LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: BEARTOOTH AT THE O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON, LONDON 03/10/26
“You've probably heard way too much about my private life over the past few months”, Caleb Shomo, the magnetic frontman of the Ohio Electro-punkcore aficionados Beartooth, acknowledged to an excitable Brixton Academy.
Indeed, 2026 has been quite a sensational year in multiple ways for the band, with not only a new album, but a media frenzy around Shomo coming out as - in his own words - a proudly gay man. Shomo’s fearless embracing of his new public persona, running alongside a more optimistic and headstrong version of Beartooth has culminated in a standout album that was ready to be celebrated in London.
In support, Kingdom of Giants brought their edgy metalcore to open the show. The California outfit impressing with dual singing, mic swinging and an ability to get the room going.
2023’s ‘Wasted Space’ helped get the room warmed further, but frontman Dana Willax wasn't quite satisfied with the energy, asking the room if they had any more to give.
As far as disasters for a touring band go, one of the worst has to be if a member's visa isn't in place in time and unfortunately for Kingdom of Giants this was their reality with Drummer Truman Berlin unable to get into the country. The show must go on though- as they say, and Berlin joined the band via the big screen with a recording of ‘Respawn’ from a previous show.
“Do you all feel the love in the room tonight?” Willax asked before featuring ‘Reign’ , a track from new album Usurper, due to be released in months time.
Kingdom of Giants are no strangers to playing in the UK but their gratitude at the inclusion on this particular tour was on full show as Willax admitted “it’s a privilege and honour to be here”.
Another band stoked to be on this bill was Canadian icons Silverstein, with singer Shane Told full of nostalgia for their previous forays in the city as well as new experiences. “This is fucking sick, it’s our first time at Brixton thanks for coming out”.
‘Smashed Into Pieces’ saw a circle pit, as well as crowd surfers and a big ol’ sing-along as Brixton settled into the evening. “Saturday night in London holy fucking shit it doesn’t get better than this” Told grinned to the raucous response.
Hitting one of their heaviest tracks ‘The Altar’ fists were up in the air in no time. As a support band Silverstein always run the risk of outshining the main act. Formed in 2000 they have a pedigree of the early noughties scene and long built respect as a pillar of emo during the era the genre was being redefined- and they certainly had an important hand in that.
“Whether you feel overwhelmed or stressed it’s time to let it out in pit, it’s called Stress”, Told offered the cathartic track as the unique brand of Silverstein therapy.
Since Beartooth’s inception in 2012, the tone of Caleb Shomo’s songwriting has metamorphosed over the album cycles. From the roots of Shomo’s Attack, Attack! post hardcore era, through the raw pain, aggression, healing and optimism embedded in his deeply personal songwriting. The culmination of that journey so far - Pure Ecstasy, the newly born album is front and centre of the night of celebration at Brixton Academy.
Beginning with the title track proved an explosive start to the evening. Beartooth, the team, the unit, as strong as ever just with more sass, confidence and eagerness to tear the place down, led by an evolved frontman, living, these days in crop tops, glam make up and a set of fierce nails.
‘Bullshit’ followed, with a reminder of the incredible writing abilities of a band that has transitioned from desperate and pessimist metalcore to the polar opposite but somehow retained the heaviness, intensity and catharsis they have always excelled at.
Taking it back to those early days of debut album - Disgusting, ‘Beaten in lips’ still hit as hard as it did twelve years ago. ‘Hated’ from the 10 year old album Aggressive does similar before the quintessential track - the song that undoubtedly welcomed many Beartooth fans into the fold ‘In Between’ - an early song that nevertheless showed glimmers of what the band would become with its soaring and hopeful message.
Back on the latest release, pop driven ‘Beautiful Again’ was a big moment for a heartfelt sing-along from all corners of the room.
Between the dual threat of ‘Bad Listener’ and ‘Disease’, from the 2018 album of the same name, Shomo reminded the pits that the room was a safe place for Rock ‘n Roll after a false alarm of trouble in the crowd, that turned out to just be a lost shoe.
With the first representative from progressive album The Surface, ‘Sunshine’, a track that blends acoustic bubblegum pop vibes with brutal screams, Shomo took a moment to give a little love back to the fans that have supported his journey, and even the ones who haven't so much. “Whether you get it or not, I love every one of you that walked through these doors tonight”.
Moving into the end of the set, all eras of the band were represented, with the vaguely bizarre ‘Stadiums’ from Pure Ecstasy, ‘Riptide’ and ‘Might Love Myself’ from The Surface, and ‘The Lines’ from Disgusting.
Beartooth are a band that have barreled forwards regardless of the noise around their changing sound and the inevitable opinions that come with that evolution. Crowds in 2026 may look different to crowds at the inception in 2014, but both the dedicated OG’s and new fans finding the band during their journey to the top, couldn't care less about the naysayers left in the dust along the way.
Words and photos by Imogen Bird.
