LIVE FROM THE PIT: Pierce The Veil, Cavetown, Hot Mulligan, Crawlers

Birmingham’s Utilita Arena held more than just a show, it held a communal release. With Pierce the Veil's 'I can't hear you' tour bringing a bill stacked from floor to rafters, the night moved like a narrative: three supports shaping the emotional weather before Pierce The Veil stormed through as the final act.

Having just completed some local shows last week, Crawlers opened with grit and heart. They’re one of those rare bands that can drag you into their world within seconds. Holly Minto commanded the stage with a balance of defiance and vulnerability, shifting from spoken confession to full-throttle scream in the space of a line. Songs like “Come Over (Again)” felt almost too raw for an arena but landed even harder because of it. Crawlers turned a cavernous room into something intimate, forcing a unamomous crying-sing along. This set proved what everyone knew, Crawlers are back and are truly unstoppable.

Hot Mulligan brought chaos wrapped in precision. Their midwest emo brand of emo punk is messy by design, a blur of jagged guitars and vocal cracks that bleed honesty, but live it snapped into focus. “Shhhh! Golf Is On” threw the pit into motion and didn’t let up. “Equip Sunglasses” saw the entire floor yelling back every word, the kind of communal moment where strangers hold each other up because the music demands it. With the audience chanting and showing their printed photos of Princess Peach, it was clear they were here to make an impact on fans new and old. They didn’t just hype the room, they scorched it.

Then came Cavetown, naruto running onto the stage which was adorned with set pieces. Robin Skinner’s set was quiet compared to what came before, but it held the arena in a kind of hushed awe. “Boys Will Be Bugs” rolled out like a shared secret, and when “This Is Home” began, the sound of thousands of voices singing along turned soft indie into something enormous. For his song "a kind thing to do", Robin brought out Vic Fuentes, the lead singer of the headliner Pierce The Veil, this beautiful duo made sure the crowd was both hyped and ready for what was to come. Cavetown gave the night its still point, a breath before the next storm. The audience was invested but as soon as Devil town played, everyone transported in and screamed the words with such passion that it truly felt like everyone had been waiting to scream along.

Finally came the headliner, unsurprisingly Pierce The Veil tore it wide open. They kicked off with “Death of an Executioner,” instantly collapsing the distance between stage and crowd. The setlist was ruthless, swinging from the old to the new with no wasted motion. “Bulls in the Bronx,” “Pass the Nirvana,” “Floral & Fading,” “Wonderless,” “Emergency Contact,” “Circles”, every track felt like it could have been the finale, yet they just kept stacking them higher.

The response was deafening. The pits went feral, Jesus in the middle comanding the pit, arms and voices raised in unison, and by the time “Hold On Till May” dropped, it felt like the entire arena had become a choir. Many crying, many showing signs showing how much the band means to them or has saved them, it's truly a song that united everyone and means a lot to many. The bands energy were unmatched, with everyone on barrier having a favourite and delivering thunderous cheers in between each song.

They closed with “King for a Day,” and the volume of the singalong was enough to shake the rafters. The mosh became relentless as many ended the night with a raspy throat from screaming along with Vic.

Crawlers bared their teeth, Hot Mulligan set the floor ablaze, Cavetown stitched the night together with softness, and Pierce The Veil proved they can still turn an arena into something that feels alive and dangerous. It wasn’t a lineup. It was a full spectrum of release.

Words and Photos: Lizzie Jones