'We're Gonna Transport You Back in Time': Papa Roach on Bringing 25 Years of 'Infest' to UK Arenas
Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Written by Jack Butler-Terry
Photo: Bryson Roatch
There’s something in the name — despite wholesale changes in the world around them Papa Roach have simply refused to die. Across 11 albums, the Californian veterans have cycled through sounds, styles and record labels, riding nu-metal’s initial wave before becoming an ever-reliable rock institution.
Celebrating 25 years since the release of ‘Infest’, their major label debut and home to signature songs in Last Resort and Between Angels and Insects, their Rise Of The Roach Tour is currently tearing through Europe on its way towards a trio of massive UK shows at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena and the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
We recently caught up with Papa Roach guitarist Jerry Horton to find out what it means to be able to celebrate a quarter of a century of ‘Infest’, as well as how the music industry has shifted and why they’ve had to become businessmen alongside their artistic pursuits.
It’s been 32 years since you founded Papa Roach with Jacoby [Shaddix, vocals]. How has the game changed for you guys?
“The landscape is completely different. I think, really, the only thing that’s the same is our relationships to each other, and the drive that we have and the passion for the band. Everything else has changed.”
Are you having to do a lot more to make it work now that the business has changed shape?
“Nowadays we’re self-releasing on our own label, so we’re not beholden [to anyone]. We get to make decisions that, from a record label standpoint, might not be the most profitable, but it also helps our band’s profile. It’s a tricky time and a tricky situation to be in but we’re just trying to make decisions that will benefit both sides. We’ve had to become better businessmen to become better artists and so that’s what we're trying to focus on.”
You’re celebrating 25 years of ‘Infest’. How does it feel?
“It’s wild when I think about it. On some level, it seems like it was just yesterday that we were on Warped Tour and we were touring with Korn and getting advice from them. Also it was a lifetime ago, and so many things have changed since then. Our musical direction has gone in so many different ways since then.
“Obviously, the business has changed. It’s cool to relearn and re-explore things and really appreciate what was good about those songs and what we initially found interesting. If you’re playing a song for a long time you don’t really think about it, but when you’re able to step away and come back to something you can see it with new eyes and also the same eyes as when you first discovered it. That is really cool.
“With the tour, I think some people are a little disappointed that we’re not playing the album in full, but we have included things and moments from that time that will be unexpected. Already on this tour, I’ve been able to witness the fans’ reaction to it all. You could tell that the people our age were really transported.
“Some of the younger fans don’t have that perspective of that time period so they’re just taking it all in. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. I won’t say that we’ll never do an album tour, but I think that, especially with new music coming, we don’t see ourselves as only that one thing. It’s a line that we have to walk and we want to make our fans happy, but we also want to make ourselves happy. We’re playing the greatest hits and we’re also gonna transport you back in time.”
You’ve worked with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in the past, now you’re partnering with Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) for this tour. What does it mean to the band to be able to help people with their mental health and give them an outlet to talk about topics like that?
“Ever since we put out Last Resort, we’ve had fans coming to us and telling us that having the music there as something to explore their feelings, they felt like it was kind of a friend to lean on. It helped them get through a hard time. So working with CALM and AFSP is the next logical step to really help bring awareness to non-Papa Roach fans.
I will say that it’s not the station that we imagined ourselves to be in when we began. But finding ourselves here and having people have that deep connection with the music adds another dimension. It is nice that our music can be there for people, but we want other people to be there for people as well. We’re grateful to be a part of it.”
Are there any particular dates you’re looking forward to on this tour?
“The interesting thing is that the last time Papa Roach headlined in Europe was 2020, just before lockdown. I wasn’t able to do that tour because I had broken my finger. It’s probably been six or seven years since I’ve done a headlining tour in Europe, so I’m excited for every single show, but we’re all super excited for Wembley.
“It’s something that we've always worked towards and we’ve done the Astoria and Brixton and the Roundhouse, and a lot of other legendary places, but Wembley's just gonna be…I’m not gonna say the pinnacle, but it’s up there for us.”
Papa Roach Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed February 05 2025 - PARIS Zenith (France)
Fri February 07 2025 - LONDON OVO Arena Wembley
Sat February 08 2025 - NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
Sun February 09 2025 - LIVERPOOL M&S Bank Arena
Thu March 20 2025 - HOUSTON Texas - Toyota Center (USA)
Sat March 22 2025 - SAN ANTONIO Texas - Frost Bank Center (Formerly AT&T Center) (USA)
Sun March 23 2025 - DALLAS Texas - American Airlines Center (USA)
Tue March 25 2025 - PHOENIX Arizona - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre (formerly Ak-Chin Pavilion) (USA)
Wed March 26 2025 - SAN DIEGO California - Gallagher Square at Petco Park - Complex (USA)
Fri March 28 2025 - LOS ANGELES California - Kia Forum (USA)
Sat March 29 2025 - SACRAMENTO California - Golden 1 Center (USA)
Mon March 31 2025 - PORTLAND Oregon - Veterans Memorial Coliseum Portland (USA)
Tue April 01 2025 - SEATTLE Washington - Climate Pledge Arena (USA)
Thu April 03 2025 - SALT LAKE CITY Utah - Maverik Center (USA)
Sat April 05 2025 - LAS VEGAS Nevada - Garden Arena at MGM Grand (USA)
Mon April 07 2025 - DENVER Colorado - Ball Arena (USA)
Wed April 09 2025 - KANSAS CITY Missouri - T-Mobile Center (USA)
Thu April 10 2025 - OMAHA Nebraska - CHI Health Center (USA)
Sat April 12 2025 - GREEN BAY Wisconsin - Resch Center (USA)
Sun April 13 2025 - SAINT PAUL Minnesota - Xcel Energy Center (USA)
Wed September 10 2025 - BRIDGEPORT Connecticut - Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater (USA)
Thu September 11 2025 - SYRACUSE New York - Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview (Formerly St. Josephs Health) (USA)
Sat September 13 2025 - WANTAGH New York - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater (USA)
Sun September 14 2025 - MANSFIELD Massachusetts - Xfinity Center (USA)
Mon September 15 2025 - ALLENTOWN Pennsylvania - PPL Center (USA)
Tue September 16 2025 - WASHINGTON - Anthem (USA)
Wed September 17 2025 - VIRGINIA BEACH Virginia - Dome (USA)
Fri September 19 2025 - ALLENTOWN Pennsylvania - PPL Center (USA)
Sat September 20 2025 - BANGOR Maine - Maine Savings Amphitheater (USA)
Tue September 23 2025 - CINCINNATI Ohio - PNC Pavilion at Riverbend (USA)
Wed September 24 2025 - MARYLAND HEIGHTS Missouri - Saint Louis Music Park (USA)
Fri September 26 2025 - INDIANAPOLIS Indiana - Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park (formerly TCU Amphitheater) (USA)
Sat September 27 2025 - TINLEY PARK Illinois - Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre (Formerly Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Tinley Park) (USA)
Sun September 28 2025 - CLARKSTON Michigan - Pine Knob Music Theatre (USA)
Tue September 30 2025 - ROGERS Arkansas - Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion - (AMP) (USA)
Wed October 01 2025 - FRANKLIN Tennessee - FirstBank Amphitheater (USA)
Fri October 03 2025 - CHARLOTTE North Carolina - Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre at AvidXchange Music Factory (USA)
Sat October 04 2025 - TAMPA Florida - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds (USA)
Sun October 05 2025 - WEST PALM BEACH Florida - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre (USA)
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