Bring Me The Horizon Initialise their Ascension Program 2 in LA
Last week, Bring Me The Horizon brought the Ascension Program to Los Angeles, re-initialising E.V.E. for the masses and unveiling new “unlockable content” for its members.
The 4,000-capacity Hollywood Palladium was sold out, packed with both new and longtime fans. The entry line stretched nearly two blocks, snaking around the historic venue and spilling into traffic. Inside, the intimate space was filled to the brim with unsuspecting test subjects, all waiting to press “start” on the chaos ahead.
run.program\ DYINGWISH.exe
The opening “tutorial level” was anything but tame. Dying Wish unleashed a ferocious set as Emma Boster’s melodic intro masked the chaos to come. Guitars rumbled, tension built, then Jeff Yambra’s drum drop ignited the pit – bodies surged as windmills, back kicks and two-stepping took over. ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’ opened the set with unrelenting intensity, immediately establishing the level of brutality to come. The band tore through fan favourites as crowdsurfers poured over the barricade. ‘A Curse Upon Iron’ and ‘Symptoms of Survival’ kept the pit in overdrive, with elbows flying and no signs of slowing down. A standout moment came when Emma took a pause to honor Bo Lueders of Harm’s Way, reflecting on his impact on both the scene and the band. The room softened as phone lights illuminated ‘Lost in the Fall’, creating a powerful and emotional tribute. Closing with ‘I’ll Know You’re Not Around’, the band ended their set in explosive fashion, urging the crowd to prove themselves one last time.
project:|| ASCENSION.2.exe
Flashing lights overtook the venue as the Ascension Program audio from E.V.E. announced its re-initialisation sequence, urging the crowd to prepare for ascension. As lasers intensified, the already packed floor compressed further, leaving barely any room to move. Kicking off with ‘DArkSide’, Bring Me The Horizon ignited the room instantly. Fans chanted, crowdsurfed and pushed toward the barricade, all trying to get closer to Oli Sykes. The setlist blended fan favourites with returning classics, including the reintroduction of ‘The House of Wolves’. Oli, dissatisfied with the pit’s size, called it “shite” and demanded the crowd to “show some respect for the circle pit” and make it bigger.
Momentum carried through ‘MANTRA’ and the ever-chaotic ‘Happy Song’. ‘AmEN!’ and ‘Kool-Aid’ escalated the chaos so intensely that the show briefly paused to give security a moment to recover and address technical strain from the sheer force of the performance. The live debut of ‘YOUtopia’ was met with overwhelming support, with phones raised across the room capturing the moment. Notably, Machine Gun Kelly was spotted in the balcony, singing along with the crowd.
Following a brief laser interlude with ‘Itch for the Cure’,the pit erupted once more for ‘Kingslayer’, as waves of crowdsurfers launched themselves forward at Oli’s command. Continuing a tradition from their NeX GEn tour, ‘Antivist’ featured a fan-led performance, with one lucky attendee, Shane, delivering an unforgettable moment as Oli joined in for a crushing deathcore finale. The emotional shift came with ‘Follow You’, ‘LosT’ and ‘Can You Feel My Heart’, where the crowd moved as one, singing through tears as strangers became united in shared catharsis. The venue swayed with the weight of the moment before plunging into darkness.
The three-song encore marked the final phase of the ascension protocol. ‘Doomed’ grounded the audience in raw emotion, with every voice screaming the lyrics in unison. ‘Drown’ carried that same sense of unity, building toward the explosive finale. Closing with ‘Throne’, confetti cannons and lasers filled the room as the crowd gave everything they had left; jumping, shouting and moving in pure exhilaration.
The second Ascension Program tour is already proving to be a massive success for Bring Me The Horizon, following their standout performance at Sick New World. With upcoming dates alongside Motionless In White, The Plot In You and Amira Elfeky, the band is poised to further assimilate the masses. They’ve also announced The Third Ascension Program tour beginning September 20, along with an appearance at Outbreak Festival in the UK, where they’ll perform Count Your Blessings in full.
No matter where you are, the message is clear: join the NeX GEn programming and ascend.
