Ever since their formation, Spiritbox has always felt like they’re on the cusp of greatness. The release of their debut album Eternal Blue helped propel them even further, garnering something of a cult following along the way. The past couple of years have seen them find themselves opening up for some of the biggest names in the business, but as vocalist and self-proclaimed “nervous yapper” Courtney LaPlante puts it to the sold-out crowd in front of her at Alexandra Palace, “It’s good to be in front of our own people.”
This show comes at the conclusion of the band’s current era, providing a victory lap of sorts, while also looking to build on the anticipation ahead of the upcoming release of their new album Tsunami Sea’. But while the first 50 fans in line that day were invited to privately hear the new album in full, the rest of the crowd was treated to the debut of the immense unreleased track ‘Fata Morgana’, a crushing anthem that made sure that the band’s introduction to arena stardom was a heavy one.
With their foot firmly on the gas, the band continued to smash their way through fan-favourites like ‘Cellar Door’ and ‘Jaded‘ from the more recent ‘Fear of Fear’ EP, as well as certified classics from Eternal Blue in the form of ‘Circle Of Me’ and the album’s title track. Only then does LaPlante manage to conjure up words to the crowd, first apologising for being too overwhelmed by the sheer expanse of those in front of her to speak, before going on to thank everyone for coming to the show, especially those who found themselves braving the London cold early in the morning to make it to the front.
While this sort of onstage patter is common amongst touring bands, for Spiritbox it truly seems as though their fans are family. Highlighted best by the band inviting long-time fans Reece and Tate to the stage, only for Reece to propose to Tate, with the whole band celebrating the occasion. This willingness to celebrate their fans on their biggest stage to date helps to demonstrate exactly why Spiritbox have found themselves at this level.
As the celebrations subsided, LaPlante demanded that it was time “To shake ass!’’’, as the heavy grooves of ‘Rotoscope’ resonated throughout the building, before being followed quickly by the live debut of ‘Sew Me Up’. With weaving instrumental interludes and impeccable lighting and set design, it’s clear the Spiritbox has been thinking about this moment for a long, long time. The jump to arenas can so easily swallow bands up, but as the band effortlessly breeze through some of their biggest tracks like ‘Soft Spine’, ‘No Loss, No Love’, and ‘Holy Roller’, it’s clear just how overdue this occasion was.
As the night drew to a close, LaPlante explained how the final song ‘Constance’, was written as a way for the band to surmount their losses and grief, but that tonight it would serve as a celebration. Initially starting acoustically, it then resumed with the rest of the band joining in, along with the support of the crowd as well.
Spiritbox’s first headline arena show on these shores is certainly not going to be their last. Time and time again the band has proven that their place is on the biggest stages in the world and their set at Alexandra Palace is proof of it. With a promise of seeing the crowd again soon, you can only hope that the release of their new album will see them return as promptly as possible.
