BRING ME THE HORIZON
Portland, Oregon
October 14th, 2019
There is an old adage “Good things come to those who wait”. It was my 3rd attempt at photographing BRING ME THE HORIZON. The first time, I was simply denied credentials. The second, Oli ruptured a vocal cord, and the show was cancelled on 24 hours notice, Finally I found myself standing in front of 3,000 people as the lights finally dimmed, a computer-generated voice came over the loudspeaker “welcome to peace” as a fevered rumbling rose through the Moda Center, the stage rose with illumination, as each member made their way to their positions. The decibel level rose even higher as Oli Sykes emerged from the shadows, at the peak of the noise, Oli stood front and center of the stage. The final words of the automated track were spoken “welcome to Mantra” Oli Screamed “PORTLAND!” with excitement and the beginning riff of MANTRA began.
Chaos ensued, as the band quickly went into Avalanche next. I kept a close eye over my shoulder, to make sure I stayed clear of security attempting to catch crowd surfers. Before I knew what was happening, The band had begun their 3rd song, The House Of Wolves. In the midst of the song, Oly made his way to the edge of the stage to kneel down. as be placed his right foot on the stage monitor, he leaned over and let out a menacing, guttural scream. A scream so loud I could hear him over the PA System and through my earplugs. The third track ended, and I made my way into the crowd.
Being a “new” fan of Bring Me The Horizon, I’m a sucker for Amo and That’s The Spirit, and that is exactly what they delivered on. With a setlist comprised of the last three records, I was enthralled by the performance of Bring Me The Horizon. With extreme energy, BMTH has shown that they have evolved from their deathcore days into a progressive metal/hard rock group that appeals to an audience on a larger scale. While the future isn’t clear on where they will go next. The five-piece hailing from Sheffield England will continue to push boundaries with their music and to simply put it. I cannot wait for the next one!
