In response to the ever-asked query, “What constitutes your quintessential live performance?” my mind inexorably traverses back to a damp and blustery November night in 2021. The nation, tentatively emerging from the pandemic’s grip, witnessed the triumphant resurgence of grand-scale concerts. Don Broco, amidst this rekindling, orchestrated a sold-out spectacle at Bristol’s O2. A milieu of extraordinary resonance unfolded—a cathartic release of energy enveloped 1,500 souls, on and off the stage, unshackling pent-up emotions as if confined for an eternity. To this day, it stands as the apogee of atmospheric splendor within the confines of an indoor arena—a memory revisited through sporadic YouTube video glimpses.
Fast-forward to December 2023, and the resurgence of Don Broco beckons. Was the prior night a singular phenomenon, an unrepeatable zenith?
The ensemble returned to the limelight with their headline “Birthday Party Tour,” in tandem with their latest single. The impending response to the aforementioned inquiry unfolded in a crescendo of vocal exuberance, a symphony of screams painted in technicolor. Flowing mullets, golden drum kits, and guitars in a kinetic blur graced the stage, against the backdrop of a fervent human throng.
Maestros of anticipation, Broco artfully prolonged the crowd’s anticipation, elevating an already charged atmosphere to a fervent climax. The initiation with “Gumshield” saw the O2 on the verge of spontaneous combustion. The decibel level from the outset was unparalleled. Vocalist Rob Damiani’s radiant smile, a testament to the impending sonic spectacle, traversed the lip of the stage—a harbinger of another Don Broco odyssey. The microphone extended into the vociferous horde during the intro to “Manchester Super Reds no.1 Fan,” accompanied by a seismic kick resonating on the Richter scale.
A glance backward revealed contorted faces in the front row, flushed and demented, eyes transfixed on the stage, spittle escaping as every lyric was roared. Transported back to that fateful night in November ’21, a low-flying crowd surfer’s swift kick to the head jolted me back to the present. Recognition of the nuclear fusion transpiring was not exclusive to me. The band momentarily interrupted the sonic onslaught to reminisce about the previous special night in Bristol, emphatically asserting it as one of their paramount performances—a gauntlet subtly laid down before tonight’s assembled masses, a challenge met with fervor.
The setlist paid homage to devotees spanning eras, venturing back to 2012’s “Priorities” with “Fancy Dress,” yet predominantly anchored in 2021’s “Amazing Things,” the band’s chart-topping opus. Broco’s musical ethos, seamlessly melding electro, rock, pop, and metal anthems, coupled with unwavering energy, bestows upon them a universal allure. A concoction teetering on the brink of overflow, epitomized by the visceral experiences elicited through “Bruce Willis” and “Everybody.”
As 2024 heralds a well-earned hiatus for the band, the encore assumes an added poignancy. Bristol bids adieu in grandiose fashion—an epidermis-tingling, T-shirt-swirling, full-throttle “T-Shirt Song” singalong.
Nights of such transcendence are a rare commodity, and it speaks volumes that, on the limited occasions I’ve been privy to such spectacles, Don Broco has consistently served as the catalyzing force.
📷📝 @bristolnomad_gigphotography
@thebristolnomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Chief, the one that bugs the team for team for their reviews and images. Creator and founder of The Bristol Gig Guide. Can usually be found swamped in admin or getting cramp kneeling at the front of a gig.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Videography work, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Republica, circa 1996.
First gig shot: Hands Off Gretel, at The Louisiana!
Dream gig: Huge metalhead and my ultimate dream gig would be shooting my heroes Slipknot at a huge stadium gig, or as festival headliners. And to experience shooting a headline tour outside the UK
