Page 32 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 concerts pg32-33 New Years Day.qxp_BV112 pg 32 22/06/2025 16:50 Page 1

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YYYYY Excellent YYYY Very Good YYY Good
YY Listenable, Just Y Poor

NEW YEARS DAY – BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY 2, 30.01.25

It seems like almost a lifetime ago
that we first saw New Years Day open-
ing for Sugarcult in Anaheim in 2007. 18
years later, Ash Costello has shown
how her relentless passion and focused
vision for the band has led her, step by
step, up the ladder of success. With al-
bums such as ‘Unbreakable’, Ash
Costello and New Years Day really ARE
unbreakable.
It’s been so long since we’ve been
in the Academy 2, it’s almost like a blast
from the past, and, with us not catching
opening band Fearless Vampire Killers
since their hiatus in 2016 until now, it re-
ally is like the past has been trans-
ported back towards us. It’s fun to see
the five-piece from Beccles again, as
well as second band, Conquer Divide,
who currently now include a male tour-
ing bassist/unclean vocalist (Spencer
Maybe) in their predominantly female
line-up. Both bands fit seamlessly as
supports to New Years Day and warm
the crowd up perfectly.
With their fifth album, ‘Half Black
Heart’, having been released in early
2024, New Years Day kick off their
show with the opening track, ‘Vampyre’,
a powerful and innovative metallic con-
struction that slays everyone in the
vicinity. Ash Costello brings guitarists
Nikki Misery and Jeremy Valentyne,
plus drummer Tommy Rockoff, with her
onto the stage. For this tour, there is no
bass player.

“Let’s have some fun tonight,” Ash says to the crowd before the
album’s title track begins. The prominent frontwoman whips her hair
around to the sturdy beat. ‘Come For Me’ is an in-your-face force to
be reckoned with, with its addictive, stuttering chorus, while ‘Shut Up’
is dedicated to all the girls in the audience. The song is a dancier, pop
tune, while still possessing dark undertones. ‘Fearless’ goes down a
treat, with its inimitable hook and motivational lyrics. The band’s cover
of Kehlani’s ‘Gangsta’ streams through the speakers, with the band
adding their heavier riffs and beat on top. “Birmingham, are you going
to be my ride or die tonight?” asks Ash. She receives a loud cheer in
response. She promises that the band will never leave it this long be-
fore returning.
The crowd are told that whoever is rocking the hardest to ‘Hurts
Like Hell’ will get a free T-shirt. It’s the perfect song to rock out hard
to.
There’s a second cover in the set, which, we’re told, is to please
the metal gods. It’s a cover of Pantera’s ‘Fucking Hostile’, showing the
diversity of the band’s influences. “The metal gods have been
pleased,” Ash says, at the end of the song.

CONCERTS