Words & Pictures: Louise Phillips / Louise Phillips Photography
November 13th, 2025, at the OVO Arena Wembley wasn’t just another concert date—it was a statement. Volbeat’s ‘Greatest Of All Tours’ brought together three distinctly powerful acts that proved rock’s heartbeat is stronger than ever. The Danish headliners, flanked by grunge legends Bush and rising UK firebrands Witch Fever, created an evening that showcased both the genre’s storied past and its volatile future.
Opening Salvo: Witch Fever Brings the Heat
Manchester’s Witch Fever faced the daunting task of warming up a crowd hungry for the main events. Rather than shrink from the challenge, the quartet seized it with both hands and refused to let go. Their brand of politically-charged doom-grunge hit like a freight train, combining the sludgy heaviness of stoner rock with punk’s feral aggression.
The band’s four members—vocalist Amy Walpole, guitarist Alisha Yarwood, bassist Alex Thompson, and drummer Annabelle Joyce—function as a single organism dedicated to sonic destruction. Joyce’s drumming locked everything together with military precision, while Yarwood and Thompson constructed walls of distorted sound that felt physically oppressive in the best possible way.
Walpole, however, is the band’s secret weapon. Her stage presence borders on supernatural, prowling the extended runway with predatory intent. During “Dead to Me!” she invaded the audience’s personal space, delivering her guttural vocals with an intimacy that felt almost confrontational. Her performance style—all coiled energy and sudden explosions—transformed each song into a direct challenge to every outdated rock convention.
Their recently released sophomore album, Fevereaten (dropped just two weeks earlier on October 31st), provided much of the setlist. The record represents a significant leap forward, incorporating slow-core elements and shoegaze textures into their aggressive foundation. The title track exemplifies this expanded palette, demonstrating that Witch Fever refuses to be pigeonholed into any single subgenre. Their half-hour set concluded with a substantial portion of the audience thoroughly converted. This is a band on an upward trajectory, and Fevereaten deserves immediate attention from anyone serious about contemporary British rock.
Mid-Card Masterclass: Bush Proves Longevity Isn’t Just Survival
When Bush took the stage, any questions about their placement as support evaporated within the first chorus. The 90s alternative titans delivered a clinic in how heritage acts should approach modern audiences—not as museum pieces, but as vital, evolving artists.
Gavin Rossdale remains an absolute force, his voice still carrying that distinctive rasp that made Sixteen Stone a generation-defining record. But this wasn’t a nostalgia exercise. Rossdale worked every inch of the stage, his natural charisma and genuine connection with the crowd making the massive venue feel unexpectedly personal. Guitarist Chris Traynor and the rhythm section matched his intensity, delivering performances that felt both polished and genuinely dangerous.
The setlist expertly balanced classic material with cuts from their more recent output. Opening with “Everything Zen” was a calculated risk that paid immediate dividends, the crowd erupting in recognition. Newer tracks like “Bullet Holes” and “The Land of Milk and Honey” held their own against the hits, proving Bush’s songwriting hasn’t diminished over three decades.
The set’s emotional apex arrived during “Swallowed.” Rossdale prefaced the performance with heartfelt remarks about a recent loss, asking audience members to illuminate their phones in memory of their own departed loved ones. The resulting sea of lights transformed the arena into something resembling a secular cathedral, and Rossdale’s stripped-down, solo delivery of the song created a moment of genuine human connection that transcended typical rock spectacle.
Recent album track “I Beat Loneliness” fit seamlessly into the set, while the closer “Flowers on a Grave” sent the crowd into raptures. Bush didn’t just hold their own—they delivered a performance that reminded everyone why they’ve endured while so many of their peers faded away.
Bush’s Set:
Everything Zen
Bullet Holes
The Land of Milk and Honey
Come Together (The Beatles cover)
Identity
I Am Here to Save Your Life
More Than Machines
Swallowed
I Beat Loneliness
Flowers on a Grave
Main Event: Volbeat’s Genre-Defying Spectacle
An enormous curtain concealed the stage, silhouettes of the band members teasing what was to come. When it finally dropped, the crowd’s reaction could probably be heard in Denmark. Volbeat’s stage setup was maximalist in the best sense—multiple mic stands, a runway extending deep into the audience, and production values that screamed major league.
