Photo + Words: Beth Phasey-Manclark
In the lead up to their Download Festival set this weekend, Don Broco tore through a sold out warm up show at Oxford’s O2 Academy, and it was nothing short of electric. The last of just three intimate warm up dates, the night felt like a celebration of everything the band does best, and was full of explosive energy from start to finish.
Kicking the night off with an equally high-octane performance were Dead Pony, who proved why they’re quickly becoming one of the most exciting names in the UK rock scene. This was essentially a warm up show for them too, with the Glasgow based rock band also heading to Donington Park this weekend for their own set at Download. Consisting of vocalist Anna Shields, guitarist Blair Crichton, bassist Liam Adams, and drummer Euan Lyons – the band’s heavy, punchy sound had the crowd moshing almost immediately, with Anna jumping across the stage throughout the set. They commanded the crowd with ease, delivering punchy choruses and relentless energy from beginning to end. Dead Pony are absolutely one to catch live if you get the chance.
As the room swelled with anticipation, Don Broco kicked off with a bang and launched head first into their set with ‘Everybody‘, instantly igniting the room. The band – consisting of frontman Rob Damiani, bassist Tom Doyle, guitarist Simon Delaney, and drummer Matt Donnelly – were a tightly choreographed burst of motion. Rob, Tom and Simon each had their own platform to stand and jump on, and they made full use of it. With his expressive moves and commanding presence, Rob stood out amid the controlled chaos, supported by the band’s tight and powerful musicianship. Songs like ‘Technology‘, ‘Uber‘, and ‘Come Out to LA‘ hit with seismic force, with the crowd screaming back every word. The room was LOUD. Maybe a contender for one of the most deafening shows I’ve been to, and all the better for it. The energy never once dipped, and every element of the performance landed perfectly.
The band briefly left the stage, as the crowd began chanting ”one more song”. Moments later, they returned for the encore, starting with ‘Fingernails‘. Nearing the end of the show, Rob took a moment to reflect on how much the night meant to them. The band have a history of playing shows in this Oxford venue, and he spoke about the fond memories and good times they’ve had in the city over the years. He went on to say it was his favourite show of the year so far, praising the incredible energy in the room – sentiments that set the tone perfectly as they launched into their final song, ‘T-Shirt Song‘. “I wanna see your T-shirts!” Rob shouted, and within seconds, hundreds of fans were swinging their shirts in the air and screaming every word. It was the perfect way to end the night.
With a new album on the horizon – recording for which, Rob revealed, begins next week – Don Broco aren’t just resting on their back catalogue of bangers. If this was just the warmup, Download better brace itself.
Taped Magazine 