Lacuna Coil - Manchester Academy
If you were a fan of goth rock or metal back in the early 2000’s then you will be no stranger to Italian gothic metal titans Lacuna Coil. Tonight they bring their show to Manchester as part of their ‘In The Meantime’ tour. With 9 albums under their belts, it’s an exciting time to be a Lacuna Coil fan. With the recently announced album due to drop in 2025 and a slot at Bloodstock Festival also confirmed, it's set to be a big year for the band and their fans. In support tonight is Blind Channel. With the doors finally open, it’s time for the excited fans to get in and secure a spot for tonight’s show.
As previously mentioned, all the way from Finland, Blind Channel are tonight’s support act. Blind Channel have a fairly large following due to representing Finland in 2021’s Eurovision, coming out in 6th place. From the moment they take to the stage it’s clear they want to get the room moving. Musically, Blind Channel are a little hard to place; at times leaning heavily into the nu metal genre whilst at others seeming to fall closer to an area self defined as ‘violent pop’. Visually, these guys are performers through and through. Their music may have a few in the audience confused but there’s no denying that they are phenomenal performers and also talented at playing their instruments. Clearly unsure if the crowd are into it or expecting something heavier, the band whip out a strong cover of "B.Y.O.B." by System of a Down which grabs the crowds attention before heading back into their own material. Even if the crowd aren’t fully absorbed by the show in front of them, it isn’t stopping Blind Channel from enjoying themselves as they bring out another cover, this time it’s a cover of ‘Everybody’ by the Backstreet Boys.
As they bring their set to a close, they head out to the front of the stage to throw out guitar pics and drum sticks. The lack of crowd interaction through out is in no fault of their own as there are multiple fans dotted amongst the crowd. It may just be the difference in style in comparison to the headliner who have also been going significantly longer, meaning they have an older fan base who may not have enjoyed the set. That being said, the younger members in the audience definitely got sucked in and enjoyed themselves.
As the house lights dim, the crowd erupts with screams and cheers of excitement. First to the stage is drummer Richard Meiz. Dressed in black with face paint on, he stands behind the drum kit looking out into the crowd. He then leans over and throws his hands up into the air and the crowd does the same. One by one, the band take to the stage until finally, the notorious Cristina Scabbia makes her appearance to rapturous applause. The band kicks things off with a fantastic performance of ‘Blood, Tears, Dust’ before moving into ‘Reckless’. This is where things really kick up a notch. Vocal duties aren’t all on Cristina, Andrea Ferro is also on the mic providing his signature growls and deep vocals. By song three, the show is in full swing as the band deliver a phenomenal play through of ‘Trip The Darkness’ from 2012’s Dark Adrenaline. It's here that we start to see the full extent of Cristina’s vocal range, hitting every note of the song whilst also providing the fans with plenty of attention.
Much like Blind Channel, Lacuna Coil are incredible performers. Not just musically but also on stage they have a huge presence as they move about the stage often pointing at members in the crowd or pulling faces. It’s clear even early on in the set that they love what they do and want to give the fans the best performance they possibly can. Having been in the scene since 1994, they have truly mastered their craft and years of experience playing to crowds shines through. The set itself covers a large amount of the bands back catalogue mixing in both old and new songs making for an exciting set. Whats most notable is the amount of songs from 2002’s Comalies which was re-recorded and re-released in 2022 under the name Comalies XX. While their newest songs were included in the setlist, hearing tracks like ‘Swamped’ and ‘Heaven’s a Lie’ never get old and are clear crowd pleasers.
With a new album on the way, Lacuna Coil did make sure to include the latest singles in the set, with 'Oxygen' making an appearance early on. With the recorded versions of these songs already sounding great, the live performances did not disappoint. Cristina’s incredible melodic clean vocals working in part with Andrea’s vicious screams, the newer material really does shine and stand out amongst a set of such well rehearsed songs and are also very well received by the crowd. A stand out moment during the set is Lacuna Coil’s beautiful yet haunting cover of ‘Enjoy The Silence’. It's a cover which has stood out amongst the bands releases for years now If you hadn’t heard the original, you’d assume it was written by the band. Live, this song sounds even better, really capturing the emotion within the song and projecting it into the room.
As the set draws to a close, there is a lot to say about tonights set. The band themselves are clearly still at the top of their game with no signs of slowing but what stands out most is the bands dedication to their fans. They made this known multiple times through out the set and the fans in the crowd reciprocate it. If you get a chance to see the band live I would highly recommend it. If tonights set is anything to go by, their Bloodstock 2025 appearance is going to be huge.
