Of Mice & Men brought a wave of controlled chaos to Manchester Academy 2 on 12th December, delivering a set that balanced brute force with melody and genuine crowd connection.

After some dramatic intro music and a huge cheer from the packed room, the band wasted no time cranking the energy up. They launched straight into Another Miracle, the title track from their latest album, and it immediately sparked a full venue singalong during the chorus. It felt like a clear statement that fans are still fully invested in the band’s newer material.

The momentum carried straight into another crowd pleaser, Feels Like Forever from 2014’s Restoring Force, with voices ringing out across the room. Would You Still Be There followed as the third song of the night. With nearly 100 million streams on Spotify, it was no surprise how strong the reaction was. Its instantly recognisable riff, big hooks and emotionally charged lyrics landed perfectly in a live setting.

Wake Up kept things fresh with another cut from the new album. Drawing on 90s alternative and shoegaze influences while still rooted in modern metalcore, it blended atmosphere with intensity and featured some seriously heavy breakdowns that shook the floor.

Throwing it back to Restoring Force once again, You Make Me Sick lived up to its name with relentless heaviness. Despite the harsh vocals and crushing riffs, the band still made room for crowd participation, proving just how infectious their songs can be even at their most aggressive.

Before launching into Obsolete, frontman Aaron Pauley had the crowd raise their hands before demanding a massive “whoooop”. The response echoed from the crowd, and the song’s themes of feeling outdated or irrelevant in a fast-changing society clearly struck a chord. By this point the crowd was fully unleashed, with plenty of crowd surfing taking place, much to the likely frustration of security.

Another You offered a brief change of pace. Slightly milder and slower than much of the set, it still packed plenty of weight and provided a moment to breathe without losing intensity. That breather did not last long though, as Back to Me from 2018’s Defy reignited huge chorus participation and brought the energy straight back up.

Flowers was one of my personal favourites from their new album. Heavy yet oddly hopeful, it blended metalcore with hardcore punk elements and felt massive live. Troubled Water followed, keeping the focus on the band’s newer era before they closed the main set with O.G. Loko, a throwback to their 2011 debut The Flood. Pauley asked who was seeing Of Mice & Men for the first time and thanked everyone for spending their evening with the band, a nice touch before leaving the stage.

The encore brought two big hitters. Bones Exposed, another Restoring Force classic, hit hard and fast before the night ended with fan favourite Second & Sebring. In a genuinely memorable moment, a young fan was invited on stage and spent the final moments punching the air as the crowd roared along, clearly making his night, if not his entire week.

Overall, Of Mice & Men were technically tight and vocally impressive, delivering a set that felt both polished and passionate. While metalcore can be an acquired taste, the balance of aggressive verses and melodic choruses made the show accessible even for newcomers. The memorable hooks and constant crowd engagement turned the night into a powerful communal experience and a strong reminder of why the band continues to resonate so deeply with their audience.

Setlist:

Another Miracle
Feels Like Forever
Would You Still Be There
Wake Up
You Make Me Sick
Obsolete
Another You
Back to Me
Flowers
Troubled Water
O.G. Loko

Encore:
Bones Exposed
Second & Sebring

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.