Breaking Benjamin w/ Chavelle & Return To Dust @ O2 Academy, Birmingham - 10/07/2026
Breaking Benjamin conquer Birmingham with a powerful O2 Academy debut
For years, Birmingham fans have waited for Breaking Benjamin to finally bring their live show to the city. That wait ended with a packed-out night at the O2 Academy, where the Pennsylvania rock band were joined by fellow hard rock stalwarts Chevelle and fast-rising Los Angeles grunge Return to Dust. Blending their nostalgic riffs with a genuine sense of occasion, the evening celebrated both Breaking Benjamin's enduring appeal and the new generation of rock fans discovering the band for the first time.
First up at the sweaty and crammed O2 Academy is relatively new act Return to Dust. Hailing from Los Angeles, Return To Dust are a four-piece grunge band just breaking into the UK, with a recent appearance at Download Festival. Appearing under dim and moody lighting, the band tore into a short but impactful set of songs, including Black Road, Bored and Belly Up. A standout moment is a very different interpretation of OutKast’s Hey Yah. Excellent set, from a promising young band who are definitely one to watch.
Next up were Chevelle. More than 30 years into their career, Chevelle continue to show why they've remained one of hard rock's most consistent acts. The Chicago-area trio's live set was built less on spectacle, and more on the strength of the songs, with thick, down-tuned riffs locking into surprisingly deep grooves that gave the metal sound a bit of a different flavor. Frontman Pete Loeffler's vocals had a distinctive mix of melody and grit, while the rhythm section gave the material a full and imposing sound. After ten studio albums, the band delivering a focused, unpretentious set, a real standout performance of the night.
Breaking Benjamin take the stage around 9:30, opening with "I Will Not Bow" from 2009’s "Dear Agony". The crowd were into it from the first note, and it was noticeable how many of the audience were clearly active followers of the band, as opposed to casual fans there mainly for the hits. Songs like the aforementioned "I Will Not Bow", "Blow Me Away" (from the Halo 2 Soundtrack) and "Polyamorous" get the singalong treatment, but deeper cuts like "Something Wicked" and "You" are also well received by the dedicated crowd. What struck me most about this crowd was the age range - while there were obviously plenty of people in the audience who remember the 2006 release of the iconic tracks like 2005’s "The Diary of Jane" first hand, there were a lot of much younger faces who were likely young children at best 21 years ago, showing that the band are reaching new generations of fans and creating new community as well as retaining older fans.
An interesting choice was the addition of Benjamin Burnley’s 11-year-old son (Also called Ben) to the band. ‘Little Ben’ has made appearances with the band for a couple of elf years now, and tonight took on a fuller role adding guitar and vocals. The crowd were really sweet with this, and you could tell he was thrilled to have 3000 people chanting his name. Ben showed incredible talent and professionalism, and you can’t help but wonder - if he’s that good now, what will he be like by the time he’s a fully grown artist? After a set filled with some all time favorites, some deeper cuts, and plenty of emotional highs, the band closed with Diary of Jane. Of course this is the right choice - every band has that signature song that they almost have to play, and Breaking Benjamin deliver that final payoff flawlessly. As the band’s first gig in Birmingham, this was a very special night for all involved, and given how packed the venue was Birmingham had been waiting. Hopefully they won’t wait too long for the next one.
Photos: David Rattenbury (@daveyrocks)
