Bring Me The Horizon and Fever 333 delivered high-energy shows in São Paulo
Lollapalooza 2019 officially starts this Friday (April 5th) at the Interlagos racetrack. However, fans in São Paulo have the chance to see their favorite bands at the so-called Lolla Parties. On Wednesday, April 3rd, Bring Me The Horizon brought their Audio Club First Love World Tour , in support of the album amo . Opening for them were the American band Fever 333, in Brazil for the first time.
Jason Aalon Butler and company from Fever 333 had the crowd jumping from the very first song, "Burn It." The vocalist enters the stage wearing a prisoner's hood, as if he were about to be hanged. From the moment he removes the hood until the end of the show, it's one antics after another. He jumps, climbs things, throws water around, shouts, and energizes the audience throughout the entire show.
By the third song, “Made an America,” Jason had climbed up to the VIP area and, from there, jumped onto the dance floor. Many who were at the show and didn't know Fever 333 were captivated by the band's energy and precise blend of rapcore, punk, and metal.
The lyrics, laden with political messages, were interspersed with speeches. "Tonight you don't need to sing, you don't need to jump. But promise that you will do everything to create a better world. That's why we're here," Jason said during a break in the show.
The song “One Of Us” was dedicated to women. “Every woman here has to feel safe. This space isn’t for men to take their shirts off and be jerks. It’s for women to dance, jump, scream, and do whatever they want.” Soon after, at Jason’s request, a mosh pit formed, taking up almost half of the Audio dance floor. Anyone unfamiliar with Fever 333 surely went looking for more information about the band when they got home.
At 10:30 PM it was time for Bring Me The Horizon. Two "police officers" entered the stage, guns in hand, while a motivational, almost esoteric message played on the screens. The show began with "Mantra," the biggest single from their new album amo . Bursts of smoke emanated from the "police officers'" weapons, perfectly matching the screens behind, to the side, and in the middle of the stage.
Even though the lighting scheme for the show kept the band backlit, Oli Sykes shone through the darkness. The vocalist, whose girlfriend is Brazilian, spoke in Portuguese throughout the entire performance. Every now and then he would ask the audience, "Are you understanding me?", to which he would reply, "More or less, right?". Sykes also swore a minute, laughing and clearly happy to be in Brazil.
The setlist blended the band's distinct phases well. "Avalanche" was the second track, followed by "The House of Wolves," pleasing fans of heavier metal. All the songs were sung at the top of their lungs by the audience, from the ballad "Mother Tongue" to the anthem "Shadow Moses." The projected images guided the audience through the somewhat dystopian dreamlike feeling that the performance conveyed.
The entire band maintains a high level of performance, and Oli Sykes, much criticized as a singer, doesn't disappoint at any point. The vocalist's screams are impressive, and his guttural vocals come easily, drawing applause from the audience.
Oli, who already seems quite familiar with Brazilian culture, surprised those present with a question: "Do you like Bolsonaro?" When the fans said no, he replied, "I hate Bolsonaro. Go f*** yourself, Bolsonaro." And he dedicated the very harsh song "Antivist" to the president, encouraging the audience to give him the middle finger throughout. Laughter and applause erupted.
At the fans' request, the band returned from the encore playing, impromptu, the band's black metal medley. “The Comedown / (I Used to Make Out With) Medusa / Diamonds Aren't Forever / Re: They Have No Reflections”, from their early albums, made the show even heavier and more special.
Closing with “Medicine” and “Throne,” Bring Me The Horizon showed why they’ve grown so much in recent years. A show full of energy, charisma, power, and iconic songs. As someone in the audience commented: “I thought it was just going to be a small show to see the guys. But it was a hell of a show!” Indeed. Bring on Lollapalooza.
Bring Me The Horizon and Fever 333 will perform at Lollapalooza 2019, click here to buy tickets.