TETRARCH DEBUT UK PERFORMANCE, BIRMINGHAM, THE FLAPPER.
- Scott O'Shea
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
On May 25th, 2025, Los Angeles-based Nu-Metal heavyweights Tetrarch hit UK soil for the very first time—igniting the stage at The Flapper in Birmingham, an iconic venue revered in the global Rock and Metal scene.
Supporting them were Born Zero, Nameless, and Eville—a killer lineup that couldn’t have been better suited for the night. Each act had the crowd moshing, screaming, and headbanging from the first riff to the last. My eardrums are still ringing. (Yes, I should wear earplugs. Do I? Of course not—I always forget.)
First off, the venue.
This was my first time visiting The Flapper in Birmingham. I don’t usually venture this far down the country, but with Tetrarch only playing two UK dates, Birmingham was the closest option—and there was no way I was missing their UK debut.
The venue, the staff, and even the crowd were all genuinely lovely. Not a word you typically associate with a Rock/Metal show, but it’s true—everyone brought great vibes and positive energy.
The live music room itself was on the smaller side, but that worked in its favour. It created a more intimate setting—ideal for a band connecting with their UK audience for the first time. Best of all, it didn’t feel overcrowded. There was plenty of space for people to lose their minds in the pit without it turning into chaos.
The room even had its own bar, which was super convenient for grabbing drinks mid-set. That said, we stuck to the upstairs bar—partly because trying to shout drink orders over a wall of sound isn’t exactly my thing!
We arrived at the venue around 4 PM, so we had plenty of time to spare before doors opened at 7. We grabbed a table, had a few drinks, and then wandered off to see what Birmingham had to offer.
But before we left, something incredible happened.
I looked up—and there she was. Diamond Rowe, guitarist for Tetrarch.
I was completely starstruck. Social interaction isn’t my strong suit at the best of times, let alone when it comes to approaching someone I admire. But with a pint in me—and a little encouragement from my friend, who insisted I’d regret it if I didn’t—I worked up the courage to say hello. And I’m so glad I did.
Diamond was absolutely lovely. She could tell I was nervous, especially after I explained I’m not yet used to meeting bands face-to-face. She was happy to take a photo with me and even recognised the Novacaine logo, which was a surreal moment!
Standing next to her was Ruben Limas, Tetrarch’s drummer. I’ll admit—I didn’t recognise him straight away. I only really knew Diamond and Josh from the band, since they’re the most visible in their media and promo (though I didn’t get the chance to meet Josh on the day—but I would have recognised him if I had!). Ruben, like Diamond, was really friendly and even shook my hand. I wanted to ask for a photo with him too, but I already felt bad for unintentionally leaving him out of the initial conversation.
Still, the whole experience was amazing—and one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
Despite the negative things I’ve heard about Birmingham, the walk along the canal at Cambrian Wharf, up to the iconic Black Sabbath Bridge, was genuinely a sight to behold. For a moment, I felt oddly fancy—like I wasn’t even in Birmingham at all.
We didn't do much sight seeing this time, but we do want to return to check out some of the stores near by, after eating at Wetherspoons (I know, absolutely iconic food), we went back to The Flapper just in time for the first band of the night.
The first band to hit the stage was Born Zero, a Birmingham-based Metal/Hardcore act that came out swinging with relentless energy. They wasted no time in getting the crowd fired up, setting the tone perfectly for the night ahead.
We hadn’t heard of Born Zero before—only gave them a quick listen during the drive down—but I can honestly say their live show and studio recordings are well worth checking out. They made an instant impact, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them going forward.
Born Zero Online: linktr.ee/bornzero
After Born Zero, we naturally made our way to the bar to top up our drinks. As we walked in, I thought I spotted Josh from Tetrarch—but I made the mistake of asking if it was him… turns out, it was actually Ryan Lerner, the band’s bassist.
It must’ve been the hair—they’re both blonde! I felt so bad for mixing them up, but Ryan was incredibly understanding and super friendly about it. And, just like Diamond, he recognised the Novacaine logo, which was once again really cool to experience.
As for me? Yeah… I was super nervous again. You can definitely tell in the photo—I look like a right melon! I had no clue how to pose, so I just stood there awkwardly hoping I didn’t look as uncomfortable as I felt. (Spoiler: I did. 😅)
Next up was a band that had me hooked the moment I heard them on the drive down to Birmingham—Nameless. Their track “FINGER ON THE PULSE”, from their debut album, instantly grabbed my attention, and seeing them live only reinforced that reaction.
A local alt-metal act blending influences from alternative rock and nu-metal, Nameless were yet another perfect fit for this lineup—and they absolutely proved their worth on stage.
With incredible crowd interaction, a killer sound, and an all-round epic performance, I’ll be honest: in my opinion, they were on the same level as Tetrarch that night. They left a huge impression, and thanks to that performance, they’re now firmly on my radar, and I think they'd be a perfect fit for a future Novacaine Festival line up.
Nameless Online: linktr.ee/NamelessUk
Now it was time for the final support act of the evening: Eville, a Brighton-based Brat Metal band.
Before I dive into their set, I have to admit—I must’ve accidentally hit the button on my phone, because I stopped recording right before they started playing. So unfortunately, I have no footage of Eville’s performance.
That said, I can still confirm that their sound was insane. While their style isn’t exactly my usual go-to, they put on a high-energy show and gave it absolutely everything. You could feel their passion from start to finish, and the crowd was into it.
If you're into artists like Delilah Bon, I’d highly recommend checking them out.
Eville Online: https://linktr.ee/evillemusic?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=ee92e4f9-f26c-4f88-af4d-03ba49c7d4bb
Finally—the moment we’d all been waiting for. It was time for Tetrarch’s long-awaited UK debut performance.
Tetrarch has been firmly on our radar since the release of their album Unstable, which dropped on April 30th, 2021. But for me, the first track that pulled me in was “Freak”—it popped up as a YouTube recommendation a few months before Unstable even released, and from that moment on, I was hooked.
If you’ve never heard of Tetrarch, imagine if KoRn and Slipknot had a baby—and then that baby got hit with electric shock therapy. The result? A soon-to-be-legendary Nu-Metal powerhouse that’s destined to headline festivals like Download in the very near future.
Speaking of KoRn and Download…Just over a week before this show, we had the chance to witness KoRn in all their glory, headlining Download Festival for the first time—a monumental moment for one of my all-time favourite bands.
With that in mind, it blew me away that Tetrarch gave me that exact same feeling. I was in total awe, a massive smile glued to my face, and completely swept up in the immense energy surrounding me.
The fact that a rising U.S. Nu-Metal act, performing for the very first time in the UK, could deliver that same electric experience—not on a festival main stage, but in a small indoor venue in the heart of Birmingham—says it all.
Tetrarch are well on their way to becoming one of the biggest names the metal scene has ever known. And if I ever get the chance to book them for Novacaine Festival one day, you better believe they’ll be one of the first names on the lineup.
With a commanding performance, magnetic stage presence, and electric crowd connection, Tetrarch’s first-ever UK appearance wasn’t just impressive—it was triumphant.
Tetrarch Online: tetrarch.komi.io
Tetrarch's new album 'The Ugly Side Of Me' released on May 9th, 2025 and has already taken over their most popular plays on Spotify. With tracks like Cold, Live Not Fantasize and Never Again (Parasite) taking prime position.
Check out our review of Tetrarch's new album:
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