Live review: You Me At Six, London OVO Arena Wembley

It only feels like yesterday when Kerrang! headed to leafy Weybridge to do an introducing feature on an exciting young band called You Me At Six. Fast-forward 20 years and we find ourselves waving goodbye to one of the biggest and most ever-present forces in British rock. After eight albums, numerous world tours, huge festival appearances, and a pair of UK Number One albums to throw in the mix, Josh Franceschi, Max Helyer, Chris Miller, Matt Barnes and Dan Flint are bowing out at the peak of their powers with a massive world tour, culminating in this, the second of two nights at Wembley: The Final Night Of Six.

Before all of that, though, it’s up to Scottish pop rockers The XCERTS to get the early punters in the mood. The trio's choruses sparkle and glisten, with the likes of Shaking In The Water and Feels Like Falling Love feeling right at home. There's even a special appearance from their old mate and Architects frontman Sam Carter for Ache, and it really is a startling reminder that in an alternate universe this band are the biggest thing on the planet.

Kid Kapichi bring a different vibe with their socially-charged punk rock creating a ruckus. The lads from Hastings offer a flavour of something new, and a chance for them to flex their collective muscles on a stage and venue of this stature. Spoiler warning: they smash it.

“We are the last band to ever support You Me At Six and it’s a fucking honour,” proclaims vocalist Jack Wilson. “Josh saw us play in front of 100 people and has always given a fuck.” It's not hard to see why, frankly, as the four-piece waste no time in a set that gets pulses racing and perfectly primed for the main event.

• Get your limited-edition You Me At Six Kerrang! zine

“This is it, the last fucking show – let’s go!” begins Josh, as You Me At Six's last hurrah starts with a quick-fire flurry of Room To Breathe, Loverboy and Stay With Me – an opening trio highlighting the catalogue of absolute bangers they have at their disposal. This is not meant to be a mourning; this is meant to be a celebration of the music and memories the boys have created. “Are there any old-school You Me At Six fans here?” teases the singer, as they smash through their breakthrough song Save It For The Bedroom, with the collective screams of the crowd shaking Wembley to its very core.

The set spans their entire arsenal with Night People and SUCKAPUNCH sounding bigger than ever before. “I’ve had norovirus, I’ve been shitting non-stop, but I’ll die before I ever cancel a show,” boasts Josh, and we would’ve been none the wiser, as the frontman has all the youthful bounce and excitement of someone doing this for the first time.

Fresh Start Fever, Jealous Minds Think Alike and Lived A Lie enter the fray, with members of the crowd swimming their way over the barrier. As the band take a moment to themselves, we’re left with Max strumming away and Josh delivering a speech, as the emotion properly sinks in. “This is fucking class,” he says through tears, after composing himself. He then lays out the story of how You Me At Six formed back in the day, when MSN Messenger and Myspace reigned supreme.

As Max temporarily brings back his emo fringe, Josh mocks him with a fine Tom Delonge impression: 'Where are youuuuu?' he exclaims, leading to the crowd breaking out into blink-182 classic I Miss You. An acoustic version of Liquid Confidence swiftly follows, before YMAS bring down the curtain on a glistening career with Underdog.

As they gather for one final group hug under the lights, and wave their last goodbye to their fans, it's a moment that throws up a massive buffet of emotions. It's been a ride. One that's ended with the knowledge that, even though they're gone, they'll remain a beloved band for years to come.

Read this next:

• You Me At Six: “This is a celebration, for us, and for the fans... I’m so grateful we’re doing it our way”
• You Me At Six’s Josh Franceschi: “I’ve always hated it when my favourite bands have ended badly. This isn’t like that”
• “There was no pressure… we didn’t expect that response”: You Me At Six look back at Take Off Your Colours