Inside an already rammed O2 Academy, Badflower start off the night as the only support on this tour. I was surprised that they had more of an indie rock sound compared to Three Days Grace, but they seem to be keeping the crowd suitably entertained. From clap alongs, a peaky blinders joke, the crowd yelling “Daddy” (see gallery to understand why), and lead singer Josh Katz crowdsurfing, they certainly do everything in their power to win the crowd over. They mostly succeed, although they do seem to lose that momentum when they play slower songs. Their actual music ranged from grunge, nu-metal, pop rock and indie, which was honestly confusing and almost jarring at times. However, the lyrical themes (such as mental health struggles) feel very familiar at a Three Days Grace gig, so I can understand why they were chosen for this tour.
Three Days Grace kick off their set with “Dominate”, from their latest album “Alienation”, and already the band sound as cohesive and polished as they do on record. Next up is the classic “Animal I Have Become” and the singalongs from the crowd are thunderous. This is my first time seeing Three Days Grace in their current dual-vocal lineup and any reservations I had were swiftly squashed. I was very curious going in wondering how it would work live and yet watching them felt like this is the way the band has always been. Some songs were performed with one vocalist taking the lead whilst the other played guitar and did a few backup vocals, but much of the set saw both Matt and Adam take joint lead, so both really had time to shine. Both vocalists sound excellent live, and it's a great combination as whilst both have the classic post-grunge vocal style, Matt Walst has more of a melodic higher pitched tone, whilst Adam Gontier has a deeper sounding gritty vocal edge. Matt also provides the odd screams, which is a nice touch.
Early in the set Adam explains a little Three Days Grace history, explaining how in 2013 he left the band, but the band kept going to release great albums, and if they hadn’t kept going, they wouldn't be a band today, and he’s thankful to have Matt in the band. His sentiment is clearly shared by the fans, as the crowd are full of energy for the new tracks as well as the classics, with chants of “Three Days Grace” between almost every single song in the set.
The setlist is a great combination of Adam-era, Matt-era and Dual-era. Classics such as “I Hate Everything About You” showcase memorable bass lines, guitar tones and drumbeats. Another new track on the setlist, “Apologies”, has an almost nu-metal edge with some rap-style vocals, showing that Three Days Grace, whilst keeping their distinct hard rock sound, can still feel fresh after decades. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Three Days Grace show without emotionally charged tracks such as “Never Too Late”, which is a particularly sentimental part of the set for the band and fans alike.
The band certainly seem in their prime, which honestly is not what I was expecting for a band of over 20 years, but the dual vocal lineup has given them a new lease of life. They’re energetic, engaging, and musically precise. If you missed them this time around, make sure to catch them next time they come to our shores, you won’t be disappointed.
