Kat Von D and Friends Takes Fans on New Wave Goth Trip at Manchester Academy 2 [Photos]

Kat Von D is an iconic and inspirational character dating back to the time she was a tattoo artist, but unfortunately that hasn’t yet translated over to her musical career – which is an absolute travesty – with last year’s album My Side of the Mountain being a wonderful trove of electro gothic tunes that wouldn’t be out of place on Stranger Things or a reboot (god forbid) of Lost Boys. The crowd she drew in Manchester was smaller than expected, but everyone who was there was there to enjoy themselves. – and that’s exactly what they did.

Openers Lebrock have a big 80s rock vibe to their sound, which made them sound a little out of place compared to the cool, electro vibes of the headliner, but they put on a great show, to a great response. They may be guilty of being a few decades too late for what they are doing, but they definitely put on a good show and enjoyed every second of it.

Next up was Kat’s husband, Rafael Reyes’ band Prayers, who were a strange experience.

2 fully tattooed, burly and shirtless security guards with two massive swords in their hands flanked either side of the stage and didn’t move for the whole set while in comparison Prayers in the middle of the stage never stopped still for even a second.

His songs and music are as packed full of energy as he is, but he has a bit of monotone way of delivering his lyrics – almost shouting them into the mic without much variation in volume or tone. He shares that all his songs are about betrayal so maybe that’s why. A few of them actually sounded like they’d make great Pixies tracks if the backing music was more guitar led than electronic.

Kat Von D took the stage at a fairly late 9.45pm with two big screens at the back of the stage showing a video of her singing the classic Eric Carmen song “All by Myself” before she came on stage bathed in blue and red light. With the energetic multi-instrumentalist Sammi Doll providing the musical backing for her show, she moved around the stage and connected with the first few rows of the crowd.

Tracks like “Vampire Love,” “Illusion,” and the Spanish-language “Por Ti” felt massive live, and, honestly, they just make an even stronger case for why more people should know about her musical output. Her sound blends darkwave, synth-pop, and gothic rock, all soaked in that brooding, dreamy ’80s new wave vibe. Think Depeche Mode meets The Cure, but with her own cinematic, emotionally intense twist – which more people need to hear.

With a member of her roadcrew joining her to sing “Truth in Reverse,” and an atmospheric “Running Away” followed by a heavy-sounding “I Am a Machine,” the show was pretty much over. She saved the wonderful “Dead” and a Prayers cover for the encore, with her husband joining her for the latter, and the show was done and dusted in under an hour, which, as the adage goes, left them wanting more, as it’s just barely enough for a headline set.

All in all, it was a night full of theatrics, energy, and undeniable style that might not have had the biggest crowd or longest set, but definitely didn’t fall short on vibes. Kat Von D delivered a moody, electric performance that showed just how much she’s got to offer as a musician—even if the world hasn’t fully caught on yet. With her cinematic sound, striking visuals, and clear passion, she’s more than earned a bigger spotlight. If there’s any justice, it won’t be long before more people catch up.

Our photographer, Frank Ralph Photography, was at the show, and you can check out his photo gallery below.

Kat Von D (w/Lebrock) @ Academy 2 (Manchester, UK) on June 22nd, 2025

39 photos