Crisp are the riffs spewing out of Lee Malia’s guitar. Matt Nicholls’ ride cymbal tease of AmEN! creeps up on us. Itch For The Cure is remixed, while Follow You transforms into a rocked-up symphony during the second verse. Equally, Doomed carries an orchestral edge that takes you back to their one-off Royal Albert Hall gig. A fan called Barni is invited up to sing what is normally Antivist, only for the ScreamStar video game selector to pick Pray For Plagues and send the crowd wild. There are surprises and treats for even the most seasoned fans.
“I apologise if we were a bit rusty,” says Oli, aware of how only one month off can affect his momentum. For a band whose sound spans all shades, their live shows have remained a consistent source of joy and spectacle, and a crucial chapter in the Bring Me The Horizon success story. Making minor modifications along the way, they’ve been able to live and breathe this show, get to know it like a friend, and actually bask in the glory of what they’ve created.
Tonight, they are officially the knockout festival headliners they were meant to become. They had a point to prove when they finally reached the summit of UK festivals. Now, they are comfortable at this pay grade, and still able to produce some clinical killer blows that fend off any signs of complacency. You’ll keep seeing them again and again. As the gig ends and euphoria turns to sadness, Budapest remembers the promise these lone wolves always make – and keep – every time they play Throne: ‘Tomorrow I will come back / Leader of the whole pack’.
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