Bristol O2 Academy, March 9th 2022
It goes without saying that alt-rock quintet know how to put on a show. After their sold-out Trinity Centre show last November, the boys returned to Bristol on Wednesday evening for a full-on party in the bigger, louder O2 Academy.
Their recently released3rd studio album ‘angel in realtime.’, with a focus on melodic riffs and experimental sampling, was practically built for live music alongside the band. The set lent to a perfect blend of festival-worthy numbers, such as epic ‘the angel of 8th ave” &atmospheric ballads. The band’s musical abilities and flexibility were impressive, noting members Tom Hobden and Jung Kim switching to different instruments multiple times between performances.
There also wasn’t a single key off all night, even as charismatic frontman Dave Le’aupepe forgot lyrics during his intimate solo piano rendition of the autobiographical ‘brothers’. He even joked about the piano’s likeness to The Rugrats’ theme tune. But when Le’aupepe started the song for the second time, there was not a single voice other than his to be heard.
The same could be said for the outro of their performance for the album closer ‘goal of the century’; the audience was completely and utterly captivated. