“Memories dissident when I am holding you.“
Grammy nominee Spiritbox gathered 10,000 people in the massive halls of Alexandra Palace from all over the country to celebrate the first night of their European tour—and their only UK date. To say Spiritbox aren’t on an absolute roll would be an understatement, only last year, they played two nights at London’s Roundhouse, with their UK debut coming at Islington’s O2 Academy in 2022. While London has become a second home for them, the leap in venue size speaks volumes about how much the band has established themselves—not just within the heavy metal community but in the wider music world.
Opening the night came Long Island’s Stray from the Path, who had performed an intimate set at Underworld a few nights before. As ever the hardcore punk unit got the crowd moving with ease, even in the large setting that is Alexandra Palace. Intense pits to tracks such as “Guillotine” and “III”, along with a raft of crowd surfers that Stray live sets have become known for kept the security plenty busy. Next came Periphery from Washington, D.C., bringing their signature progressive and technically intricate heavy guitar sound. The crowd sang loudly along to their most popular song, “Marigold”.
With both opening acts finished, the audience was fully warmed up for the enchanting experience of Spiritbox. With their second studio album, Tsunami Sea, just weeks from release on 8th March, Spiritbox took a daring leap by kicking off their set with the unreleased track “Fata Morgana” which contained a steady hypnotic heaviness. Within those four minutes, it became clear to everyone in the hall that this was a concert destined to be talked about for months, if not years, to come. Courtney LaPlante’s powerful and controlled screams filled the room, serving as a striking reminder of the commanding presence she possesses.
A tiered stage elevated drummer Zev Rose high above his bandmates, surrounded by towering video screens that dominated the space above, below, and around him. Meanwhile, guitarist Mike Stringer and bassist Josh Gilbert prowled the stage wings, giving stature to the sheer talent that Spiritbox as possess in each and every aspect of their sound.
As this was the first show of the European tour, the audience was kept on their toes with two other new tracks making their live debut—”Sew Me Up” and “No Loss, No Love”—seamlessly intertwined with fan favourites like “Jaded”, “Circle With Me”, and “Holy Roller”. A standout moment came with the performance of the recently released “Soft Spine”, where its slow-tempo breakdown unleashed one of the most brutal hits of the night and opened the biggest mosh pit of the evening. The night concluded with an unexpected, partially acoustic rendition of “Constance”, leaving the audience in tears, feeling bittersweet as confetti fell around them.
If this night taught anyone anything, it’s that Spiritbox both belong and deserve to be in arenas. They have been taking each increase in venue size with grace and prowess; only a band who have cut their teeth over many years while honing their craft could manage this. The tour ushers in the new era of Spiritbox that will see them reach new heights with their eagerly anticipated second studio album Tsunami Sea, before they take their biggest stage to date at Wembley in June.
Check out our takes on Spiritbox‘s EPs The Fear of Fear and Rotoscope, and their previous O2 Academy Islington show featuring Static Dress and Vexed in 2022. We’ve also reviewed Periphery‘s fifth album here and Stray From The Path‘s Euthanasia and their show with Guilt Trip and Vatican in 2022.