Ought to Nickelback headline Obtain? Virtually 20 years since they first made the leap to arenas within the UK, the Canadian band have confirmed to be probably the most dependable industrial forces in twenty first Century rock.
This 12 months’s documentary Hate To Love explored the contradiction on the coronary heart of the band’s rise to success, however their first UK tour in six years proves its enterprise as normal as they’re greeted by 16,000 individuals – and various cowboy hats – in Birmingham. However whereas the numbers may stay the identical, there are delicate hints that the demographics have modified over time.
Opener San Quentin triggered a stir when a three-second clip had the web questioning if the band had written a metalcore music (no, actually). The actual fact the band kick their set off with it – after an intro tape of Pantera’s Stroll , the band having longstanding ties to the Abbott brothers – suggests they’ve nonetheless acquired fireplace within the tank and ties to the steel world.
But it surely’s a hearth that is tempered. We’re quickly in additional acquainted radio ballad territories for Savin’ Me and Far Away , and the muted enthusiasm proven for sooner numbers like Animals in comparison with almighty sing-alongs for the Hits, exhibits the band know their viewers properly; a crowd that likes the concept of The Large Rock Present however discover Foo Fighters a bit shouty.
But it surely works of their favour as the group grows ever extra enthusiastic and vocal as extra hits seem. Sometime and Figured You Out are belted out with gusto, whereas a shock cowl of Oasis’ Do not Look Again In Anger with help from tour helps The Lottery Winners lights the world up.
Banter all through the present borders on cliché rock star-isms however by no means appears insincere, Chad Kroeger addressing members of the group to indulge requests for songs like S.E.X. (“I do not suppose we have ever performed that!” he says, earlier than singing the primary couple of verses) and a hug for a fan who’s apparently at her fortieth present.
“They’ve been making an attempt to cancel us for 20 years… we’re nonetheless right here!” He says with a triumphant grin, teeing up a closing run that features mega-hits {Photograph} (“you may bear in mind it as ‘take a look at that graph ‘”), How You Remind Me and Rockstar , the latter seeing them deliver a fan on to sing on-stage and reside out their very own rockstar dream.
Therein lies the fantastic thing about what Nickelback provide in 2024; a romanticised, broad imaginative and prescient of the huge rock present, full with large sing-alongs, riffs and a way of joyous enthusiasm that flies within the face of any hate the band may need endured. So, might Nickelback headline Obtain? Completely; they’re definitely sufficiently big. Will they? At this level, you possibly can’t assist however surprise in the event that they’ve moved past the attain of a scene that by no means totally embraced them.
(Picture credit score: Timothy Hiehle @thiehle)
Nickelback setlist Utilita Enviornment Birmingham 23/05/2024
San Quentin
