Artists: Papa Roach, Wage War
Venue: M & S Bank Arena
Date: 09 February 2025
"It is twenty-five years since PR's ‘Infest’ album was released and the songs from this album were clearly what everyone wanted to hear."
If I am honest, arena gigs are not usually my thing. I like the more intimate settings, where you can actually see the bands and get to interact with them during the course of the evening, or even after the show. When Papa Roach announced they would be playing a series of large indoor shows I thought I would relent and head over to Liverpool, also because I have never been to the M&S Bank Arena before. It was a cold evening by the river, but during the course of the performances the temperature levels soared and the fresh air outside was all but forgotten.
Wage War is a band I am unfamiliar with, despite the fact they have been around for the best part of fifteen years now. I was also surprised they had released five full-length studio albums during that time, and am pretty sure I have not heard them mentioned in any PR mails. The Florida-based five-piece is made up of Briton Bond (vocals), Seth Blake (guitar), Cody Quistad (guitar), Chris Gaylord (bass) and Stephen Kluesener (drums). Their thirty-five-minute support set was an intense barrage of riffs, with lighting to match. The band can be classed as Metalcore and the vocals were equal parts harsh and “Boy Band” clean. Despite sometimes getting lost in the mix, they were a good fit with the material, which was totally new to me. The melodies and hooks made an impression, even though the lyrics, in the main, were indistinguishable. Briton said “Liverpool” at least twenty times in an effort to ingratiate himself to the masses and, on the whole, they were a decent way to get the night underway.
The main reason everyone was in Liverpool tonight was Papa Roach. PR has never played a headline arena tour in the UK before, so it was great to see a healthy turnout, even though the venue was by no means full. I was advised in advance that a lot of pyro would be used so, for health and safety reasons, the photo pit was closed. This meant I had to take in the first three songs from the balcony stage right, to try and get some decent shots. ‘Even If It Kills Me’ was only released a few weeks ago, yet it still made for a good opener. The flame pots came into their own from the first song and were used constantly throughout the night. As usual, lead singer Jacoby Shaddix was in constant motion, prowling the stage like a demented conductor, never afraid to use profanity to bring the crowd under his spell. ‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘Dead Cell’ followed in quick succession and the constant use of flames and high-intensity light show seared the eyeballs. Jerry Horton (guitar) and Tobin Esperance (bass) matched Shaddix’s movements on the stage and I was impressed that they never got caught in the fiery effects. To the rear, Tony Palermo battered his kit into submission and even got a brief drum solo around the halfway mark. Anthony Esperance has been an integral part of the touring line-up for a number of years now, and he showed his own percussion skills, as well as adding keyboards and rhythm guitar. ‘…To Be Loved’ was the first opportunity for extended audience participation and even though I was nowhere near the front, I could imagine how the masses would be bouncing.
Throughout the show Shaddix was keen to remind everyone about the importance of never being afraid to seek help if suffering from anxiety issues, and some of the songs reflected these words. ‘Leave A Light On’ was especially emotional and featured four-part harmonies that would have given The Eagles a run for their money. ‘Roses On My Grave’ was played for the first time in a long time and was also a highlight. ‘Scars’ had to be halted mid-song, due to a medical emergency near the front of the crowd, but kudos to the band for returning after a few minutes and taking the song from the top with the same energy. It is twenty-five years since PR's ‘Infest’ album was released and the songs from this album were clearly what everyone wanted to hear. The extended encore included ‘Between Angels And Insects’, ‘Infest’ and ‘Broken Home’, before we got a medley of greatest riffs that saw Horton take on the likes of ‘Blind’ (Korn), ‘My Own Summer (Shove It)’ (Deftones), ‘Break Stuff’ (Limp Bizkit) and ‘Chop Suey’ (System Of A Down). Of course, PR has an instantly recognisable riff, so as soon as Shaddix belted out the opening words to ‘Last Resort’ the crowd went nuts.
I have to say that my first experience of the arena venue in Liverpool was a good one and Papa Roach were on fire……literally.
Gallery: All photos © Dave Bott (used with kind permission)
Review: Dave Bott
Photos: Dave Bott
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