Black Veil Brides at the Bataclan: More Than Just a Concert ; a Gathering of an Entire Community

   After more than 10 years without a headlining show in the French capital, Black Veil Brides took the stage at the Bataclan for a concert that had sold out months in advance. With Saint Agnes as the opening act, the evening promised a burst of rock with punk and/or metal influences - and it did not disappoint.

   When the doors opened, it was a whirlwind. Fans - some of whom had arrived as early as dawn - filled the venue in record time, leaving the place packed even before the opening act took the stage.

photos : Eden Bisiot / @bisiot.photos

   That’s when Saint Agnes took the stage to the cheers of a crowd ready for a spectacular show. Kicking off with Get Them Out, the band only had time to play a few songs, but they delivered them with such infectious energy that the Bataclan was already filled with headbanging, applause, and cheers of all kinds. Kitty and Jon even took the time to interact with the audience, thanking them and thanking Black Veil Brides for taking them on tour right after the release of their album Your God Fearing Days Are About to Begin - you can find our interview with them right here!

   This was followed by a 30-minute intermission that seemed to last an eternity to fans eager to see the Vindicatour’s headliner. And when the lights went out, it was the calm before the storm, until the band members took the stage, shattering the heavy silence that hung over the venue and threatened to explode at any moment.

   Black Veil Brides treated us to a 14-song set (including one encore) - perhaps a bit short, but far more impressive than what the band could deliver about ten years ago. Andy has certainly made immense progress with his technique and breath control, but you can also really feel the cohesion that must exist within a band - especially on stage.

   What’s quite ironic is that the band unfortunately had to bring another drummer on the road, as Christian “CC” Coma had withdrawn from the tour for personal reasons. Wade Murff stepped in as a replacement, allowing the band to avoid canceling or postponing the tour, and he fit perfectly into the lineup despite the noticeable absence of the original drummer.

   Andy enjoyed interacting with the audience between songs, thanking them and asking them quite a few questions. He mentioned right at the start of the show that while they’d certainly played few concerts in our lovely city, this was without a doubt the best Paris show they’d ever had! He also touched on the tour with Steel Panther, where he felt the audience was confused and didn’t know how to react to them. But he also handed the mic to Lonny, the bassist who has carved out a place for himself within the band and in the hearts of the fans, and who spoke in French to thank us and tell us he was very happy to be there that night.

   The frontman was also attentive to any fans who seemed to be struggling, pausing and asking, “Are you okay?” whenever something looked off. It’s worth noting that the concert took place in the middle of a heat wave, and the upbeat hits that had the crowd jumping all over the place certainly didn’t help. But everything stayed under control, and everyone left safe and sound (at least, as far as I know).

   It was an unmissable event for longtime fans, but also for newcomers who discovered the band through their new album, Vindicate, which we’ve covered here. There was something for everyone in this varied and well-thought-out setlist, which ended with In The End for the encore - where the fans sang so loudly that Andy Biersack’s voice was barely audible. That final song rang out like an anthem before the party came to a close.

   It was, therefore, an unforgettable evening for every fan who came to witness the band’s evolution - a band that proved it still has a place in the metal scene and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon! The band has already announced an upcoming European tour for January 2027, and we can only hope that a French date will be added to the lineup.

You haven’t heard the last of Black Veil Brides (or Saint Agnes, for that matter)!