By Matt Haynes
Picture this if you will:
Its 2004. You've just got home from another boring day at school. You head upstairs, get into your pit of a bedroom and turn the Xbox on. You pull 'Halo 2', one of the greatest games of all time, out its case and load it up. You grab your 2L bottle of fizzy drink, tell your parents you want pizza for dinner and watch the screen come to life. You play the game for hours, finally hitting the infamous 12th campaign level 'GRAVEMIND'...and that's when you hear it. A track that blows your mind and gets you hooked on the artist. You then spend the following days trying to track down the soundtrack so you can see who wrote the track
Now of course, this SORT of applies to me as I was more 'sit and watch my brother play Halo 2' because younger me SUCKED at shooter style games. But the rest of the above still sticks. The track in question was 'Blow Me Away' by Breaking Benjamin, a track that still gives me goosebumps 22 years after hearing it. What followed after hearing this track alone was me trying to find and collect all of Breaking Benjamin's music as time went on. One thing I had always dreamt about growing up over the years was getting to experience their music live in person - a dream that was soon held back when I read that Breaking Benjamin struggled to travel outside their home country of America due to a number of reasons. Whilst this was sad to hear/read, it became something I adapted to and found myself accepting as I got older.
Then the news that I and Breaking Benjamin fans around the world had been waiting for finally broke...the band were conducting their first UK/EU Tour in 2026. Now its not often I scream like a little girl who's dream of becoming a Disney Princess has come true...but in this case, I screamed like a little girl for what felt like hours on end. Whilst trying to grab tickets was an ABSOLUTE nightmare (you know the drill, intense fan demand and the good ol' scalpers trying to rip everyone off), I finally managed to get hold of 2 tickets to see Breaking Benjamin in Birmingham.
After waiting what felt like an eternity to get here, July soon rolled round the corner and the excitement of finally being able to see one of my all time favourite bands was here. When talking to friends and fellow fans about the day, I felt a weird mixture of nerves amongst the excitement as well - I had waited 20+ years to see this moment...so was it going to be worth it? What if the hype wasn't all there when the band took to the stage? Only time would tell as I walked into the venue with my friend Liz, who was also buzzing with excitement and about seeing the band.
The venue in question - the O2 Academy - was a new one for myself. I knew of the venue of course, but had never set foot inside. As I took my seat on the Balcony area, I took a look around. The venue was a decent sized, coming in at a reported 3000 capacity (split around 2400 standing, 600 seating) - but the biggest problems that came to mind was 1. was this venue going to be bearable during the immense heatwave we were suffering (Birmingham was reading as high as 34 degrees earlier in the day) and 2. was this venue going to be big enough to contain the sheer noise that was to follow from the fans?
As both the stalls and balcony began to fill up, you could feel the electricity in the air. Fans couldn't ignore the band's backdrop sporting the recent artwork across the back of the stage, nor could their ignore the merch stands located at the back of the room calling their names. As the lights began to dip, the first band took to the stage...
OPENING ACT: RETURN TO DUST (19.30 - 20.00)
RETURN TO DUST:
Matty Bielawski (Guitars, Vocals), Graham Stanush (Bass, Vocals), Sebastian Gonzalez (Guitars), London Hudson (Drums)
Now I will hold my hands up here and admit a little something - I was about 2-3 songs into this band's setlist when I realised we weren't watching Chevelle. The biggest giveaway to this was when Return To Dust said something about being from California (at this point, I'd missed the band's name when they were introducing themselves). When I did some reading prior to the show, I saw that Chevelle originated from Illinois...so of course, I was royally confused.
