfect performance. The talent of Jamie, Tony and Vic stood out for different reasons, but together, it was undeniable.
Hit after hit, from “Hold On Till May” to “Caraphernelia” had the crowd singing at the top of their lungs with pure emotion and “Stained Glass Eyes And Colourful Tears” where Vic was armed with his acoustic guitar and allowing this part of the set to be intimate and stripped back.
It was more moments like this that made it feel like just another show, it was a community. There was also a sense of comfort for the fans too, knowing that they can call it a place they belong to.
And like any solid community, with a new edition may come some pressure. But with the departure of their previous drummer Mike Fuentes, Loniel Robinson fit just in. Playing with such passion and energy, it felt like he was always a part of PTV.
With the show sadly coming to an end, there was no way that anyone in the room was not going to make the most out of the time they had left.
There wouldn’t be a Pierce The Veil show without “King For A Day”. The crowd went crazy. There was no one in that room who didn’t scream every lyric from the top of their lungs. So many people had waited so long for this very moment and it showed.
The energy was unmatched, leaving this special moment as one to remember from both the fans and the band. With an explosion of confetti going off, it was a way to truly celebrate the end of an evening that provided a sense of nostalgia, a community and memories to last a lifetime.
Words + photography by Sarah Akomanyi
