Review by Catherine McCauley for MPM
Meryl Streek hails from Dublin, a Post Punk and Politically outspoken artist. Despite the stripped back nature of his stage show – a bouquet of red roses decorating the top of his mike stand with only a flickering torch – he does not hold any punches lyrically. Streeks narrative is a blunt and honest reflection of the issues experienced in the South of Ireland ranging from suicide, addiction, homelessness and corrupt landlords and politicians. Streek is passionate and unapologetic but possesses modesty and a dry wit. Streek performs to a crazed backing track of guitar and synth accompanied by flashing lights.
He bounds about the stage swinging his mike and inciting unrest. Songs such as “Bertie”, “Dogs” and “Politicians” are brutal and strike a chord with the audience regarding the state of society at present. Streek came into the pit to entertain us and has the crowd clapping along to the crazed beat. When singing a song about his Uncle “Paddy” he enters the crowd with his mike stand and paces wildly amongst us. During his final song, Streek has the crowd clapping unified, he calls out a lad wearing a “Corrs” t-shirt to clap and the crowd cheer. Streek is some man for one man and is not to be missed, his narrative is fierce but necessary.
Alexisonfire are a Canadian post hardcore band formed in 2001 in St Catharines, Ontario a stunning populous city in the Niagara Region which I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a number of times. The band consists of George Pettit (vocals), Dallas Green (vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards), Wade MacNeill (lead guitar, Vocals), Chris Steele (Bass) and Jordan Hastings (Drums, percussion). The lads have won numerous awards and their albums have been certified either Gold or Platinum on their homeland of Canada.
The lads arrived on stage to “The last of the Mohican’s Main Title” and ripped into ‘Accidents’. The power and energy of this five piece is contagious from the outset. They jump frantically about the stage, whilst head banging and never miss a beat. The Telegraph Building is heaving with enthralled fans singing every word especially when Pettit holds out the mike for us to sing. Pettit’s unclean vocals are guttural whilst Green’s and MacNeil’s hardcore clean vocal style compliment and contrast their bandmates perfectly on ‘Boiled Frog’s.
‘Sans Soleil’ is a beautiful track with the poignant lyrics “It’s easier to love someone else, Than it is to be kind to yourself”, Green’s vocals are striking on the track – the crowd sing harmoniously with the chorus.
Next up ‘Hey, It’s Your Funeral Mama’, Steele pounds on the bass and jumps crazily around the stage pulling faces and having an absolute ball as if he were in the mosh pit himself. Speaking of Mosh pits the Telegraph is in full swing with the fans moshing like their lives depend on it. Shout out to Jonny, who crowd surfed and never left the pit for the duration of the set! Alexisonfire are a force to be reckoned with and these lads are having fun while doing what they love. ‘Sweet Dreams of Otherness’, is a riff laden track with the bands signature harmonies. Hastings drumming is tight and heavy, matching the ferociousness of MacNeil’s and Pettit’s vocals.
Pettit humbly dedicates a song to his son Owen, reflecting on how he personally would have lived on peanut butter sandwiches, and how Owen has seen the end product of his Dad’s success but it was hard work getting to this point. Pettit encourages the Telegraph crowd to “support local bands- give them a career” to which we all cheer. Heavy laden riffs are the intro to ‘Blue Spade’, Alexisonfire do harmonising well which is greatly evident in this outstanding track. ‘Dogs Blood” saw the tempo on stage and in the pit rise to an even seriously higher level. Pettit reflects that he “heard all you people were fucking crazy – Mosh Pit let’s fucking Jump!” And jump they did. Steele‘s bass is thick and melodic on ‘This Could Be Anywhere in the World’. Alexisonfire’s comradery and mutual respect is evident on stage tonight. ‘Young Cardinals’ is the final offering of the night and is a blistering track. The Mosh Pit remains relentless and by this point is vast.
Pettit tells the crowd “get your fucking hands up” and throws a well-deserved open bottle of water into the pit. Alexisonfire are more than a Post-hardcore band, they manage to blend soaring and harmonic vocals with aggressive and infectious energy and intricate guitar melodies. As the lads leave the stage the audience are more than content but also glad of the breather before the next co headlining band take to the stage.
Coheed and Cambria, formed in 1995, from Nyack, New York are a Progressive and Post-hardcore band. The five piece consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), and Zach Cooper (bass, backing vocals). Aside from 2015’s “The Color Before the Sun” all of Coheed and Cambria’s albums are concept based on “The Amory Wars” written by frontman Sanchez, which have been transcribed into a series of comic books and a full length novel. The band have released 11 studio albums, including their most recent album released in 2025, “Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe”.
The now bursting Telegraph Building are waiting with eager anticipation as the intro ‘Yesterday’s Lost” begins. As the stage lights up to display the newest album cover as the back drop for tonight’s show the crowd cheers. The band then make their appearance in an unassuming manner – all except Sanchez who comes running from the side to centre stage and the lads immediately launch into ‘Goodbye, Sunshine’. The first song of the evening is an upbeat track with frenzied lighting, great energy and an anthemic chorus which Belfast were all to glad to harmonise along with. ‘Shoulders’ is heavy tune with a searing tempo with yet another anthemic chorus. Cooper’s bassline is thumping as the crowd bounce along. With ‘Blind Side Sonny’ Sanchez’s vocal delivery is punky and the bands energy is infectious.
As the instantly recognisable opening chords are played by Sanchez, we are treated to a fantastic cover of Danzig’s ‘Mother’. I for one am in my element as a big Danzig fan and judging by the reactions of my comrades the feeling is mutual. Stever and Sanchez’s solos were scorching. The lads knocked this cover out of the park. The lads continue to captivate us with ‘A Favor House Atlantic’ and ‘Someone Who Can’. These lads are seamless, we are part of an immersive experience here in the Telegraph tonight. We are swept along in the intricate storytelling of The Amory Wars and are very willing participants on this journey.
‘In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3’ sees Sanchez tell Belfast “You guys are terrific here’s another song”, the lights then dim and we can hear keyboard sounds and Eppard subtly on the cymbals. Then Sanchez and Stever deliver a beautiful melodic intro, which then blasts off into a heavy riff laden track, with the men in the crowd proudly playing along with their air guitars and drums. Stever providing dirty vocals in contrast with Sanchez. Coheed fans are die hard and sing parts of the song for the band. Sanchez wows us with his sporadic, yet rhythmic final solo of the track – outstanding!!.
For the encore Sanchez returns to the stage, alone with an acoustic guitar and performs the stunning ‘Corner My Confidence’. We listen captivated, caught up in the emotionality of his vocals and enactment. ‘Play the Poet’ sees a return to their post-hardcore roots and a tempo change to 11!. ‘Welcome Home’, see’s Sanchez don a beautiful white double neck guitar – a nod to the iconic red guitar which he used in the video for the song. Sanchez leads the lads into a melodic march and the final song of the evening erupts seeing the sea of fans jumping and swaying along. Sanchez, known for his distinctive tenor vocals and piecing falsetto stuns Belfast on this final song of the evening. Stever and Sanchez’s guitar playing at the end of the track are simply exquisite.
Cooper and Eppards rhythm section provides the perfect heavy tempo and foundation to compliment their counterparts. What a hell of a voyage tonight’s gig has been. If you get a chance to catch this immense co-headlining tour of Alexisonfire and Coheed and Cambria then do, you most certainly will not regret it!!
Photography by Darren Mcveigh for MPM
