YUNGBLUD Gig Review: Chaos, Connection and a Night Birmingham Won’t Forget
The Molotovs
Walking into an arena at 7:00 pm is usually a bit of a gamble—half-empty floor, hollow acoustics, and a crowd still finding its feet. But The Molotovs don’t do half-measures. They treated the Utilita like a sweaty basement club, all attitude and intent from the first note.
This is a band we’ve been following for years, and watching this moment felt like a full-circle payoff. Just a year ago, they were cramming into a 50-capacity venue in Nottingham. Now they’re opening for one of the biggest acts on the planet—and somehow, it already looks like they belong here.
Mathew and Issey Cartlidge arrived with that same “don’t give a toss” confidence, but it’s evolved. Mathew plays like someone who’s been doing this a lifetime, sharp, controlled, and dangerous, while Issey commands the stage, throwing shapes and driving the energy forward.
Tracks like “Urbia” and “Newsflash” cut clean through the arena air, but it’s “Wasted on Youth” that flips the switch—turning early curiosity into full buy-in from the barrier. Their take on “Suffragette City” doesn’t nod to the past, it tears through it.
They didn’t ask for permission to be on that stage—they took it. And once again, they absolutely knocked it out of the park.
The Warning
Keeping the energy high after that is no easy task, but The Warning operate on a different level.
For a first time seeing them live, they didn’t just impress—they made a statement. Even a brief mid-set guitar issue couldn’t slow them down. It was handled quickly, professionally, and if anything, only reinforced how tight this band really is.
From there, they locked straight back in, building the crowd with precision. By the time they pushed into tracks like “S!CK” and “EVOLVE,” they had the arena exactly where they wanted it—singing, moving, fully engaged.
This wasn’t just a support slot. It was a calculated takeover, setting the stage perfectly for what was coming next.
YUNGBLUD
By 9:15 pm, the Utilita Arena wasn’t just full—it was charged. People had travelled from everywhere for this. Conversations in the crowd revealed fans from the US, Norway—this wasn’t just a gig, it was a destination.
The pre-show soundtrack set the tone early, with Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” echoing around the arena—a clear nod to both Ozzy and Birmingham’s legacy.
When YUNGBLUD hit the stage with “Hello Heaven, Hello,” it took less than 30 seconds for the place to erupt—confetti cannons firing, the crowd instantly at full volume. From that moment on, there was no let-up.
By “My Only Angel,” flames were leaping from the stage, heat reaching all the way into the seats. This wasn’t just a performance—it was sensory overload.
It felt like a homecoming. Dom Harrison might not be Birmingham-born, but make no mistake—this city has claimed him. Every single person in that arena was on their feet, locked in from start to finish.
“Fleabag” became one of the defining moments of the night. When a fan held up a sign asking to play it, Dom didn’t brush it off—he brought him on stage. What followed was pure chaos and connection: a tribute to a lost friend, a shared moment, and a crowd hanging on every second. By the end, Dom was in the pit, running the barrier, high-fiving fans before climbing onto shoulders, conducting the room like it was his own personal orchestra. Beatlemania levels of energy.
And then came “Changes.”
The mood shifted instantly. Dom, visibly emotional before even starting, admitted he’d been “shitting himself” about playing it in Birmingham again. The weight of it landed hard. A sign reading “Ozzy would be proud” rose above the crowd, chants of “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy” echoed, and at one point the music dropped out completely—leaving the entire arena to carry the final chorus alone. Every voice, no backing, just pure connection.
Moments later, he promised:
“I love you Birmingham… I’ll come back every year until I die.”
Even between songs, the connection never dipped—whether it was telling the crowd to turn to each other and say “Hello motherf**er, I love you,”* or scanning the arena demanding tongues out (and calling out anyone who didn’t comply). It was chaotic, ridiculous, and completely him.
The night closed in spectacular fashion—“Zombie,” then “Suburban Requiem,” with fireworks lighting the stage and confetti blasting across the arena.
For me? This isn’t just gig of the year—it’s right up there with the best I’ve ever seen.
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YUNGBLUD Gig Review @RockNews