To my left, I noticed a fan holding up their phone with Shazaam open, and the app reported the band back as Return To Dust. Upon a quick bit of research after their set, I'd found that this quartet had been added ahead of the shows - so this resulted in finding/learning about a new band. If you like your heavy rock and grungey vibes, this is a band for you. Whilst they had a mixed result of interaction from the crowd, this didn't stop the band from kicking the evening off with a bang. Their on-stage energy was rather infectious, with the band interacting with each other in silly ways or just enjoying themselves as they smashed out their set - which included a very clever take on Outkast's classic 'Hey Ya'. The overall sound could have been tweaked a little bit as it was hard to hear the guitars in some sections, but nonetheless this didn't stop me getting hooked into the band's energy and sound - swiftly earning themselves a follow on social media whilst they took a breather in their set for some crowd interaction. The space on the stage may have been small for the band, but this didn't stop them supplying a 'larger than life' mentality with the half hour time frame they had to grab the attention of the crowd.
As the final note rang, the band took a bow and thanked the fans for embracing them on their UK debut. There is always an immense pressure on an opening band - even more so for a show that was not only the first night of a tour, but also for the band's own debut - but Return To Dust smashed their first UK show out the park.
MAIN SUPPORT: CHEVELLE (20.20 - 21.00)
CHEVELLE ARE:
Pete Loeffler (Guitars, Vocals), Sam Loeffler (Drums), Kemble Walters (Bass, Backing Vocals)
The transition between Return To Dust and the next band may have only taken 20 minutes, but with the heat building inside the venue due to the crowd building more and more, it felt like an eternity. For myself, the anticipation grew for main support act Chevelle, a band I only knew by name but not by music. A friend on Facebook said to approach the band with an open mind, leaving me intrigued as to what kind of music they would play. Amongst the rock based fans in my circle of friends, Chevelle were held in high regard for their energy and songs so it was exciting to check out a band live rather than just spinning their tracks through streaming platforms or physical media.
Of course, having never heard a track of theirs before (which is a shock to myself, seeing as the band has been around since the mid 90s), I felt a bit 'left out' when the room exploded into cheers as they walked on to 'An Island'. Admittedly, it took me a while to get into Chevelle and their songs - part of this being because I was still coming down from the electricity of the previous band, part of this being unfamiliar with their music - but by using the 'approach them with an open mind' message prior to the show, I found myself enjoying the tracks. For me, Pete's vocals didn't seem top notch at the start of the set, but the time we reached 'Self Destructor', his vocals came through stronger and louder - so potentially, I was pinning this down as a result of this being a date near the end of the tour run as well as some possible fatigue from travelling around.
The energy for me picked up most by the time we hit fan favourites 'The Red' and 'Comfortable Liar', both fans and the band being comfortable with each other despite the temperature in the room building. Of course the only downside of this was by the time Chevelle finished these songs, we were at the end of the set with 'Mars Simula'. Its always the way with these shows, where you get invested in a new band or their sound and then suddenly its over before you know it. The advantage here is that after hearing ABOUT the band for so long, I finally got to experience them in the best way - live, uncaged and in their element. Whilst the start of the set may not have grabbed me, the energy presented by the band and the infectious later songs managed to win me over, and also made me realise just how much I've missed from the grab over their 31 year career.
HEADLINE ACT: BREAKING BENJAMIN (21.30 - 23.00)
BREAKING BENJAMIN ARE:
Benjamin Burnley IV (Guitars, Vocals), Benjamin Burnley V (Guitars, Vocals), Jasen Rauch (Guitars), Keith Wallen (Guitars, Vocals), Aaron Burch (Bass, Vocals), Brian Mederios (Drums)
At this point, the energy and electricity in the room was stronger than ever. Fans were getting agitatable as the moment we all waited for was drawing nearer. For some, the honour of seeing this band was already in their memory. For many, musical history was about to be made. The crowd - now absolutely packed out in both the stalls and the balcony - were huddled and squashed together waiting for the moment that the lights would drop and the first notes would start playing...the 30 minute changeover again felt like an eternity, time teasing us all with every minute that passed.
Then...the glorious moment happened. The lights dimmed, the first notes started playing and the first screams roared throughout the room as the band were spotted taking to the stage. What followed was 90 minutes of hit after hit from Breaking Benjamin's catalogue. Pure, intense joy filled the room with plenty of smiles and cheers, the crowd welcoming the metal giants for the first night of their UK tour.
