Danish death-metal outfit Neckbreakker stepped onto an arena that was still far from full, but the hungry diehards clustered at the barricade showed zero hesitation. The band delivered a sharp, disciplined set—no wasted time, no filler, just clean execution and deep growls echoing through a room still waking up.

Despite the early slot, Neckbreakker squeezed a few mosh pits out of the crowd and even summoned the first wall of death of the evening. A solid ignition spark for what would soon become a wildfire.

Canadian hardcore heavyweights Comeback Kid had 45 minutes to lift the room further, and by the halfway mark, they’d cracked it wide open.

Frontman Andrew Neufeld pushed hard from the start—jumping into the photo pit, calling out “Who represents the hardcore?” versus “Who represents the metal?”, and demanding more movement from the floor. The response: circle pits, crowd-surfers pouring forward nonstop, and multiple walls of death.

Comeback Kid closed with Neufeld diving into the audience himself. Mission accomplished: Lille was officially warmed up.

The moment Gojira walked onstage, the energy shifted. Playing in France meant they addressed the crowd entirely in French, which instantly deepened the connection. And from the opening notes, it was obvious both band and fans came ready for something special.

Gojira have never been a band to stagnate, and this tour marks yet another evolutionary leap. Classic elements remained—like drummer Mario Duplantier flashing his cue cards and teasing the crowd with “Who wants more double bass? – five minutes of non-stop double bass” before detonating into “From the Sky.”

But the show also brought new surprises. During “Flying Whales,” a massive whale drone drifted above the arena, turning the performance into an immersive, almost cinematic moment. Indoors, it felt transformative—something impossible to pull off at outdoor festivals.

The band’s rising national profile was undeniable. Since their headline appearance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony last year—performing “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” with opera singer Marina Viotti, a collaboration that later earned them a Grammy—Gojira have solidified their status as cultural ambassadors of French metal. Hearing the song live in Lille felt like witnessing a historic milestone replayed under spotlights.

Not everything was ideal behind the scenes: frontman Joe Duplantier, recovering from recent hand surgery, was unable to play most of his guitar parts. Visibly frustrated, he focused on vocals while Greg Kubacki of Car Bomb stepped in on guitar duty.

Joe admitted the forced downtime had done him some good, but by the final stretch of the show—particularly during “L’Enfant Sauvage”—his voice showed signs of strain. Still, he carried the performance with determination, and the crowd matched his effort with unwavering support.