Bring Me The Horizon blow the roof off in fantastic Sheffield return

It’s been a while since Sykes and BMTH have showcased their talents in South Yorkshire, but they made sure that they made up for lost time as they blew the roof off a packed-out Utilita Arena with a set that was a nod to their past, a glimpse of their future and a perfect example of why they’re possibly the most popular rock band in the UK right now.

When you talk about live music now, it’s impossible not to acknowledge the pandemic. That virus that, for so long, has had the world in a sad hibernation of living rooms and Zoom meetings and banana bread.

But with supapints flowing, lyrics being belted out, and more than one moshpit developing in the standing area, events like the Post Human: Survival Horror tour are offering a huge shining light at the end of the tunnel.

‘When we forget the infection, will we remember the lesson?’ could be one of the most poignant lyrics of any song released in the last couple of years, and the band’s evolution over the years is now giving a broader audience the chance to appreciate the impressive lyricism that they quite clearly possess.

Guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fish all play their part, with Bring Me’s style conducive to the spotlight being shared across the members whenever they’re on stage.

Donning grey suits, white shirts and red ties, BMTH brought noise with Sempiternal, showed off their almost pop-metal direction with new single DiE4u, and performed a stunning stripped-back version of Follow You that will have plucked at thousands of heartstrings.

‘If you’ve ever felt like you deserved more… You probably did,’ Sykes told his adoring fans (although with a bit more colourful language). And it felt like he meant it.

Bring Me The Horizon aren’t a new band, but in many ways it feels like they’re just getting started...