Three Days Grace
- Rock Metal Machine
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Artists: Three Days Grace, Badflower
Venue: Brixton Academy (London)
Date: 13 December 2025
"Next up was ‘Dominate’, and while 99.9% of bands would dream of getting anywhere close to the power of the opening song, these guys were just warming up."
On a cold Saturday night, I made my way through south London towards my final destination, the Brixton Academy, one of the Capital’s most well-known music venues. Tonight’s mission was to photograph, and review two bands, neither of which I was familiar with. But I love discovering new music, so always enjoy a journey into the unknown.
First up are Badflower, a band that hail from California. They’ve been together for fourteen years, and released three albums. Their line-up consists of Josh Katz (vocals and guitar), Joey Morrow (guitar), Anthony Sonetti (drums) and Alex Espiritu (bass). They are a good example of how long, and how much work it takes, for a band to break internationally. According to their online history, they’ve been recording and touring relentlessly throughout their career, yet they’ve only just come onto my radar. It’s certainly a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll. The first thing that catches my eye are the elfin features, and blond hair of frontman Katz. I’m a photographer, so I’m naturally drawn to ascetically beautiful things, and this lad is extremely photogenic. I wouldn’t be surprise in the slightest to find he’d been a model in a previous life.
Taking photographs and fully absorbing music at the same time can be challenging, but Badflower’s sound is instantly appealing. Kind of indie, kind of grungy, kind of punky. They open with a song called ‘Drop Dead’, taken from their 2016 EP entitled ‘Temper’. I hear Smashing Pumpkin and Nirvana influences, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The opener is closely followed by ‘Number One’, taken from their latest album, ‘No Place Like Home’. It reminds me a little of Palaye Royal, another great band I’ve recently discovered. I’m guessing both bands are part of a genre that I’m only just becoming aware of. The third song on the set list is ‘Don’t Hate Me’. In my mind, this song elevates them to a completely different level. Classic Pop/Rock that should be a global hit, or at the very least put them onto international stages. It was certainly the song that made me want to investigate their back catalogue.
They are all good players, and look and sound like a group of musicians who are extremely comfortable with each other. They are clearly a tight unit, but I do get the sense that the band are an extension of the singer’s extremely creative mind. There is nothing wrong with that whatsoever, and many of the most influential bands of all time function that way. Unfortunately, I only got to hear three songs, as I, along with all the other photographers, had to leave the venue and go back out onto the cold and dangerous streets of Brixton. Which was a shame as I was enjoying what I was seeing and hearing. But such is life. I didn’t really want to stand out in the cold, with £15,000 of camera equipment in an area rife with crime, so I went and sat in a supermarket.
© Myke Gray Photography
Once we were allowed back inside, we awaited the arrival of Three Days Grace. After a little post gig research, I discovered they hail from Ontario, Canada. They formed in 1992 under the name Groundswell, disbanded in 1995, and regrouped in 1997 under the current moniker. As TDG they have released 8 albums. Their current line-up consists of Adam Grontier (vocals and guitar), Matt Walst (vocals and guitar), Barry Stock (guitar), Brad Walst (bass), and Neil Sanderson (drums).
It was a sold-out show and there was an amazing atmosphere buzzing around the auditorium. The band took to the stage with the minimum amount of fuss. The crowd erupted. The first thing that hits you is the sheer power of this band. They play like men who have just come down from the mountain and chop down trees for fun. They open with ‘It’s All Over’ and it really was. The sound is absolutely monstrous. The men had been well and truly separated from the boys. The real fucking deal. They have two fantastic singers, both of whom have strong stage personalities. They stride across the stage, belting the songs out with total commitment. It’s a glorious thing to watch. They know they are good, and don’t have to prove a god-damn thing to anyone. Confidence and self assuredness exude from the stage.
Next up was ‘Dominate’, and while 99.9% of bands would dream of getting anywhere close to the power of the opening song, these guys were just warming up. As a rhythm section, Walst and Sanderson are truly world-class. Every beat is like a punch to the chest. The guitar sound is huge, and I mean HUGE. At this point I actually felt a little embarrassed that one, I’ve never seen this band play live before, and two, I’ve never heard any of their music. How is this possible, I ask myself. Third song in and ‘Animal I Have Become’ sends the crowd into frenzy. I could feel the energy on my back as I’m taking photographs. They are singing along with every word. Band and audience have become as one. It was an incredibly powerful moment even for a seasoned concert-goer like myself. I don’t think I’ve ever been as disappointed leaving a pit as I was at that moment. I wish I could’ve seen the whole show, as I’m sure it was of biblical proportions.
© Myke Gray Photography
Once I got home, I immediately delved into their incredible back catalogue. If, like me, you’ve been hiding under a rock, I urge you to check Three Days Grace, as they are phenomenal. I really hope I get to see them again one day.
Review: Myke Gray
Photos: Myke Gray
Location:
Disclaimer:
All photographs in this review are given for free for us to use (either in the magazine or website). We will not give them to a third party without the express permission of the rights owners. If payment is required between the rights owner and the third party, that will be decided between them, not Fireworks Rock & Metal Music Magazine.
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