What makes Volbeat special isn’t just their technical proficiency or showmanship—it’s their utterly unique sonic identity. Frontman Michael Poulsen has crafted something genuinely original by fusing heavy metal’s power with rockabilly’s swagger and classic rock’s melodicism. It shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does. Alongside drummer Jon Larsen, bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen, and lead guitarist Flemming C. Lund, Poulsen has built a sound that owes equal debts to Metallica and Elvis Presley.
Poulsen’s vocal approach is the lynchpin of this formula. His ability to shift from a smooth, almost crooning delivery to full-throated metal screams—sometimes within the same song—gives Volbeat enormous dynamic range. He’s equally comfortable channeling 50s rock ‘n’ roll as he is leading aggressive thrash passages, and this versatility was on full display throughout the evening.
The production was suitably bombastic—lighting rigs, massive video screens, and precisely-timed pyrotechnics—but never felt like compensation for weak material. This was spectacle in service of substance.
Volbeat’s 18-song set was perfectly constructed, building momentum while providing necessary breathing room. They opened aggressively with “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown” before immediately transitioning into the crowd-pleasing “Lola Montez.”
Before launching into “Sad Man’s Tongue,” Poulsen addressed the audience with disarming candor. Rather than claim inspiration from Johnny Cash, he cheerfully admitted they’d simply “stolen” the riff, before the band launched into the familiar acoustic intro to “Ring of Fire” that opens the track. The self-aware humor landed perfectly, the crowd roaring approval.
The middle portion showcased deeper cuts and heavier material, including “Shotgun Blues.” Poulsen took another moment to clarify the band’s stance on their darker lyrical content, bluntly stating Volbeat doesn’t endorse any religious beliefs—”it’s all crap.” The straightforward declaration felt refreshing in an era of carefully managed messaging.
A genuine highlight arrived when Johan Olsen from Danish band Magtens Korridorer joined for guest vocals on “The Garden’s Tale” and “For Evigt.” The collaboration added genuine weight to the proceedings, a reminder of Volbeat’s deep connection to their homeland’s rock scene.
The evening built to a triumphant conclusion. “Still Counting” got the entire arena moving before Volbeat delivered a crushing cover of Black Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave”—a respectful tribute that also demonstrated their metal credentials.
The finale paired “A Warrior’s Call” with “Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza,” sending the crowd home on a wave of pure celebratory energy. By the final bow, Poulsen had cycled through multiple guitars and utilized nearly every microphone on stage in a display of professional excess that never felt gratuitous.
Volbeat’s Complete Set:
The Devil’s Bleeding Crown
Lola Montez
Sad Man’s Tongue (featuring Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” intro)
Demonic Depression
Fallen
Shotgun Blues
In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan’s Spawn in a Dying World of Doom
By a Monster’s Hand
Heaven nor Hell
The Devil Rages On
Die to Live
Acid Rain
Seal the Deal
The Garden’s Tale (featuring Johan Olsen)
For Evigt (featuring Johan Olsen)
Still Counting
Children of the Grave (Black Sabbath cover)
A Warrior’s Call / Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza
The Greatest Of All Tours succeeded because it understood that great lineups aren’t just about stacking big names—they’re about creating narrative arcs. Witch Fever provided the opening punch, all raw fury and uncompromising vision. Bush delivered the emotional core, balancing nostalgia with genuine artistic vitality. Volbeat closed with pure spectacle, their singular sound and professional presentation providing the perfect capstone.
Each act brought something distinct to the evening. Witch Fever reminded us that rock’s future is being written by bands unafraid to make audiences uncomfortable. Bush demonstrated that longevity means evolution, not repetition. Volbeat showed why they’ve ascended to arena-headliner status—they’ve found a formula that’s both accessible and uncompromising.
For anyone lucky enough to attend Wembley’s show, you witnessed something special. The question now is where Volbeat goes from here. After a tour of this magnitude, what’s the next move?
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