BLACK VEIL BRIDES CHAINS, STUDS, FISHNETS, AND BLACK LEATHER AT MANCHESTER ACADEMY UK 23RD FEBRUARY 2023

February 25, 2023
International Concert Reviews, UK Concert Reviews
by Billy Seagrave Photographer/Writer

WORDS AND IMAGES BILLY SEAGRAVE

All Music magazine UK’S Billy Seagrave prepared to enter the moshing crowds, at Manchester Academy, amongst, a sea of black leather, piercings, ritual tattoos, and gothic make-up.

The line of fans queuing to get into the sold-out Manchester Academy was possibly the longest I have witnessed at the venue, the atmosphere was great with fans singing and chanting the band’s name constantly. They had begun to turn up a lunchtime I am reliably informed, such was the excitement for BLACK VIEL BRIDES return.

“Cemetery Sun” was up first and hailing from Sacramento, California. It was a short and sweet set, but they threw everything into every second of it. The music itself is a mixture of pop and alternative rock- the vocals were usually a twist on the type of vocals you’d get in pop, but the music was dominated by the guitar and drums. The drummer and bassist would join in on the vocals, giving their music a more filled-out and developed feeling. Shades of “Linkin Park”, “My Chemical Romance”, is eminent in their performance. Now and again, the vocalist would scream the more emotional lyrics, blurring the lines between genres. They got the crowd involved with their energetic movement across the stage. They ended on “Chemical Warfare”, They opened the stage well, preparing the crowd for an amazing night.

Set List

1/ Break Me Down

2/ Misery’s Company

3/ Fly

4/ 19

5/ Fake Love

6/ Chemical Warfare

“Lilith Czar” arrives with the force of an otherworldly thunder, arising in visceral rebirth from an untimely grave of surrender and sacrifice. Her voice is the sound of supernatural determination, summoned with a confessional vulnerability and unapologetic authenticity. The girl who was Juliet Simms – her dreams discouraged and dismissed, her identity confined and controlled – is no more. In her place stands Lilith Czar, a new vessel forged in unbridled willpower and unashamed desire. Formerly the frontwoman and guitarist for the band “Automatic Loveletter”, Lilith Czar has gone solo and, after rebranding from Juliet Simms, released her latest album, “Created from Filth and Dust”, in 2021.

American musician and songwriter Lilith Czar, married to Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack, cuts a striking figure dressed in a figure-hugging black catsuit with long black hair.

Tonight’s set was all about empowered and empowering women. Something she let the crowd know on several occasions. The atmosphere built as the band took their places on stage and the crowd could see the silhouettes of the group, a poem was broadcast with a musical undertone that heightened the tension, and as Lilith entered to a warm reception it was BANG, and straight into “Feed my chaos”, a real rip-roaring opener. Encouraging the ladies in the audience, Lilith played a short set of six songs, including a nice cover of Stevie Nicks’s “Edge of Seventeen”, which received a rapturous welcome

The penultimate song was “Created from Filth and Dust’s” lead-off single, King, a song where Lilith sings, “It’s a man’s world, and I want to be king!” and you believe she really could do it and be better at it than most men! The set closer, “Anarchy”, found Lilith telling the fans, “Fuck your authority” and “I make no apologies if you push me too far – who the hell do you think you are?” for she was having none of it! Lilith Czar is one to watch out for in the future.

Set List

1/ Feed My Chaos

2/ Unholy

3/ 100 Little Deaths

(Juliet Simms cover)

4/ Edge of Seventeen

(Stevie Nicks cover)

5/ Lola

6/ King

7/ Anarchy

After being entertained by the support acts, a vast army of BVB fans packed into the sellout Manchester Academy was building the fevered anticipation, constantly chanting for, Black Veil Brides”, finally the long-anticipated moment arrived, the lights drop and to the backdrop of “Phantom of the Opera”, the band take their places, as the lights go up, Andy Biersack struts on stage, dressed in a full suit and vampire makeup on. He takes the 30-second intro to make his way to the front of the stage, to a fan base that has waited a long time to hail their hero. Five years to be exact since they have graced a stage here in Manchester.

Tonight’s set was a real crowd-pleaser with a complete range of material from all aspects of their career. Black Veil Brides opened with “Crimson Skies” from their latest and most successful album, “The Phantom Tomorrow”. The fuse was well and truly lit, and the crowd was in a state of fevered excitement. Next was, “Coffin”, followed by, “Rebel Love Song” before a brand-new song, “Devil”. “Wake Up” was quickly followed by, “I Am Bulletproof”, and the energetic, “Scarlett Cross”. Tearing through the set it was clear that this was becoming a phenomenal set, The adoring fanbase is what makes the longevity of the band assured in the future. Delving into, “Wretched and Divine”, the pace was still electric as we are treated to a trio of songs, that sees the crowd trying to compete with a band that is in complete control having the crowd sing every word, “Perfect weapon”, and “The Legacy” brings us to the final song of the set. Which was the first ever single from the band, “Knives and Pens”, goes down as a home win, as the crowd scream and begs for more.

There was no way they were going to get away that easy, and the band returned and duly obliged, opening with, “Lost it all”, this giving way to the anthemic, “Fallen Angels”. The final song on a triumphant return and majestical set was in most people’s opinion their greatest offering, “In the end”.

On a night the band probably ticked the list of everything you wanted from the band, a band revelling in the crowning glory of musical greatness.