Waking The Demon At The Fillmore Charlotte

Bullet For My Valentine Makes A Triumphant Return To The Queen City

It was the winter of 2008. My oldest son was just beginning to get into his early teen years and a new band from the UK was starting to get some serious plays on his iPod. Bullet For My Valentine’s second studio album Scream Aim Fire was being blasted all over my house, my car, and frankly into my heart. This is when I fell in love with the band and why to this day they are still one of my favorites.

Now, it’s been a minute since they’ve played here in North America and Charlotte rock fans were more than excited for them to be back on this side of the pond. It’s no surprise that it was quickly sold out. BFMV recently released a new self-titled album full of bangers with those sing-along melodic choruses that we all know and love. Fans arrived at the venue early and the line was queued up around the block by the time I arrived.

Upon entering The Fillmore, I saw a large crowd already surrounding the barricade anxiously waiting for their chance to see BFMV up close and personal. The merch lines were heavy, but moving quickly so I stopped to grab my son a tee shirt for old time’s sake.

Kicking off the night was singer-rocker-rapper Zero 9:36. Taking the stage with the force of a Category 5 storm, he quickly got the crowd going. With a guitarist and drummer accompanying him, Zero was energy personified as he ran, scooted, slid, and jumped all over the stage. Gracing us with selections from his latest EP …If You Don’t Save Yourself, Zero ran through a solid set that was a perfect showcase for what he can do. The fans were into it, pumping their hands in the air, heads bopping up and down, as they let loose. It was a fun time and definitely a cool way to start off an exciting evening of music.

After a short break, the venue lights dimmed, and spotlights were shown on the huge Bullet For My Valentine banner at the rear of the stage. Drummer Jason Bowld was first to hit the stage, taking his place behind his drum kit flashing double devil horns high in the air. Lead guitarist Michael Paget came running out next, baseball cap backward atop his head, as he pointed at the crowd followed by Jamie Mathias, bass guitar in hand. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matt Tuck made his appearance, quickly taking his spot center stage, as the crowd roared in appreciation. It was easy to see that the band was just as hyped up to be here as the fans and it was amazing to witness.

BFMV got things rolling quickly with “Knives” from their latest and seventh studio album. The energy level in the Fillmore was totally insane and the crowd was going absolutely bananas early on. Crowd surfers were already coming over the barricade as the band members urged them on. Tuck addressed the fact that it’s been way too long since they’ve been to Charlotte, promising that next time there won’t be that much of a wait as he led the band through hard-hitting rockers that packed one hell of a punch.

Mathias was pointing at fans, encouraging them to go all out as he slapped his bass with fury while Bowld pounded his kit with unrelenting force. Paget got the sidebar crowd going by continually throwing the devil horns throughout the set and putting on a masterclass on guitar with heavy riffs and blistering leads. Tuck’s vocals sounded amazing especially soaring on fan favorite “Hearts Burst Into Fire” and leading the screams on “Scream Aim Fire.”

The setlist was a nice mix of new songs and old ones with, of course, all the fan favorites thrown in. The band closed out the set with “Death By A Thousand Cuts” off the new record as Tuck told the crowd he wanted to see one more pit, motioning for a circle pit with his hands. Of course, when Tuck asks for a pit, he gets one and the crowd was in a frenzied state of moshing and crowd surfing for the final tune.

Nobody wanted the night to end and of course, it couldn’t without a few more Bullet For My Valentine hits. Coming out for a three-song encore, BFMV encapsulated everything you would want in a rock or metal show. Bowld beings the opening drum salvo of “Your Betrayal” and everyone was banging their heads before the guitars slide into that monstrous riff. Freaking amazing! Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does with “Tears Don’t Fall” as we all sang along. The piece de resistance was last as we all roared our appreciation and helped Bullet For My Valentine wake the demon in all of us one last time.

It was a long time coming but it was definitely worth the wait!

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