Don Broco – The Duchess York – 11/08/15
It’s not often we have big shows in our hometown York, but tonight is a pretty special gig we have lined up at the Duchess. With the release of brand new album ‘Automatic’ fresh out this week lingering high in the UK charts, Don Broco (9) are treating the lucky fans who snapped up a sold out ticket to one of the smallest tours the band have announced in years.
The excited crowd are greeted by the Bedford quartet, who hit the stage with the explosive ‘Money Power, Fame’ to get the night started on the front foot. The stage may be ten times smaller to what the lads are use to playing of recent years, but it doesn’t stop front-man Rob Damiani bouncing around the stage with guitarist Simon Delaney, who’s fully charged and not willing to stand still for a single moment in tonight’s set as ever, busting out the kick jumps and bouncing back and forth off the stage platforms.
No time is wasted as Don Broco’s set is packed with new music from the beginning. The super funky new single ‘Superlove’ is second on the set list, and it’s clear the York crowd have been learning the lines as they can’t help but sing along to the bouncing chorus. It sound’s absolutely flawless live, especially with the back and forth vocals from drummer Matt Donnelly, Bassist Tom Doyle and Rob Demiani, aside some slick riffs on guitar from Simon Delaney.
Tonight might be all about celebrating the new album, but older material from the previous album ‘Priorities’ isn’t lost. Crowd favorite’s such as ‘Hold On’ ‘Yeah Man’ and ‘Whole Truth’ make up the first half of the set and all go down as well as ever with the Yorkshire crowd singing their hearts out.
The fantastic ‘Fire’ was a standout on the new album for me personally, and is exactly the same in the set tonight. From the moment the infectious guitar riff rings out the stage and the venue is bouncing again. “This is the sweatiest and craziest show so far!” bellows the front-man, and he’s not wrong, it’s disgustingly sweaty in the crowd to the point it looks like everyone’s been swimming prior to the gig, but everyone’s enjoying their selves way too much to give a monkeys!
As the set progresses things only get better, ‘Priorities’ provides an opportunity for a quick dance, particularly on stage as the trademark Broco walk bursts into action in the intro, somehow seamlessly well considering the stage is so small they are almost kicking each other! And of course, it wouldn’t be a York show without the standard “YORKSHIRE!” chant, which the frontman recalls hearing for the first time they ever played in Yorkshire, misunderstanding the crowd thinking they were chanting “Your Shit!”
Not surprisingly the golden oldie ‘Thug Workout’ creates chaos as Don Broco take us back to the heavy days, with circle pits, a wall of death splitting the whole venue down the middle, and of course the trade mark ‘push up squad’ in action in the breakdown as ever!
‘Automatic’ has everyone singing the loudest tonight with a strong vocal performance from Rob Damiani over a super tight performance all around, before Crowd surfers areout in full force for the close of a fantastic set throughout both ‘Fancy Dress’ and ‘Actors’ as they turn it up an extra level. The night finishes as usual with ‘You Wanna Know’ and Rob Damiani jumping into the crowd at the front barrier to get some help finishing off the song with the crowd, as he’s mobbed for selfies before leaving the stage and thanking the crowd for one of the most fun sweatiest shows they have ever played.
It’s clear that even though Don Broco are working their way around larger venues and festivals these days, they can still bring the party energy to a good old club show with blood, sweat and beers like the old days. The perfect way to set off the new album campaign!
Onwards and upward for Don Broco next with Reading & Leeds festival in a couple of weeks, then a massive show at London’s Brixton Academy at the end of the year which we can only imagine how crazy that will be, so if you missed out on this tour, get down to that because based on tonight, you certainly wont regret it!
Check out the full photo set from this show here!
Photography – Danny Peart Photography
