If anyone thought that Bush had lost its classic sound or untameable energy, the English rock band’s 10th studio album, I Beat Loneliness, and current worldwide tour begs to differ.
Opening the set with its explosive 1994 track, “Machinehead,” Bush appeased the audience with one of its biggest hits right out of the gate.
The sheer noise from the performance was a statement. Drummer Nik Hughes’ kick drum sent bone-shaking vibrations through the floor of MGM Music Hall, and the crowd knew immediately what kind of night this was going to be.
From there, Bush transitioned into “We’re All The Same On The Inside,” a newer tune off I Beat Loneliness. The concept of the song is that, despite our differences, human suffering and longing are universal.
While the track was released in 2025, it could easily be mistaken for something pulled straight from the band’s catalog three decades ago.
Next, Bush played “The Land Of Milk And Honey,” a single off I Beat Loneliness, as well as the song that inspired the title of the band’s worldwide tour. The track is a showcase of everything that made Bush a household name decades ago, like wind-tunnel guitars and Gavin Rossdale’s unmistakable voice riding a melody that lodges itself in your head.
It’s classic Bush, updated without being watered down.
“Bush,” spelt out in capitalized red lettering, intertwined with a sprawling floral backdrop—the artwork from the I Beat Loneliness album cover—loomed over the crowd.
Early on in the concert, it was clear that Rossdale is not just the frontman of the band—he is the show. With his constant waving at crowd members, hearts given out in every direction, and kisses blown into the upper decks, he proved that he’s what people came to see.
“Scars,” the first track on I Beat Loneliness, delivered one of the set’s most gripping moments. The song opens with a haunting verse before the band launches into the chorus—a crashing wave of sound that Bush always does well.
This is the kind of song that earns its place in a setlist, alongside 30-year-old staples that developed the ’90s grunge and alt-rock scene.
“Flowers On A Grave” off Bush’s 2020 album, The Kingdom, was transformed entirely when played live. As the band played through a solo medley, Rossdale left the stage and worked his way through the crowd.
First, he went into the pit. Then, up in the higher orchestra seating, high-fiving and hugging fans along the way, Rossdale pulled the entire room into the performance.
“I wanna give you back what you give to us, but that’s not possible. You give your all, and we try to match,” Rossdale said, after the song.
Then, the band left the stage. Nobody believed it was over—the night couldn’t possibly be that short.
Bush exploded out from backstage with “Everything Zen,” the first of three songs in the band’s setlist from Sixteen Stone, its most acclaimed album. Fans, both young and old, jostled each other and yelled the catchy chorus as loudly as they could.
The crowd united to sing along to the timeless hit, cementing that no one is too old or too young to rock out to Bush.
“Glycerine” continued the trip down memory lane. Rossdale performed it solo, just his voice and a guitar. Tiny spotlights descended light on him from above as he sang one of the band’s most emotionally loaded songs.
Before a note of the next song was played, Rossdale addressed the recent passing away of Laura, the wife of one of Bush’s technicians, Michael. This was his first show back, and a solemn appreciation for his dedication to be at the concert hung over the MGM Music Hall.
“Comedown” ended the show. Another Sixteen Stone staple, it sent the crowd into a frenzy one final time, a fitting close to a night that never let up.
