Papa Roach at Brixton Academy

Papa Roach are something of a an institution for those who have an insatiable appetite for nu-metal; considering the number of people at the Brixton Academy last night, they are many. Together with bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, Papa Roach have remained at the top of this genre throughout the noughties, with 20 million records sold thanks to publications like Infest, Lovehatetragedy and Getting Away with Murder. Like all nu-metal bands, their style is a mix of metal, rap, funk bass and hardcore with screamo sing-a-long choruses. 

The show begins as the new album The Connection does – with the killer rhythm section of Still Swinging, and with leader Jacob Shaddix screaming, running and jumping all over the stage during Where did the Angels Go. The feeling among the audience is massive and the mosh pit is huge. The happiness of Papa Roach’s biggest fans at the Academy is tangible – it’s not a coincidence that the latest record is called The Connection. If it’s true that all the songs tend to sound alike, it is also true that for this kind of band it’s more important to set the mood, energy and rapport with the audience, than to own a proper repertoire.

The band played all of the most famous songs (Scars, Last Resort, Broken Home, Getting Away with Murder) together with the new songs for about an hour, with the singer constantly repeating “we f*****g love ya all” to his audience.

Modes usually take 20 years to come back in fashion, and nu-metal to date is far from being considered as a vintage genre; Papa Roach still have their own true fans (called Papa Roach Boys) that follow them all over the world, keeping their lives and live shows truly intense.

Lorenzo Cibrario
Photos: Adam Bennett

For further information and future events visit Papa Roach’s website here.

Watch the video for Leader of the Broken Hearts here: