Live Review : Billy Talent + Tigress @ O2 Academy, Liverpool on June 15th 2022

We climb the never-ending staircase of Liverpool O2 Academy on what is a stifling hot evening. Not that the glorious weather is stopping it from being a full house for the return to the UK of Canadians Billy Talent. The punters are eager with anticipation as we filter past the merch stand and up to the venue. It’s been around five years since they ventured to our shores, and for fans like myself it’s felt like an eternity. But before we can savour the unique punk rock of the headliners we have the support band (technically we also have a couple of trips to the bar and some planning of summer festival logistics first as well). Essex’s Tigress are providing support for this short UK run, and they do a great job of warming the crowd up…metaphorically. They deliver a brand of rock that takes large elements of historical styles with a sprinkling of newer tropes. They’re very pop orientated with an alternative rock core that you’d see more often in an 80’s or 90’s band. It’s not really the sort of thing this reviewer is into, and whilst I try to give them a chance it just starts to pass me by quite quickly. It’s a shame as the band are getting some great support slots with Feeder, Evanescence, and of course tonight’s band, but the formulaic song writing and lacklustre stage performance doesn’t enthuse me at all. I believe vocalist Katy Jackson is generating quite a buzz, specifically with her lyrical content, and she is very passionate in her delivery. There’s just no spark or standout quality with Tigress for me though, but there are sections of the crowd that seems to lap them up and they are at least generating an atmosphere that the gig has begun.

The crowd wait, drink, wait some more, drink some more, and then the lights go down. The members of Billy Talent take to the stage one by one, with the loudest cheer reserved for vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz bounding onto stage as the killer riff to opener ‘Devil in a Midnight Mass’ is lashed out. Hearing his idiosyncratic voice is like welcoming back an old friend and my face can’t stop grinning. The crowd, including myself, leap and dance in an immediate frenzy of joy at finally getting to see our punk rock favourites live again. They smash through ‘This Suffering’, ‘Beg to Differ’, ‘Afraid of Heights’…the list goes on. There’s simply no let-up from the hits and anyone expecting a lull in the performance is left reeling by the bands ability to deliver tune after tune. The crowd sing along to every word and bask in the unbridled enjoyment that oozes through every note and lyric of every song. When you’re able to hear the harmonies above the crowd’s singing it’s notable how spot-on guitarist Ian D’Sa’s delivery is. Of course it’s not just his backing vocals that are brilliant, he is equally as charismatic as Kowalewicz and oozes cool with his ever-present slick-back quiff and signature pose. Every riff seems as fresh as ever and the guitar sound crisp and defined. It’s a good example of how unique the band are, not many bands collect together all these elements in this manner and it continues to be a joy to hear and see them both on record and live. The encore closes with ‘Fallen Leaves’ and ‘Red Flag’, and every single person in the crowd is left exhausted but glowing with happiness as the lights go up and we make our way down the stairs out onto the street. There’s still a buzz outside the venue, and no doubt there will be in many people’s hearts after tonight’s gig. Long live Billy Talent.