Image: Fit For A King Live [Stray View Photography, @stray.view]
Fit For A King are bringing spring vibes to their fans in Europe. The US outfit is currently touring extensively across the continent. As if that wasn’t cool enough, they’ve also brought along special guests who add the cherry on top of the cake. With Memphis May Fire, Acres and 156/Silence, three more incredibly strong metalcore acts are part of the lineup. Of course we didn’t want to miss this fantastic overall package and checked out the show at Schlachthof in Wiesbaden.
156/Silence
The concert evening kicked off right on time at 6 PM – not very Friday-the-13th-like at all. Quite early for fans who work during the day, but judging by how packed it was from the very first note of opener 156/Silence, it seemed important for most people to catch all four acts in full. The US band around frontman Jack Murray has been making music for about a decade and brought a solid mix from their five studio albums for their half-hour set. Quite an impressive number of releases considering they haven’t actually been around for that long. The group complemented their darker metalcore sound with a fitting light show that quickly captivated the already large crowd. The quintet definitely gained a few new fans that night.
Acres
After a short changeover, Acres from the UK continued the show. Much like 156/Silence, Acres might still be flying a bit under the radar – and just like the band before them, completely unjustly so. The group had their breakthrough in 2019 and has since landed on many metalcore playlists across streaming platforms. Since then they’ve already released three full-length albums, most recently last year’s The Host. Acres have plenty of songs with big singalong moments, which clearly excited the audience. Those who didn’t know the songs happily nodded along, while fans who knew the lyrics supported the band enthusiastically. A strong performance!
Memphis May Fire
Memphis May Fire act as the quasi co-headliner on this tour with FFAK. Even though they are officially listed as special guests, the band brought a solid fanbase with them to the Wiesbaden Schlachthof. The group around frontman Matty Mullins has been active for more than two decades and can look back on eight studio albums. The focus of the set that evening was clearly on songs from their latest album Shapeshifter, which came out last year. Despite the fact that the songs haven’t been out for that long, the fans who had traveled to the show knew the lyrics by heart. With an enormous stage presence, MMF powered through a packed setlist for a solid 45 minutes and created a fantastic atmosphere in the now very crowded venue. The stage was perfectly set for the headliner.
Fit For A King
Fit For A King were already seen at several festivals here in Germany during the summer. Anyone who saw the band there – or maybe discovered them for the first time – was surely at the current tour! The group around vocalist Ryan Kirby released their latest full-length album Lonely God last year, which they are now touring across Europe in support of. The 16-song setlist didn’t only include tracks from the new record but also absolute classics. “No Tomorrow”, “When Everything Means Nothing” and “Breaking The Mirror” created huge singalong moments in the crowd. Besides singing along, moshing and crowdsurfing were the go-to activities for the audience. You’ve got to find ways to stay FIT, right? ba-dum-tss Despite the extensive setlist, the show wrapped up right at 10 PM after one hour with the final song “Witness The End”. Speaking of being “employee-friendly” – there are definitely worse times to head home on a Friday night. Thanks to all four bands for the evening!
