Joining Air Drawn Dagger at their hometown venue of Corporation, Sheffield, were Knife Bride, Displacer and S.T.A.T.I.C. This was the largest headline show to date for Air Drawn Dagger, but the other three bands on the bill made the evening a wonderful advertisement for new music.
Knife Bride – Displacer – S.T.A.T.I.C.
Corporation, Sheffield – 5 April 2025.
Words And Photography: Matt Pratt
Knife Bride
Knife Bride themselves are seeing an acute rise to prominence within the heavy music scene. Their beautifully clean vocals paired with aggressive melodies are matched only by their unperturbed stage presence under the eyes of the expectant Sheffield crowd. 
The band was even greeted by some experiences usually reserved for a headline performer. They inspired a flourish of smartphone flashlights in response to one of their songs to which they even seemed taken aback by the participation, joking that it was better than a Coldplay concert.
The short set included a barrage of their most popular hits, including Melancholia, Worthy, Territory, and Permanent Smile.
The performance was so popular that the band even spotted a crowd member who was singing along to perfection, fine praise for a warm-up act.
Displacer
Little was known about this band upon arrival this evening. Fresh out of the rehearsal studio, this was Displacer’s first-ever show. That being said, if the band had not shared this news, I would have never known.
They looked at ease upon the sizable stage, delivering vicious riffs and brutal vocals. It was somewhat of a release show for the fresh young band, too, much like our headliners, with their first single, The View From A Fall, hitting streaming services earlier this month.
Displacer exhibit a sound comparable with popular bands of the past, such as Brand New or even the early works of Enter Shikari. They feel sonically nostalgic despite their fresh music, and I am excited to hear more from this burgeoning band.
S.T.A.T.I.C
Opening the main stage entertainment for the evening were S.T.A.T.I.C. It was their responsibility to take on the tricky task of setting the mood for the evening, which they did competently.
Their electronically influenced spooky sound was a perfect match for that of our witchy headliners. The set was a wonderful ride through what the infant band had to offer, and they were determined to make a lasting impression with the early arrivals, the band’s bassist taking to the crowd on a number of occasions to get a taste of the atmosphere himself.
It will be great to see the young band build on this performance, and I am eager to see what they put out into the world next.
