Lord of the Lost w/ Esoterica - Manchester 29/09/23

Venue:

Security at Manchester Academy 2 Needs Improvement
The security at the Manchester Academy 2 venue left much to be desired. On the day of the gig, my wife and I noticed that there was no ticket check or pat-down upon arrival, which was concerning given the city's history with the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. Although my wife's bag was checked, it felt rushed and negligent. Despite being told by a security supervisor that we could use the accessibility lift due to my wife's crutches, we were later denied entry by another security officer once we arrived on the top floor. This resulted in a frustrating back-and-forth with the service desk, which was stressful for my wife. Even LOTL's Chris Harms expressed dissatisfaction with the security arrangements during the show due to safety concerns. In short, Manchester Academy 2 needs to take security seriously and make improvements immediately.

Esoterica:

Despite encountering some issues, we had a great time at the show. The London-based band Esoterica opened up the night and did an exceptional job of getting the audience excited. Although I was unfamiliar with their music, my incredible wife filled me in during the three-hour drive to Manchester. Their sound was impressive on their recordings, but their live performance was truly captivating. The crowd belted out the lyrics to their hit song "True Faith" (originally performed by New Order) and "Don't Rely on Anyone" quickly became a personal favourite of mine.

Lord of the Lost:

When it comes to putting on a show, German Goth Metal/Industrial Metal band, LOTL, are the heavyweight champs! These guys are on fire, lighting up the stage with unrivaled passion and energy. The crowd went nuts when they cranked up their most popular tracks, including "Drag Me to Hell", “Blood & Glitter”, "Destruction Manual" and "Loreley", with fans belting out the lyrics and unleashing their inner rock gods. But, as if that wasn't enough, they threw in a killer cover of Roxette's "The Look", and boy did it go OFF!
I was completely blown away by Gared Dirge's insane talent. The dude was a one-man show, switching between piano, synthesizer, percussion and guitar like a musical ninja! And the banter between him and drummer Niklas Kahl was hilarious and kept me in stitches throughout the show. It was clear these guys were having a blast on stage, and that energy was infectious.
But the real magic happened when the music brought together people from all walks of life. It was a beautiful sight to see folks from different backgrounds and communities come together, united by their love for music and art. Headliners' performances showed us the power of music to unite people and spread love.

Did you attend the event? If so, we would love to hear about your experience. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.