Coheed and Cambria smash Manchester's O2 Ritz.

Michael Dodd
Sep 5, 2016
2 min read

Photo: Manuel Casanova Photography

Just six short months since their last performance at Manchester’s Ritz, progressive metal favourites Coheed and Cambria were back in fine form. This particular venue has become a favourite haunt of the New York quartet, and with legions of fans packing the place out the atmosphere was certainly boisterous.

The night opened with Philadelphia quintet mewithoutYou, who performed to what was an already quite full floor early in the evening. Despite not having the best lighting their set went down quite well, and it was fun to watch the occasional die hard supporter jumping around and enjoying themselves with wild abandon among the more sedate majority.

Not long after that it was the turn of La Dispute, who had also performed here back in February with the headliners. Theirs was a somewhat wild and frenetic collection of songs, emphasised by the sizzling energy of front man Jordan Dreyer. He leapt about the stage like a madman, and at one point even ventured out into the audience to gift the microphone to attendees so that they could sing along. By the time these guys were done the crowd was buzzing, and the Ritz was absolutely sweltering in the summer heat.

Emerging with fellow guitarist Travis Stever, Coheed’s main man Claudio Sanchez emerged for an acoustic opening which harkened back to their 2012 performance in this building. Before long the whole complement had taken to the stage and their bombastic sound was driving the sweaty masses into frenzy. The entire audience at one of Manchester’s biggest venues belting out the lyrics to ‘Blood Red Summer’ and ‘Island’ as one was a truly breathtaking sight, and the ecstatic energy did not cease all night. By the time firm favourites ‘Ten Speed (Of God’s Blood and Burial)’ and ‘Peace to the Mountain’ closed the set it felt like we’d all run a marathon together. Of course there was just enough time for ‘Welcome Home’, for my money one of the greatest songs ever written, to close out the night entirely.

This was a fun evening, though an unreasonably baking hot one. Despite lighting issues affecting the first two acts everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and once again Coheed and Cambria gave an exceptional performance of musical intricacy, layered lyrics and just plain epic storytelling.

RattleRating: 8/10