“See you next time Moscow!” promised Matt Tuck two years ago. And he managed to keep his promise. On April 19, Bullet for My Valentine returned to Moscow. A concert in support of the group’s sixth album “Gravity” was held in Adrenaline Stadium.

Ashen Reach (a hard rock band from Liverpool) performed at the opening of BFMV. The moment the guys came in they immediately set the mood for the evening. Melodious rock and vibrant lead singer relished everyone who had already stepped into the hall. It seemed that many of those present had come to listen to that very group, since everyone immediately began to repeat the movements after the musicians, move in tune, and a couple of people standing next to me even sang along with them. Such a phenomenon is not often seen at rock concerts, but these guys one hundred percent managed to electrify an audience.

After a small technical interruption, the heroes of the day took the stage in the new lineup. Since their last visit to Russia, the band has changed the drummer, and thus, only half of the original lineup has remained. New people – new sound.

In this connection, I have often seen online feuds that BFMV is not the same, like the group has become more pop: music has become lighter, screaming and growling have been minimized (which is not surprising, considering the number of voice problems the front man went through). To be honest, while listening to Gravity, here and there I also thought this way, but today’s concert dotted every i and crossed every t. All the songs from the last album performed life sounded just as good as the hits from The Poison (the first album of the band). As much as four of them were performed that evening!

Changes in the lineup worked in the group’s favor. The vocal parts redistributed between Matt and Jamie on live performances (as well as in the records) made it possible to bring the band’s music to a wider audience. After all, now Tuck doesn’t have to be pinball between clean and extreme vocals every second during the one-and-a-half-hour concert, while fans can safely sing along to their favorite songs without being worried about their chords. This fact is confirmed by the audience present at the concert. The hall gathered old-bikers and young rockers, guys in jackets and beautiful ladies in evening dresses (although they may have dropped in there by chance, but the fact remains that they have been there). I can hardly ever imagine seeing a woman in such a dress singing Her Voice Resides, but today I saw a woman singing Letting You Go with my own eyes.

BFMV made my day by their set list, which included hits from all the albums, thereby pleasing every fan who came to the concert. The audience sang all the songs from the first to the last in unison except for the time of the drum solo, which Jason Bowld played for almost five minutes! Albeit, many spectators gave it hot shouting “Hey hey hey” after Jason.

In general, the concert blazed through and without any incidents. Certainly, there was a couple of circle pits, hustle during breakdowns and drunk-people fallings in the crowd. However, this happens at almost any rock concert. Fortunately, all escaped with a whole skin.

This time, the group gave us no encore. Immediately after the closing Waking The Demon, the guys threw all the picks and sticks, and several paper planes with written wishes into the hall, bowed and left the stage. But the last thing Matt sang instead of the original song lyrics was “Will see you Moscow!”. And, as we have already seen, he keeps his word.

Cyril Safin, especially for Musecube

Photos by Vladislav Bedyaev are here

Russian version is here