Papa Roach hold a very special place in my heart. They were my gateway into Nu-Metal as a genre thanks to the phenomenal Infest, an album that defined their passion and energy across several iconic tracks. It is the first album that I sat through from start to finish and adored every song. It was a complete no-brainer to me that, after an absence of seven years from the UK, a gig in Birmingham was not to be missed for the world. Even better, that performance fell on Bonfire Night, so it was no surprise that this gig would be absolute fireworks.

Photography: Harris Tomlinson-Spence @Harrists1

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Supported by Sleep Theory and LANDMVRKS, the Rise of the Roach Tour is still going strong across the UK, Europe, and North America into 2027, and it is clear that the band knew how much their return meant to their British fans. With frontman Jacoby Shaddix throwing it all the way back to the band’s origins in 1993, his declaration of love for our support of the band came with all of the energy and gusto that the Roach are famed for.

Before this, however, we MUST give Sleep Theory and LANDMVRKS their flowers, as words cannot describe how well they supported Papa Roach throughout the night and their performance.

Sleep Theory opened the show in a manner that can only be described as EXPLOSIVE. They are a band who admittedly, I had heard of, but was not familiar with their game. Nevertheless, Sleep Theory fans came in their droves to pack out the front of the Utilita Arena, every lyric on the end of their lips. Opening with “Fallout”, the eight-song set list came jam-packed with the most iconic songs of Sleep Theory’s discography, with the notable fan favourites “Gravity”, “Words are Worthless”, “Numb” and “Static” electrifying the audience. For an introduction to the band, I cannot wait to see Sleep Theory return to British soil and continue their legacy with old and new fans alike.

From the outset, it was clear that Sleep Theory had set the tone for the evening. This was only elevated further through French metalcore powerhouses LANDMVRKS, a newer but equally volatile supporting act. From their opener “Creature”, it was crystal clear that LANDMVRKS were carrying on where Sleep Theory had left off. A similarly paced set of eight songs was enough to help LANDMVRKS live up to their name, building on Sleep Theory’s foundations to draw in the audience and keep the ground absolutely HEAVING with bodies. A particular highlight for me was their performance of “Sulfur”, horns in the air, arms swaying up and down almost in worship to our new French overlords. Other featured highlights included LANDMVRKS favourites “Death”, “Lost in a Wave” and an ear-splitting finale with “Self-Made Black Hole”.

Photography: Harris Tomlinson-Spence @Harrists1

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Rooted to the spot, and treated to two truly excellent supporting acts, Papa Roach finally graced us with their presence. What then graced us was an hour and a half of the Roach’s self-proclaimed “Nu-Metal Time Machine”, an amalgamation of hit Roach classics alongside some surprise covers that took us all on a ride. At this point, admittedly, it would be increasingly difficult to live up to the expectations put forwards by Sleep Theory and LANDMVRKS… Papa Roach, however, caused yet another eruption with their opening number – the acclaimed classic (and personal favourite of mine) “Between Angels and Insects”. From there, things only got better. Papa Roach continued to the party with “Kill The Noise”, “She Loves Me Not”, “Getting Away With Murder”… and then got the “Nu-Metal Time Machine” off to a roaring start. Papa Roach’s twenty-song set list featured a true history of Nu-Metal, interposing their own songs with covers of some of the genre’s greatest names. Brief excerpts of iconic tracks such as Korn’s “Blind” and Deftones’ “My Own Summer (Shove It)” kept the cheers flying and the bodies moving. We were even treated to a full cover of The Prodigy hit “Firestarter”, accompanied with “Break Stuff” and “Chop Suey” of Limp Bizkit and System of a Down fame respectively. I am still in wonder now as to how Papa Roach managed to keep the energy flowing between these iconic covers and their own excellent features of “Help”, “Even If It Kills Me”, “Blood Brothers” and the evergreen “Last Resort”. My personal favourite moment, however, came from hearing the thousands in the Utilita Arena screaming “Scars” at the top of their lungs, as well as ticking a favourite song off the bucket list with Papa Roach bringing out “Tight Rope”.

Photography: Harris Tomlinson-Spence @Harrists1

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For a Bonfire Night performance, Papa Roach continued to keep their own fires and the crowd among them burning, roaring, and spreading into an inferno of energy. They easily made up for their seven years of absence and reminded us why, after 33 years, the Roach continue to rise and remain as one of the most phenomenal acts to see live. The accompaniment of Sleep Theory and LANDMVRKS made it a night to put Guy Fawkes out of memory, and reintroduce Papa Roach to waves of British fans. I sincerely hope they return soon and continue to amass their colony of loyal followers.