Why Worry? Set It Off will return

Electric Ballroom, London, 1 March 2025

Set It Off is a band that may spark the recognition of some and fall upon deaf ears to others, but despite this they are no doubt a band that has truly fought their way to the top. The American rock band, originally from Tampa, Florida, is unquestionably a feature on every emo’s playlist, snaking its way through and nestling itself among other established bands of the same cloth such as Waterparks, Artist vs Poet, Anabor, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At the Disco.

With news of their return to Europe, with their previous UK/EU Tour being in 2022 after the release of their hit album Elsewhere, tickets sold out within seconds. With every venue on their UK tour sold out, the show is packed to the brim with fans of every age, all genders and diverse fashion styles, all intertwined in the common ground of the mosh pit – united in one angry voice screaming along to every lyric.

We are ready for the performance of a lifetime as Set It Off conclude their time in Europe, with their final curtain call in London’s Electric Ballroom on March 1. In their very last show, with one final crowd to entertain, Set It Off are going to give their closing concert absolutely everything they have. The raw energy and visceral emotion in all their songs is only able to be paralleled in their live performances.

Set It Off is truly a band that can engage with their diverse audience, constantly reminding us that we should be unapologetically ourselves through their music

Cody Carson, the lead vocalist, truly takes the role of showman to heart through his interactive lyrical conversations that have the masses roaring in reply and spur his evident excitement when the mosh pit he evokes comes to life. He is truly a man who loves his fans, with mid-concert speeches that, despite the aggressive nature of the music, have him and most of the fans almost in tears. His efforts to maintain eye contact and wave at his fans only added to the excitement of the evening. Set It Off are truly a band that can engage with their diverse audience, constantly reminding us that we should be unapologetically ourselves through their music. 

With Set It Off being an alternative band, they represent the masses of those who do not fit into convention, and that is a profoundly special experience to have. While the band’s music may not be for all, with deafening, loud, and manic beats and at times furious lyrics, it is made for those who are impassioned. Set It Off collects these feelings and sings them for us as a spokesman, becoming a conduit for this release of static, pent-up tension that extends from live performances down to the comforts of a pair of headphones. 

The opening bands perfectly set the tone, with TSS, Call Me Armour and Point North all bringing the energy up leaving the entire room buzzing at the end of their performances. When the lights cut out, we all know it’s time. Seeing Set It Off has become a ritual, every time they announce a tour location in the UK it is instinct to get tickets for me and my friend, the band becoming a staple in our friendship. It’s nostalgic to look back at the first song I ever heard, ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’, and picturing what it would be like to hear it live at the barriers singing along to every word as Carson stands right in front of me.  

The whole room alight with vigour, mosh pits, and the singing of hundreds of like-minded people all brought together by their love of Set It Off

The tour this year isn’t to promote a new album, so the set has a pleasant mix of some of the very old songs that got Set It Off on the radar, such as the recently re-recorded ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’, and other hits like ‘Lonely Dance’, ‘N.M.E’ and ‘I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead’, which Maxx Danzinger, the drummer, sings while Carson takes his place on drums. This shows how multi-talented and vital each member of the band is. The band also plays some of the newer singles that were released between 2023 and 2024 such as ‘Creating Monsters’, ‘Evil People’ and ‘Punching Bag’ which are just as energetic and powerful.

Overall, it’s been an evening that won’t be quickly forgotten, with throwback songs played alongside the newer generation of their music, as well as the momentous occasion in which Carson held my hand during one of the songs. It made for one of the best evenings of my life. The whole room alight with vigour, mosh pits, and the singing of hundreds of like-minded people all brought together by their love of Set It Off. The feeling of anticipation lingers as we wait to see what they have in store for us next.

★★★★★