On a horribly cold and wet night in February outside OVO Arena Wembley, Papa Roach bring their Rise Of The Roach Tour to London Town in a whirlwind trip to the UK. With just three shows, this is the only place to be. The huge question of the night on everyone’s lips is, Will we get Infest in full? Or what aspect will Infest play on the show?
Papa Roach – Rise Of The Roach Tour
OVO Arena Wembley – 7 February 2025
Words: Rhys Tagg
Photography: Harris Tomlinson-Spence
Before the show even begins, Papa Roach take to Instagram to declare a £20,000 donation to CALM, who are fighting to reduce the devastating impact of suicide in the UK. The band have partnered with CALM while in the UK and have donated £1 from each ticket sold.
DJ Alyx Holcombe is the shows opener. Getting the party vibes flowing, we are greeted with classic tracks from the past 20 years. Moving into the main support Wage War take to the stage. The band are a great warm-up for the crowd, getting everyone moving and in high spirits. Halfway or so through their set a kid stomps out the pit triumphant, nose and moustache running crimson, enough to make Rik Flair proud.
Wage War did a fine job, playing bangers like Tombstone and Magnetic and closing on the classic Manic. But nothing can compare or take sight away from the main course. 
As the stage begins to illuminate behind the huge white curtain with the iconic dead roach logo, bright white lights flood every inch. Immediately, you can tell there is going to be a big light show tonight. The crowd begin to swirl and, with excitement, reaches a fever pitch. The curtain drops, and the band begin to unleash new single Even If It Kills Me. Set to glowing red lights and plenty of flames, the pyro is exquisite.
Blood Brothers then rips out to the continued assault of smoke and fire. Dead Cell swiftly follows, jumping us from the present day all the way back to that glorious Infest album, the main thing many are here for.
From the off, Papa Roach are clearly here to take the UK by force. There is a huge feel for the show as Papa Roach look completely at home in an arena setting. Later in the show, Jacoby Shaddix even teases that next time the band come to the UK, they will play The O2. Honestly, they could easily do it based on this show.
Papa Roach effortlessly fill OVO Arena Wembley, showing they belong on the grander stage. There are seven screens for the backdrop of the stage, a huge light show and plenty of pyro. It may have been over 25 years coming, but the Californian Nu Metalers have finally ticked a show of this magnitude off the bucket list.
Thanking all for coming out, Jacoby then shouts, “What’s Up fuckers?” Then, powering through with a screaming crowd in unison, To Be Loved and Getting Away With Murder are a pair of absolute belters. We swiftly move through Swerve and Liar.
There is plenty of crowd interaction throughout the show. Jacoby notices someone celebrating their birthday and gives a “Happy birthday” shout, getting the crowd to join in. He further jovially shames the phone users and Instagramers, wanting everyone to be in the moment, then gets on with a band introduction.
We are here for a celebration: 25 years since the band released Infest, their iconic second album. Many things happened in those years, and some great artists have come and gone. Papa Roach take us on the early naughties road trip hitting us with Forever and breaking into a snippet of Linkin Park’s In The End.
Jacoby shouts out to Chester Bennington and talks of his memories, such as one where he is with Chester at Ozzfest and finds out Chester’s wife was pregnant. One week later, Jacoby tells Chester “Yo, we having a baby too.” It’s a joyous and somber moment.
Papa Roach roll into Falling Apart. With Mental Health being a big aspect of the show this evening, we hear talks of spiritual battles and difficulties. We are presented with a video package from Jacoby and a message for everyone to “Keep on getting up!” Jacoby has always been open and honest about his own inner struggles.
It is a really sobering moment when the arena fills with thousands of phone lights as Papa Roach break into the emotionally charged Leave A Light On. We then move through Roses On My Grave, No Apologies and a thunderous drum solo from Tony Palermo.
The four-piece reassemble to deliver a magnificent rendition of Scars in another spine-tingling moment. Help and Born For Greatness follow, with Jacoby channelling his inner Bruce Dickinson waving a Roach flag around the stage.
The crowd, some 12,000 strong, have been really up for it tonight, absolutely loving the gig, everyone side to side, front to back, jumping and partying. As the band leave the stage for the gratuitous encore, it is clear we have the answer to the evening’s question. There’s no full play-through of Infest on offer tonight. But we have hurtled through a great back catalogue and seen a career-defining show.
It wouldn’t be a Papa Roach show without Between Angels And Insects, the band crashing back to the stage with wild cheers and ferocious pyrotechnics. Finally, Infest itself is powered out, followed by Broken Home.
The band skillfully weave through a Nu Metal kid’s dream medley of Blind, My Own Summer (Shove It), Break Stuff and Chop Suey [Korn, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, System Of A Down], then, with an absolute crescendo, the song that never gets old, never keeps you still, Last Resort.
The show ends with Jacoby taking a step back to drink it all in. The smile has not left his face since he stepped on stage 90 minutes or so earlier in the evening. It is impossible to tell if the band or the fans have enjoyed the show more.
Papa Roach presented a £20,000 cheque to The Campaign Against Living Miserably after this evening’s show.
“We can’t thank Papa Roach and every single person who bought a ticket enough for their support,” Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, told us. “Not only have the band raised vital funds for our life-saving work, but they’ve started a conversation on a global scale about suicide prevention.
“When we bring these conversations out of the shadows and into the light, we break down the stigma that surrounds it, and that really does save lives. Thanks to Papa Roach and all the fans for leaving that light on.”
“The kick-off to the Rise Of The Roach Tour has been incredible,” Jacoby Shaddix said. “CALM, along with every audience from each tour stop, is now part of our mission to Leave A Light On for those who may need help.”
