Thornhill’s “Mercia Tour” Edges Toward San Antonio
both promising and in friction with their earlier identity
When Thornhill step into Vibes Event Center on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, they arrive with a catalog that has been steadily recalibrated, challenged, and reshaped. The band’s shift toward atmospheric songwriting has been well-documented, especially across critical responses to Heroine and their most recent material — work that has invited everything from praise for their ambition to direct calls for clarity in artistic direction. One recent review of Bodies noted how the group’s reinvention attempts can feel both promising and in friction with their earlier identity, highlighting a tension that has come to define their conversations with fans and press alike . And yet, the momentum behind their upcoming Mercia Tour suggests a band eager to test what the next phase looks like in front of a room rather than behind studio glass.
The year has also been a milestone for Thornhill beyond touring. Their home-country recognition — including a major national win for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album in Australia — underscored just how firmly they’ve carved out their place in the broader rock landscape, positioning this tour as a continuation rather than a restart . For San Antonio, that makes this date something of a litmus test: how a band in active evolution connects with a crowd that tends to reward immediacy and intention, especially at a venue known for hosting artists in transition.
Ben Veress
The undercard functions as more than prelude. 156/Silence, whose recent catalog has sharpened into darker and more confrontational tones, have built a reputation for turning mid-week crowds into something closer to weekend energy. Fox Lake bring a hybrid edge shaped by hardcore swagger and hip-hop underpinnings, making them one of the more distinctly modern additions to this bill. And Vianova, opening the evening, provide the tour’s earliest escalation point — the type of support slot that often ends up being cited by attendees weeks later when discussing how the room first came alive.
By the time Thornhill take the stage, the night will already have its own internal arc. What remains is how the band choose to steer it: whether they lean into the controlled, moody construct of their newer material or revisit the grip of their earlier heaviness for contrast. Either path makes this show one of the more intriguing spring bookings — because of the unresolved questions surrounding where Thornhill go next and how that resonates in a live environment.
LINEUP
Thornhill
156/Silence
Fox Lake
Vianova
VENUE
Vibes Event Center — 1223 E. Houston St., San Antonio, TX
Doors: 6:00 PM