The Amity Affliction, Comeback Kid, Alpha Wolf and Mugshot – Rock City, Nottingham – 6th December 2023

Tonight’s jam packed bill means doors open an hour and a half earlier than usual. Mugshot have nothing to fear though, as they take to the stage to a full room – the crowd getting more sizeable by the minute. The four piece storm their way through a short but brutal set, bringing the chunky riffs and guttural vocals needed to get the place warmed up.

Next up are Alpha Wolf, who kick off their set with Rot in Pieces. Their boundless energy is thwarted for a hot second due to technical difficulties, but this doesn’t stop the onslaught. The crowd are well and truly enthralled by their fourth song, Bleed 4 You, and are more than happy to oblige when vocalist Lochie Keogh demands crowd surfers and shoulder sitters.

The penultimate support slot goes to veterans of the scene Comeback Kid, who, rather than spend time chatting with the crowd, manage to squeeze an impressive 13 songs into their 45 minute slot. Back to back bangers from almost every album of their 20+ year career are slammed out on the stage, opening with the catchy as hell Heavy Steps, and closing on old school favourite Wake the Dead.

After the most impressive crowd sing-along I’ve ever witnessed (EVERYONE knows Chop Suey!) our headliner of the night The Amity Affliction take to the stage. Their perfect blend of hard and soft is on display from the start, Ahren Stringer and Joel Birch share the front of the stage in a battle of sound. Just like Comeback Kid did before them, The Amity Affliction take us on a ride through most of their albums, songs like All My Friends Are Dead, Open Letter and Show Me Your God cause frenzy, while Not Without My Ghosts and Drag the Lake show the softer side of the band.

From start to finish, The Amity Affliction prove why they’re still going strong after so many years. The newer songs are just as impressive, catchy, brutal and emotional as the old. They finish the set with an encore of Soak Me in Bleach.