LIVE REVIEW: Skindred, P.O.D, As Everything Unfolds, Manchester Academy 14/03/2024

Photo Credit: Tom Forrester

Following their recent MOBO Awards success, Skindred headed out on a trio of live dates the first of which being a sold out night in Manchester.

As Everything Unfold’s brand of electronic tinged symphonic metalcore, seems an odd choice for the opening act on this tour. It has much more in common with 2010s metal bands, such as Architects, than the turn-of-the-century nu-metal bands they are supporting. Nevertheless, tracks such as Flipside and  Twilight are undeniable, and up the energy of the crowd. This set will certainly have ensured some new fans have been won over along the way. 6/10

P.O.D hit the stage next, with their pounding new single Drop.  The nu metal elders are hindered slightly at the beginning of their set by mic issues. However, these problems are quickly sorted, and the band expertly jump into a hit-laden set. Frontman Sonny Sandoval has the energy of a man half his age. Whether jumping around the stage with abandon during classic cut Boom or slowing things down for the (relatively) mellow Youth of the Nation, he leaps around the stage with the vigour of a musician who’s just starting out, rather than one thirty-two years into his career.

His enthusiasm is reflected in the heavy riffs provided by long-term guitarist Marcos Curiel, and the grooves from Traa Daniel’s bass lines. Rounded out by former Suicide Silence drummer Alex Lopez, whose brutal drumming compliments P.O.D.’s chunky brand of nu metal perfectly, this is undeniably the strongest that the band have sounded in years.

Unsurprisingly, massive hits, Satellite and Youth of the Nation make an appearance; both getting slight makeovers, with longer call and response sections, and some additional breakdowns thrown in.

However, it’s the new material where the most pleasant surprises of the set are found. Drop and Afraid to Die are slabs of nu-metal nostalgia that wouldn’t have been out of place on breakthrough record Satellite. However, as the revival of everything Y2K reaches its peak, these tracks also sound completely contemporary and fresh. As such, they go down as well as any of the older stuff, and draw some of the loudest singalongs from the crowd. 8/10

Anyone concerned that Skindred would struggle to follow such a strong support act needn’t have worried. Hitting the stage, following a medley of Queen, AC/DC and, well, the Imperial March from Star Wars, the band swagger onto the stage and break into a set spanning almost thirty years of material.

Getting things started with the electronic reggae infused metal of Set Fazers from 2023’s Smile, it’s clear that this set is going to be special. Quite frankly, a band as long in the tooth as Skindred shouldn’t look this good, sound this good, or be this cool. As he rocks through Rat Race, World’s on Fire, and That’s My Jam, frontman Benji Webbe growls, croons and raps effortlessly and interchangeably.

This gets the crowd onside quickly.  Put it this way, you have to have a certain level of credibility to do a piss-take cover of Wonderwall, call a Manchester crowd “wankers!” and not only get away with it, but also get cheers for the audacity.

Technically, the band sounds incredibly tight, with rhythm section Daniel Pugsley and Arya Goggin holding things down together expertly; giving the grooves and riffs a heavier punch than their recorded counterparts. This is particularly evident on tracks such as Gimme That Boom and Nobody. Guitarist Mikey Remus channels his inner ZZ Top, both in his appearance, and the technicality he brings to the guitar. The flourishes he brings to the live versions of tracks such as Our Religion and Ratrace only enhance the live experience.

Given the appeal of this band, both across generations and fandoms, it’s hard to say which tracks are the highlights for the crowd, as everything is universally adored. The punishing end trifecta of Gimme That Boom, Our Religion and Warning conclude the set with as much energy, if not more, than that at the start. It’s a rare talent for a band to have a set that’s all rise, but Skindred do it effortlessly.

The set flies by in a loud metallic hurricane, and everyone leaves the show with a smile on their face. Skindred may be approaching their third decade as a band, but you’ll struggle to find  a more happening party than one of their shows. It’s pure unadulterated fun, but what’s more, the music is simply awesome. 9/10 

Photos and Words By: Tom Forrester