One of America’s most successful heavy rock exports, Drowning Pool descended on Nottingham’s Rock City on November 19th with a set that hit like a wrecking ball. It was one of the busiest nights the venue has seen in years — a packed room filled with fans raised on the aggression, groove and grit of early-2000s metal.
Before the band even appeared, a dense wall of smoke rolled across the stage, turning the room into a shadowy silhouette of lights and shapes. For a moment, the musicians were almost completely obscured — and when the first riffs punched through, the effect was immediate: the atmosphere was heavy, claustrophobic, and perfectly suited to Drowning Pool’s signature sound.
Ryan McCombs, gripping his trademark vintage-style mic stand — a nod to old-school rock ’n’ roll swagger — commanded the stage from the first note. The centre of the crowd erupted into constant movement, a tight knot of fans moshing, bouncing and feeding off the band’s energy.
A standout moment arrived with the slow-burn intensity of “37 Stitches.” McCombs sat beside the drum kit, eyes closed, delivering every line with raw emotion as the room swayed with him. Later, “Tear Away” sparked one of the biggest sing-alongs of the night — second only to the explosion that greeted the band’s defining anthem, “Bodies.”
When that iconic opening hit, the entire venue lifted. Rock City became a single organism — voices roaring, bodies moving, adrenaline peaking. McCombs climbed onto the barricades, leaning into the crowd, dancing and screaming alongside the fans until the very last note.
It was a triumphant night and a reminder of why Drowning Pool remain such a dominant live force. Judging by the reaction in Nottingham, this tour ranks among their most powerful yet — and the city will be more than ready when they return.
Setlist:
Sinner
Feel Like I Do
Step Up
Let the Sin Begin
Enemy
37 Stitches
Rebel Yell (Billy Idol cover)
Sermon
Pity
Tear Away
Reminded
Bodies
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