Rising Welsh post-hardcore act Holding Absence has been taking over the scene lately, especially with the release of their newest album Modern Life Is Lonely on September 18, 2026, via Sumerian Records. To celebrate, the band embarked on a co-headlining tour with emo band Arm’s Length on September 19 and will continue to hit major cities across North America up until October 17. For support, the bands brought along alternative rock band House & Home and metal band Bloom, bringing a wide variety of genres that would excite any rock fan.
Now in the final stretch of the tour, Holding Absence stopped at Archer Music Hall in Allentown, PA, on October 11, 2026. Despite the rain that Sunday, dedicated fans showed up early and made sure to bring the energy for a night full of post-hardcore, emo, metal, and more.
The first opener to take the stage was House & Home, based in Richmond, VA. As the band walked onto the stage, vocalist Pat Williams addressed the crowd, saying “Welcome to the tour where no band on the lineup sounds like the other.” The band opened with the track “Swarm” from their most recent album I Won’t Look For You, released on November 14, 2025, via Open Your Ears Records. With elements of post-hardcore and emo, House & Home delivers their own brand of alternative rock that touches the crowd with its heartfelt lyrics while also getting them to form a mosh pit.
Towards the end of the set, Pat reminded the crowd of how important it is to create art these days, considering how the arts are under attack with AI and censorship, and the entire room filled with cheers in agreement. The band closed their set with their 2020 emo-influenced track “Shrunken Head,” which had the pit moving until the very last note.
HOUSE & HOME: Website | Facebook | Instagram
The second and final opener was Bloom, hailing from Sydney, Australia. As soon as the band walked onto the stage, vocalist Jono Hawkey introduced the band as the “token heavy band” on the tour lineup. A melodic hardcore band, Bloom breaks the boundaries of what heavy music can sound like, switching from heavy breakdowns and powerful screams to melodic cleans and shoegaze-inspired riffs.
Bloom opened with the heavy “Forget Me Not” from their recent album The Light We Chase; Jono’s boundless energy as he ran across the stage easily captivated the crowd. Only a few songs later, they played the melodic “Keep You,” which they dedicated to “the emos” in the audience. Throughout the set, the mosh pit continued to grow, and even a circle pit formed, constantly raising the enthusiasm. The fans kept the energy up until the very end when the band ended with the hardcore-inspired track “Withered,” moshing and crowdsurfing as much as they could.
BLOOM: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
At 10 p.m., the lights dimmed for the final time that night as cheers boomed throughout the venue. As the stage lit up with bright blue lights, Holding Absence walked onto the stage, receiving even more cheers from the fans. The band opened with “Whisper Of A Dream” from Modern Life Is Lonely, a catchy and energetic yet emotional track that had the crowd screaming along to every word.
The band continued with the new tracks as they soon went into “Reflection,” prompting crowdsurfers to move through the venue. Vocalist Lucas Woodland captivated the crowd with his stage presence, belting out notes while jumping and kicking across the stage.
It is no surprise that Holding Absence is currently taking over the rock scene these days. With their own blend of post-hardcore and alternative rock, their music can capture the attention of any rock fan, combining melodic elements and emotional lyrics with mosh-worthy energy. The band had the fans engaged the entire set, demonstrating effective crowd control by having fans wave their arms, clap, mosh, and more.
Holding Absence performed a variety of tracks from their discography besides the newer tracks, such as their 2020 single “Gravity” and the fan-favorite “A Crooked Melody” from their 2023 album The Noble Art of Self Destruction. No matter the song, however, the energy among the crowd only increased throughout the night, with the pit getting bigger and bigger as other fans continued to crowdsurf.
Holding Absence’s show in Allentown that night was also a special one for the band, as Lucas explained that it was their first time ever playing there. Lucas mentioned that the band had only started performing in the U.S. in 2022 and had never visited Allentown before that night, which had the crowd cheering in response.
Toward the end of their set, the band performed their breakthrough hit “Afterlife” from their 2021 album The Greatest Mistake of My Life. The voices of the crowd echoed throughout the venue as they screamed along to every lyric, nearly drowning out the voices of the band. Holding Absence had to close out the track with a bang, instructing the crowd to split in half. Once the breakdown hit, the entire room collided in one massive wall of death.
But the night didn’t end there: the band performed the fan-favorite “Kyoto Snow” from Modern Life Is Lonely, an emotional track with soaring melodies that had the crowd singing along until the final note. Holding Absence’s first performance in Allentown was a night neither the fans nor the band would forget.
HOLDING ABSENCE: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube
