The Plot In You at O2 Forum Kentish Town, London 2025

On November 6th, London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town hosted a stacked lineup that bridged generations of heavy music. Cane Hill, Saosin, Currents, and The Plot In You each brought their own brand of intensity, creating a night that moved seamlessly from raw aggression to emotional catharsis. The sold-out crowd packed the historic venue early, eager to witness a showcase of how far metalcore and post-hardcore have come, and how vital they still are. The air crackled with a pre-show electricity that only happens when everyone knows it’s in for something special. And when the lights finally dropped, that energy exploded.

Cane Hill

Cane Hill hit the stage like they’d been locked in a cage all day. While people were still trying to get into the venue, they launched the evening with an unapologetic surge of grit. Frontman Elijah Witt prowled the stage with an intoxicating mix of rage and swagger, dripping charisma and fury in equal measure. Their brand of nu-metal-tinged metalcore with heavy grooves and aggressive vocals was the perfect wake-up call, and by the time they launched into one of their heavier cuts, the first wave of crowd surfers was already flying toward the barriers. Their sound stands apart, and their live chemistry is electric; it was the kind of opening that said: “We’re not just support, we’re part of the night”. And the night answered back.

Saosin

Next up, Saosin stepped into the frame, and the mood shifted subtly. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for the emotional whiplash that came with that first riff of “Sleepers”. The guitars cut through the air with that familiar, glassy precision, and suddenly it felt like 2004 all over again. For so many of us raised on early 2000s post-hardcore, Saosin is sacred ground, and Cove Reber’s raw passion made every song feel like an anthem. His vocals were breathtaking, flipping between raw screams and haunting melodies with effortless control. Sharing the spotlight, Beau Burchell added another layer of intensity, their harmonies intertwining seamlessly with Cove’s highs and lows, creating moments that hit harder than I remembered.

The crowd leaned into this set differently: sing-along voices became audible, fists raised, but also hands reaching for phones trying to capture the moment. Between songs, the band teased a new album, sending a ripple of disbelief and excitement through the room. But when they closed their set with “Seven Years”, an older fan-favourite, it felt like a moment suspended in time, and the entire venue erupted in recognition. The atmosphere shifted into a night with a richer texture, charged with both nostalgia and anticipation.

Currents

Currents followed with a blistering display of precision and power. Their sound is the epitome of modern metalcore: razor-sharp riffs, djent-tinged grooves, devastating breakdowns, and a perfect balance between melody and aggression. They found a hungry crowd, as I noticed people singing along to newer tracks I barely knew; proof of how this band has crept under the skin. Brian Wille was an absolute monster, commanding the stage with his vocals like he was leading an army. His transitions from guttural roars to soaring cleans were seamless, and his stage presence had the crowd eating out of his hand.

The band behind him was surgical in precision: guitars from Chris Wiseman and Ryan Castaldi slicing through the air, Christian Pulgarin’s bass backing, and Matt Young driving the beat. “Remember Me” and “The Death We Seek” were easily some of the biggest moments of the night, and the crowd reaction was insane, with a perfect mix of mosh pit chaos and emotional release. There was a moment during “Monsters” where the entire pit froze mid-breakdown, everyone screaming the lyrics together. No walls, no distance, just connection. That’s what makes Currents special: beneath all the ferocity, there’s sincerity, and you can feel that they mean every single note.

The Plot In You

By the time The Plot In You stepped onstage, the energy had reached a fever pitch, and somehow, they took it higher. The house lights faded to a dim blood-red glow, and a low hum began to pulse through the speakers. When Landon Tewers appeared, the venue erupted, and from the opening notes of “Don’t Look Away”, it was clear that the whole room belonged to him. His aggression matched his vulnerability: screams that carried pain, transitions into almost melodic catharsis, and a stage presence that made the front row feel like they were being talked to directly, commanding every ounce of their attention.

The setlist wove perfectly between the band’s heavier tracks like “Forgotten” and their more introspective moments, such as “Left Behind”, while still rewarding longtime fans with “Time Changes Everything”. The beauty of The Plot In You’s live show lies precisely in this contrast; one moment it’s heavy enough to shake the building; the next it’s haunting and fragile. All while holding the crowd in complete focus. Musically, the band was flawless, with Josh Childress’s guitar tone ringing clear in the heavy moments, Ethan Yoder’s bass lines rattling the floorboards, and Michael Cooper’s drums holding everything together while also propelling it forward.

The walls were vibrating, the mosh pit was relentless, but controlled, and there was a certain maturity in the crowd, though still fueled by raw energy. When they closed with “Feel Nothing”, everyone was losing their minds; that song is basically collective therapy at this point, and hearing hundreds of voices yell “I feel nothing for you!” in unison was spine-tingling. Then the lights dimmed, the sound faded, but the crowd didn’t leave quietly. Many stayed, singing the last echoes.

In a scene so often peppered with shows that hit and fade, this night felt alive. From the first power chords of Cane Hill, through Saosin’s melodic drama, to Currents’ technical ferocity and the last echo from The Plot In You, each band built on the momentum of the previous one. If you were in that room, you would carry parts of that night with you. If you weren’t, make sure you catch the next run. Personally,  I left feeling drained in the best possible way, sweaty, smiling, throat raw, but filled with a memory I’ll never forget. Because when all four bands align like this, it becomes more than a concert: it becomes a moment.