Opening with 'I Will Not Bow', the band sounded exactly as they do on the records. The sound quality was perfect, the lighting matched the song and the band were enjoying every single minute of the applause given to them. What was a true testament to Breaking Benjamin's legacy was hearing the fans take over singing duties, bellowing the chorus back at the band with such fierce loyalty and passion. This didn't stop there...this happened in EVERY song in the 18 song setlist. I even found myself joining in and singing to my heart's content (with the exception of two songs 'Crawl' and 'Polyamorous', merely because I hadn't listened to them in a long time and couldn't remember the lyrics). Looking around the room and seeing such unity is something I personally love when it comes to music, and to see fans of all ages and backgrounds come together truly demonstrates what music is and should be about.
On the stage was another addition to the band's regular line-up - Benjamin's song Ben (to make this easier, frontman Ben will be referred to as Ben IV whilst little Ben will be referred to as Ben V). Along for the ride to learn the ropes and to also tease the fans that the new BB album was ready, Ben V was present for every song - playing guitar and singing along with his dad. You couldn't help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside as you watched Ben IV look at his son through the set with pride and joy, enjoying that he got to share such a special occasion with his son. And what made those moments even more spectacular was that yet again, the crowd cheered Ben V on with every song, and truly made him feel like he was part of the extended family for the evening.
The nerves I mentioned earlier in the review were quickly squashed and forgotten about. There wasn't a single doubt in my mind as Breaking Benjamin powered through their set, sounding as crisp and strong as they did compared to when I first heard them. For me, what really made this set stand out was the inclusion of tracks from my personal favourite album 'Phobia', which is the album that truly got me engrossed in the band's writing style and messages. Hearing the likes of 'Evil Angel' and 'Breath' alongside THAT iconic track ( you all know the one I mean...but if not, stay tuned...) was mesmerising, and a moment I never thought I would get to experience in this lifetime.
As the time drew nearer to the dreaded end, Breaking Benjamin - for me - ended on a solid combination of tracks which just so happened to be my two favourite from the previously mentioned 'Phobia' album - 'Dance With The Devil' and of course, what has to be one of Breaking Benjamin's most iconic songs 'Diary of Jane'. This was the truly euphoric moment for myself, as I finally got to hear the iconic track that got me hooked on the band live and in person. There was almost a sense of magic in the air, a sense of disbelief as I finally got to the experience this moment for the first time. With a final and heartfelt thank you from Ben IV, the band left the stage. And whilst the fans cries of 'ONE MORE SONG' sadly did not come to pass (understandably with curfews in place), it was safe to say that Breaking Benjamin had truly left their mark on UK soil, and had solidified the fact that this was going to be one of the best tours the UK would experience in 2026.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There has been a small number of bands who have truly stood out to me over the years, captivating my mind and burying their way into my heart and soul for years to come. Nickelback, Slipknot, Killswitch Engage, Trivium...the list goes on. But if I had to narrow it down to a list of top 5 all time favourite shows, THIS would easily slide into that list. Breaking Benjamin for me has always been a band that stood out amongst the rest, their music always feeling different to other acts in my playlist. And hearing the songs live just cemented the fact that they as a band are truly incredible and deserve the love and support they received from the crowd.
Of course, I can't ignore the energy and passion that Return To Dust and Chevelle brought to the evening as well. As far as support bands go, these two were - for me - the perfect choice. Their energy, their sound, their professionalism shone through and they took to the stage with their own fire to ensure they stood out to the crowd as much as the headline - a fact even Breaking Benjamin acknowledged, showing how truly humble all three acts were to one another.
I write this review four days after attending the show, and yet I still feel the excitement and electricity in my heart. This was more than a show, this was therapy in musical form. This was euphoric, mind blowing and exciting combined in one evening. Whilst I know that Breaking Benjamin had to tackle some big obstacles to get to our shores, I personally cannot thank them and the other bands enough for finally reaching us. And hopefully, we won't be waiting too long until they consider doing it all again. Only next time, I hope to see them selling out arenas, for all 3 bands are acts that are extremely worthy of that honour.
For more information about the bands featured in this review, please check out the following links below:
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