Punk rockers Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes showed us something special on the final stop of their ‘End Of Suffering’ tour.

A force to be reckoned with, Storm Frank hit a sold-out Alexandra Palace, washing away all thoughts of the actual windstorm that was happening just outside the four walls of the iconic venue. The Hertfordshire band released their third studio album, End Of Suffering, in May last year, and spent the rest of the year playing festivals, a headline tour, and several support tours, namely with Foo Fighters and Bring Me The Horizon.

Kicking things off with Why A Butterfly Can’t Love A Spider, frontman Frank Carter wastes no time, diving straight in, literally, finding himself atop the crowd with Tyrant Lizard King and Juggernaut. Known for being a safe, inclusive space, tonight’s show was no different as Carter calls out for his female and non-binary fans to crowdsurf during Wild Flowers.

Throughout the night, it’s clear that the well-being of their fans is of the highest priority, with Frank periodically checking that the 10,000-strong crowd were all safe amongst the relentless moshing and countless circle pits. “There are no problems, only solutions”, comes the introduction to Anxiety, reminding the audience that everyone has their good days and bad days, and that “when you wake up feeling bad, it’s a short climb to feeling good”. Title track End Of Suffering, a ballad by any standards, saw the venue lights go down only for the room to be lit solely by the lights from the many phones held up by the crowd.

It’s no secret that he’s a pretty punk rock guy, but there’s possibly no move more punk rock than Frank parting a sea of thousands of people to walk down to the front of house to give his mother a kiss, before dedicating Crowbar to her. We are forced to take a break as Frank’s eagle eyes spot an injured fan, and his impressive ability to command the crowd allows paramedics to reach and attend to him. Carter then makes it a point to find out the name of the fan who is stretchered off, and dedicates Devil Inside Me to him, before closing with their infamous “love” song, I Hate You.

The words “best fucking gig I’ve been to” were overheard as we exited the venue, no doubt echoing the thoughts of everyone who witnessed the spectacle that was Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.

Photos: Abigail Shii