LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: MELROSE AVENUE AT THE DOME, LONDON 13/11/25
Selling out Downstairs at the Dome in Tufnell Park is good. Having the venue upgraded to the double capacity Dome upstairs is better. Selling that out too is straight up impressive.
In fact, Melrose Avenue made their EU/UK tour truly worth the cost of the plane tickets by selling the whole damn thing out.
Comastatic were along for the ride in support. A band that are in many ways bedfellows with their friends in Melrose Avenue- both bands having recently signed with Hopeless Records and also both playing their debut in London at this show. The Swiss duo exudes little brother energy with a sound reminiscent of Melrose Avenue but with a slightly more sprightly, snotty edge. Singer Mattia Di Paolo and guitarist Jules delivered a slick collection of catchy songs including ‘back4blood' and ‘Sunburn in the Summer’.
Di Paolo's impressive screams garner attention from all parts of the packed room including the merch queue, which contains fans so dedicated to getting hold of what are some admittedly very cool t-shirts, they remain in line during the support performance. Luckily for ticket holders in Dome that line goes straight across the main floor and provides a perfect vantage of the stage.
“This next one is a new song dropping tonight” Di Paolo explains before debuting 'Sway[ed]' a track recorded with LA multi-instrumentalist Ryan Oakes. This song really dials up the sexy, groovy vibes that still includes screams and the heavier influence that fans are after.
A set highlight was always going to be ‘24Seven’ the collab song with Melrose Avenue, the singalong moment of Comastatic's set.
Leaving the crowd with the frantic and feisty ‘Self Sabotage’, Comastatic's first time in London was certainly one for everyone involved to remember.
With Melrose Avenue’s drummer Jed McInosh standing behind his kit on an elevated riser, the rest of the band sauntered out on stage with vocalist Vlado Saric growling into his mic “What the fuck is up London?”
‘Fool and the Beggar', started the show and set the tone for the night, demonstrating the band's melodic bassline with spiky moments of real attitude. The whole thing was rather suave.
“We sold this shit out,” Saric grinned proudly. This, an outfit that really gets what it is to be a band in 2025. Only 3 years young, the Aussie quartet have leveraged their sound, look and social media prowess to gain a loyal following around the world. In the EU and UK, this run of sell-outs proves their skill in that holy trinity.
‘Black Heart’, a song originally recorded with rapper Jeff Thompson- better known as Ekoh goes down well. Saric properly introducing guitarist and supporting vocalist Shawn Mayer at this point as the “next best thing" to having Ekoh. Mayer certainly earned his place, both shredding the guitar parts and nailing the rap.
We were treated to a couple of new tracks in this set, the first one - ‘Everything You Promised’. A song that Saric assured us no one had ever heard live before having only been released a couple of days prior. The big advance of being the first stop on a tour is this exclusivity and the fans respond with excitement at the new offerings.
“This is Body Bag motherfuckers, I don't wanna see anyone standing still” Saric amped up the energy as horns went up around the room and the furious and darker side of the band revealed itself.
In a complete 180 flip in energy, one day old ‘This Is The End’ gets phone lights and lighters up in the air, an emotional, acoustic track that allows Saric to show off his impressive vocals that got him to the final of the Australian edition of X Factor back in 2016.
“You guys have been so fucking incredible.” Saric gushed towards the end of the set. It's a ‘right back at you’ moment with a night of varied, powerful and polished metalcore behind this impressive band. With the feedback loop of love going on there is no doubt left in anyone's mind that this band is soon to return to London - bigger, louder and ready to take the next step up.
Words by Imogen Bird
Photos by Florelle Servageon