LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Knocked Loose – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester – 18/03/2025

If someone had asked if you’d heard of Knocked Loose a few years back, you’d either be amongst those in the know, or those who’ve never heard of them. Fast forward to 2025 and Knocked Loose are one of the biggest hardcore bands in the world. Tonight they bring the play at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester with a whole host of exciting bands in support. 

Starting the night off is Leeds band Pest Control. Whilst they may fall into the hardcore genre this band has possibly one of the most raw and chaotic sounds out of all the bands tonight. Drawing inspiration from all areas of the genre they keep the crowd on their toes with blastbeats one moment and thrash-style guitar solos the next. On vocals for Pest Control is Leah Massey-Hay, with vocals that are vicious, raw and really make the band stand out on tonight’s line up. They’re a prime example of what the genre sometimes needs—a violent shake up. Similar in sound at times to the likes of Terminal Sleep and Dying Wish but with enough unique ideas to make them stand out, and the crowd are here for it as the two-steppers get started and the chaos begins. A shout-out to the DIY hardcore scene gets a large cheer from the crowd, as that’s where most of these bands start out nowadays, and with the loss of so many venues it’s important to keep supporting the DIY scene and the local shows.

Next up is Chicago-based hardcore band Harms Way. Having recently completed a tour over in Australia, the band are more than ready to bring their heavy sound to the UK crowds. Forming back in 2006, the band have a history of delivering brutal music both on and off stage, and tonight is no different. As soon as they hit the stage its non stop movement both on and off stage, with the crowd once again whipping up into a frenzy of moshers and two steppers. Musically, you could easily compare the band to the likes of Kublai Khan TX, with vocalist James Pligge giving off the same energy and prowess as Khan’s vocalist Matt Honeycutt. Though the set is short it highlights what makes this band so exciting, the songs are heavy, in your face and full of aggression. Highlights of the set include Human Carrying Capacity and set closer Infestation, during which Pligge does his now-viral running man, and the crowd are definitely here for it. Personally I would’ve liked to see more from the band, but for the 30 minutes they played they definitely left a lasting impression.

Our final support act of the night is UK post-punk / emo band Basement. Forming back in 2009, they quickly gained a mass following and are still incredibly popular, despite not having released any new music since 2018. Looking at tonight’s line up mainly built of hardcore bands, it could seem to some that Basement are a little out of place, but once they get started, it’s clear that’s not the case. With a blend of slower and fast-paced songs, it gives the crowd the perfect chance to slow things down a little and regain some energy. During those slower moments, the crowd sing along and just take it all in. During the faster ones, however the room becomes a sea of crowd surfers, all of whom seem incredibly excited to be watching Basement. One thing that strikes with Basement is how precise and on point they are with their performance. Every riff, bass line and drum beat is executed with complete precision making the impact of lyrics sung by vocalist Andrew Fisher feel that much bigger. As the set draws to an end the band finish off with Covet which prompts the loudest sing along of the night from the crowd so far, at times even drowning out the singer as they shout along in unison. Moments like this at a show are often a reminder of why live music is so important as it brings a room of strangers together in a way that nothing else can. 

The moment has finally arrived for tonight’s headliner. This time last year, Knocked Loose had not long played a UK tour in which they sold out Manchester Academy. Following the success of last year’s huge album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, the band have skyrocketed. They’re now playing bigger venues, headlining festivals and even got a Grammy nomination for their single Suffocate featuring Poppy. It’s not very often a band within the hardcore scene makes it past the barrier and into the mainstream, so for Knocked Loose to have achieved this is huge, for both the band and the metal and hardcore scene. People across the world know their name and they know exactly what to expect from a Knocked Loose show—chaos.

Opening with blinding strobes the band tear through set opener Thirst before powering onwards into the ferocious Deep In The Willow. From the moment he takes to the stage vocalist Bryan Garris has the crowd attention, and continues to hold it throughout. He interacts with the crowd frequently, asking for people to get to the front and get involved. In a room as packed and chaotic as this, it’s hard not to be involved, the centre of the room in constant motion orchestrated by the squeal of guitars, the thrashing of drums and Bryan’s now-iconic screams. 

Hearing songs like Deadringer will never not be exciting, and it’s good to see that they’re keeping the older material within the setlist. These songs now sound somewhat refined, whilst still keeping their razor edge. Brian’s voice and his screaming style has only improved over the years, and the latest album has pushed him to step outside of his comfort zone and try new things. Also on vocals tonight is guitarist Isaac Hale, who provides deep, guttural roars which could easily shake the room. Tonight’s stage is also a step up from what was seen on their last tour. It’s no longer a standard cloth backdrop, but instead this ruinous design. Dead centre in the stage is a cross which illuminates, piercing through the smoke only amplifying the atmosphere within the room. The lighting itself also adds to the mood and really brings some songs to life, most noticeably during Where Light Divides where beams of light act as car headlights. That’s followed by a blitz of strobes to the crash and adding further impact to the brutal nature of the song’s introduction. 

While tonight’s show is in support of the latest album, it feels like a bit of a celebration of the band as a whole. Throughout the setlist is a mixture of new and old songs, including many fan favourites which keep the energy high within the room. Songs like Don’t Reach For Me highlight just how much the fans have connected with the new album as Bryan commands the crowd to chant the vocal lines back, but God Knows from their A Tear In The Fabric EP really bring the chaos to the fore front as Bryan calls for two-steppers. But a song that will never not be fun live is the truly iconic Counting Worms. Bryan starts the crowd off and then they take over, belting the words back in unison before the room once again descends into chaos.

As the set nears its end Isaac asks the crowd to form a wall of death during Everything Is Quiet Now, only for the sound to be cut due to the size of the pit opening up within the crowd. Closing the night on Sit And Mourn feels like the perfect end to the night. It’s somewhat sombre and gives a feeling of closure, but has enough bite to allow the crowd one final chance to blow off some steam before the show ends. If tonight’s performance has proven anything, it’s that Knocked Loose really are worth the hype. The songs sound tighter than ever, and the band really do seem at the top of their game. It also proves that hardcore deserves its recognition within mainstream music. A special shoutout should also go to the security and medical staff who did an amazing job of keeping everyone safe throughout the night and allowing the fans to express them selves through moshing. As the crowds head out into the night, everything truly is quiet now.

Words and photos by Will Robinson (Instagram)