Live Review : Sleep Theory + The Pretty Wild @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on February 9th 2026

Metal has persevered because of its innate ability to simultaneously seek inspiration from the past and the future. Tonight’s two acts build on what has come before and the muses of nu-metal and grunge are obvious. However they are also forcefully challenging the confines that metal exists within. They are reaching up to grasp the zeitgeist and seem undeterred by the notions of what is or isn’t metal. Whilst initially used as slur, the term baddiecore has been reclaimed by acts that are happy to add a commercial and poppy element to their repertoire. Wanting to be bigger than Jesus is no longer seen as selling out or sacrificing your integrity. The Pretty Wild and Sleep Theory embrace the desire to appeal to more than the metal demographic, and the capacity crowd reflects that embrace rather then rejection of the mainstream. As screens that greet you as you enter the venue scream, welcome to the Sleep Theory family, everyone is welcome.

This is The Pretty Wild’s first time on UK shores and the buzz is audible. They consist of sisters Jyl and Jules Wylde, who have jumped ship from country to metal. Although this is not metal as we know it. They do harsh vocals, clean vocals and some rapping for good measure. They are backed by a drummer, guitarists and a hell of a lot of samples. What is most intriguing is how open and blatant they are in the desire to upturn metal’s applecart. If there is one thing the sisters collectively have, that is attitude. There is nothing meek or mild about our Jyl or Jules. They do a shout-out to the women of metal and blatantly desecrate our music with a manic grin and a heap of delightful disregard. It's not metal as we know it, but it damn well might be the future.

Sleep Theory are also unashamed of their crossover potential. This is pop-laced metal or metal-laced pop and they are proud of it. There are plenty of metal traits to be found and blood curdling screeches are à gogo, but it is sprinkled upon vibrant sugar-drenched pop. What is obvious is that the audience absolutely adores them. Every word are sung back to them with glee and gusto. There is an exuberance and euphoria at play that is frankly infectious. It is Beatlemania but with added blast beats. They continue their rampant playing with convention by rolling out a Boyz II Men, NSYNC, Paramore and Taylor Swift covers (respectively ‘Can You Stand the Rain’, ‘Bye Bye Bye’, ‘My Heart’ and ‘Cruel Summer’). But they aren’t performed with wink wink irony, this is metal that has not just been weaned on pop, it wholeheartedly accepts it as part of its core DNA.

Cullen Moore might well be in the early stages of his career but he is already deeply comfortable with a crowd. He jokes about bands that spend too long talking on the stage before going on to talk about how Daniel Puritt and he met at a birthday party and bonded over music. It is half irony but also just rampant enthusiasm. Sleep Theory have one album to their name yet here they are with a sold-out UK tour. We get all that album and its preceding EP and the evening ends not because they don’t want to spend anymore time with us, but because they quite simply have run out of material. ‘Stuck My Head’ heralds obligatory crowd participation and final track ‘Static’ is treated as if it is the feel good hit of the summer. Continually doing himself down, Cullen jokes that if you don’t like autotune, you’re not going to like this one. Basically, this was one big, I was there moment. It was a Monday party of blissful dancing and shoulders aloft punters. If the stratospheric trajectory continues, this will be a night that grandchild are informed of.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Sleep Theory + The Pretty Wild