Live Review: While She Sleeps - O2 Academy, Leeds
12th December 2024
Support: Currents, Thrown and Resolve
Words & Photos: Martin Hingley
Fresh off a hometown Sheffield show, While She Sleeps head an hour up the road to Leeds Academy on a foggy December night, bringing a stacked line-up for the final leg of their 2024 tour.
With early doors at 6pm, Resolve take to the stage at 6:30pm sharp, with many revellers still outside the venue. That doesn’t stop them from putting on one hell of a show. Having seen them earlier this year on their own tour at the nearby Key Club, I’m excited to see how they scale up their performance to the larger stage. With only 30 minutes to impress, the band waste no time and blast through their songs with minimal crowd interaction, only pausing for a “thank you” between tracks. Lead vocalist Anthony Diliberto owns the stage, standing on top of a steel step and using every inch of space to engage the early punters. Guitarist Antonin Carré brings the headbanging energy on one side, while Robin Mariat emanates a suave persona on the other. It’s great to see a band step it up for a larger crowd. They leave fans wanting more, ending with the fan favourite “Older Days.”
By the time Thrown take to the stage, the room is packed, and the crowd is ready for something heavier. As soon as the band, hailing from Sweden, step on stage, the venue erupts with cheers. Probably the heaviest band on the line-up, Thrown blend heavy breakdowns with catchy lead riffs and rap vocals. It’s a fantastic combination as hooded vocalist Marcus Lundqvist bounces around the stage, revving up the crowd. At this point, the crowd decides to step it up a notch, and the crowd surfers start flowing over the barrier in waves.
Next up are Connecticut metalcore rockers Currents, who arrive on stage to a roar from the crowd. They bring strong riffs and solid vocals into the mix, getting the crowd moving in no time. It takes less than two songs before the first crowd surfers appear. With a slightly longer set than the other bands, they make the most of it by playing hits like “Monster,” “Better Days,” and “Over and Over.” With five members on stage, the band works the space well, using every inch of it to deliver a fantastic show, much to the crowd’s enjoyment. Many fans sing along throughout the set, confirming that Currents are a favourite among tonight’s audience.
Having played to a sold-out Leadmill just two days prior, While She Sleeps are pumped up for another Yorkshire show. Lead singer Lawrence 'Loz' Taylor screams, “Let’s go Leeds!” as the band enters the stage in complete darkness. They play a set mostly made up of their recent release Self Hell, and the band do an exceptional job of hyping the crowd for every song, bringing an enormous amount of energy to the show. The presence of each member is remarkable as they run, jump, and mosh across every inch of the stage. Loz’s presence is particularly immense, high-fiving crowd surfers as they pass while maintaining perfect vocals.
As the band powers through their set, the centre of the crowd becomes one massive mosh pit, with fans revelling in the performance put on by Loz and Co. Many of these fans, no doubt, missed out on tickets for the smaller Sheffield date a few days earlier and have made the short journey up the M1 tonight. This is a band at the top of their game, and it’s clear to see why, with their incredible crowd interactions, stage presence, and the unity between the band members, who deliver everything with precision. Before taking a brief break mid-set, the band gets the crowd to crouch down mid-song, then jump up and go wild for the final chorus of “Systematic.”
Returning to the stage to huge applause, While She Sleeps close the night by playing a few older tracks, much to the crowd’s approval. They take time to thank their parents, who are in the crowd tonight, for supporting them in achieving everything they have in their career. They finish the evening with “To The Flowers” and “Sleep Society,” throwing flowers into the crowd before leaving the stage, promising fans they’ll be back very soon.
Photo credits: Martin Hingley
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