PARKWAY DRIVE – 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR @ OVO ARENA, LONDON SHOW REVIEW

Twenty years of riffs, fire, and unrelenting energy — and Parkway Drive just proved they’re not slowing down any time soon. Their 20 Year Anniversary Tour hit London’s OVO Arena on October 4th, and what followed was a blistering celebration of everything that makes this band unstoppable. 

The stage resembled the skeleton of some vast industrial behemoth — steel beams, scaffolding, and smoke pouring from every direction. Winston McCall, dressed head-to-toe in white like he was about to step into the ring for a fight, made his way through the audience, weaving between outstretched hands and raised horns. Giant flags waved overhead as the first crushing notes of ‘Carrion’ exploded through the arena. My ears popped. My heart dropped. And then it was so on. 

From there, the energy was nuclear. ‘Prey’, ‘Glitch’, ‘Sacred’, and ‘Vice Grip’ landed one after another like a perfectly executed combo. The pyro was next level — walls of flame shooting skyward in sync with every breakdown. Raised platforms elevated the band above the noise, while cold spark machines lit up the air. 

Midway through the set came Joel Birch of The Amity Affliction joining the band for ‘Boneyards’. Then came the gut punch: ‘Wishing Wells.’ The lights fell to darkness, leaving Winston alone under a single spotlight in a long, drenched black coat as rain poured down. His voice echoed through the arena — haunting and completely captivating. 

But Parkway weren’t about to let anyone catch their breath. They tore through a mashup of their heaviest tracks — ‘Gimme a D’, ‘Mutiny’, ‘Smoke ’Em If Ya Got ’Em’ — a classic throwback to their early years. When ‘Idols and Anchors’ hit, Winston jumped back into the crowd, commanding everyone to open a massive circle pit around him. Watching thousands of people spinning in absolute mayhem while the band powered through above was pure, glorious pandemonium. 

The bedlam gave way to beauty during ‘Chronos’ and ‘Darker Still’ performed with a live string trio. Goosebump-inducing — cinematic, emotional, and proof of just how far Parkway Drive have evolved without losing their edge. They wrapped the main set with “Bottom Feeder,” then disappeared briefly before returning for a face-melting encore: an extended drum solo and the anthem to end all shows — “Wild Eyes.” 

By the end, my cheeks hurt from smiling, my throat was raw from yelling every word, and my heart was full. Parkway Drive didn’t just celebrate twenty years — they reminded everyone why they’re one of the most important metal bands of the last two decades. 

If there’s any justice in this world, they’ll be headlining Download or Bloodstock Festival 2026. After that show? They’ve more than earned it.