Volbeat made their stop in London last week with Bush and Witch Fever in tow. Getting into Wembley Arena wasn’t easy. With a football match between Serbia and England happening next door, crowds and police flooded the path to the Arena, adding extra chaos to the usual concert crowds.
Witch Fever kicked things off, though I unfortunately missed their set due to the queues. This was the last date of the tour for the Manchester band, and their growing fanbase in the heavy UK scene shows no signs of slowing down, as we could notice when I entered the venue, and people were already with a lot of energy.
Bush followed and delivered a performance that felt closer to a co-headline than a support slot. Gavin Rossdale didn’t look like any day less motivated than in the 90s, moving constantly, and enj. Their mix of older staples like “Everything Zen” and “Swallowed” with newer tracks kept things tight, but the standout moment came with their version of Come Together, a slow-burning, gritty cover that felt alive and personal. Despite only 10 songs (could’ve been at least 10 more), Bush sounded sharp and genuinely hungry, a reminder they’re still very much a live band worth seeing.
Volbeat took the stage next, opening with “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown,” and made it clear this was their show. Michael Poulsen walked out wearing a Max Verstappen t-shirt and later paused the set for a short guitar solo dedicated to the F1 champion. The crowd responded, chanting “Max Verstappen!” with full force. Still, it took a few songs for the energy in the room to catch up. Poulsen teased the crowd about the lack of crowd surfers, noting with a grin that London needed to wake up. It worked, within minutes, people started flying and the pit came alive.
There were plenty of playful moments, too. One of the expected (but still fun) jokes was about the longest Volbeat song title, with Poulsen asking the entire arena to shout out “In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan’s Spawn in a Dying World of Doom.” Everyone gave it a shot, and the laughter helped ease into the heavier tracks. Staples like “Lola Montez,” “Sad Man’s Tongue” (which opened with the famous Johnny Cash “Ring of Fire” tribute), and “Black Rose” kept the momentum high. Volbeat managed to walk the line between polished and loose, clearly enjoying themselves on stage while keeping the set tight.
For me, this gig had extra meaning. I first saw Volbeat back in 2016 in the Netherlands, and nearly a decade later, their energy hasn’t dropped. If anything, they’ve improved on what makes them great and that made me wish I hadn’t skipped so many of their shows since. This wasn’t just a solid gig. It was a reminder that Volbeat still know exactly how to own a stage and I’ll be there at their next show this time (so should you).
GALLERY: Volbeat and Bush at OVO Arena in London, England (November 13, 2025)
