CONCERT REVIEW: Parkway Drive Take Their Most Ambitious Show Yet To Europe

After months of teasing and anticipation and seeing the countless promotional videos of the band showcasing their insane production, it was finally time to witness all the glory in person. The 20 year anniversary tour made a stop in Amsterdam, where they played the Ziggo Dome for the first time.
Unfortunately, the venue did turn out to be a bit too ambitious when it came to the amount of fans that bought tickets, but the arena did allow for the full production spectacle to unfold, even with the rings being closed, and for that, we are eternally grateful.

As they have done on previous tours, Parkway Drive entered the venue at the back of the room, making their way through the fans to the catwalk with PWD flags swirling to mark their position in the crowd.

Once the B stage was reached, the band played the first two songs from the packed set on the B stage itself, giving a more intimate setting to a packed floor with thousands of fans. After the two opening songs, Carrion and Prey ended, the curtain finally fell, and the stage itself was unveiled to the ecstatic legion of fans. A metal bridge submerged from the ceiling to connect the B stage to the big stage, making a catwalk that was often used throughout the set.

If you are familiar with Parkway Drive’s work, it will come as no surprise that the pyrotechnics were off the charts. This feels like a recurring theme, but each production that Parkway Drive bring overseas, they have stocked up on more and more pyrotechnics to heat up the performance. What was new this time around, however, and fueled by the show being in the Ziggo Dome, were actual fireworks being fired off throughout certain songs. Visually, this Parkway Drive production is truly like no other.

The reason for this behemoth of a tour is that the band has been around for 20 years, marking a monumental milestone in the Australian metalcore band’s career. To celebrate, the setlist was a true testament to their ever-expanding setlist, with many old favourites making their way onto the setlist. As an extra special treat, Parkway Drive also performed their popular 2006 album Killing With A Smile in its entirety as a medley, highlighting the heaviest parts of the songs from the record, resulting in an epic moshpit that knew no bounds. This was only further amplified when frontman Winston McCall appeared in the middle of the crowd himself, demanding a circle pit with fervour around his spot. To get back to the stage, McCall took a trip on the hands of the crowd.

Musically, Parkway Drive have made some changes to their sound throughout the years, with recent albums having songs that differ a bit from the old and reliable metalcore Parkway Drive. These songs are undeniably popular and in a live setting are a highlight of every show, as it showcases the band’s musical diversity. The live violins sure don’t hurt either.

Parkway Drive shows have also been spectacular and with each new album, it massively expanded the production. This 20-year anniversary tour has taken the band’s live show to unprecedented highs. It comes as no surprise that Parkway Drive shows have a reputation, which was unequivocally upheld, nay, surpassed.

Check out some photos from the extraordinary performance in the gallery below and let us know if you are going to any of the PWD shows that are still to come!