Live Review: Nickelback // Birmingham – Genting Arena

Nickelback: one of the biggest rock bands in the music industry. You just have to hear the name and almost everyone will start singing “and this is how you remind me”. After forming 22 years ago, Nickelback have released several albums, each including some of the worlds biggest tracks to date. Although people love to criticise, with a sold-out UK tour, including a stop in Birmingham, it’s fair to say that the Canadian rockers are still a success. Visiting the Genting Arena on the 10^th May, Nickelback intricately weaved their latest album with the nostalgic old classics, putting on a lively, energetic show.

No concert is complete without a support act, helping warm up the stage and getting the crowd pumped. Seether, a South African rock band, got the crowd pumped and brought an intense energy to the arena. By the time it came to Nickelback’s entrance, the crowd was itching for more and already fully engaged with the introductory documentary that was on screen.

Opening with their latest single ‘Feed the Machine’ was a smart decision. The upbeat, heavier track enticed the audience for an energetic night. ‘Woke up this Morning’ followed, again engulfing cheers from the crowds and opening room for the audience to let go and have fun. Taking the time to introduce themselves to the crowd, it became clear that they are just as grateful now to be performing live as they were back in the day. Fan favourites ‘Photograph’ and ‘Far Away’ followed with the audience singing every single lyric back at the band.

Performing a diverse range of both old and new tracks allowed Nickelback to present their musical talent uninterrupted. The crowd’s reaction to every song was exciting and fascinating. Their respect in turn for the audience, solidified by bringing 2 fans on the stage for ‘Rockstar’ was also a highlight of the show. Taking the time to endlessly thank fans for coming to the show and taking a shot of jager after every other song, became a highlight of the show. Talking about the process of writing songs and the meaning behind certain songs allowed the crowd to really connect with the band and understand their journey as both people and musicians.

The final songs before the encore was another crowd favourite ‘Animals’ before leading into the track that started it all – ‘How You Remind Me’. Both songs balanced the energetic, fun and musically spectacular aspects of music Nickelback have perfected. Every single person in the crowd was signing back to the stage before Nickelback promptly left the stage. Ending the show with “Burn it to the Ground” was a perfect choice. The audience went wild for one last time and Nickelback had fun drinking and soaking up the atmosphere.

Nickelback sure knows how to put on an energetic and somewhat nostalgic show, allowing fans to immerse in the music. A pleasure to watch, it doesn’t look like Nickelback are going away anytime soon.

Words by Hannah Strong.

Gallery Photographs by Alex Goodwin.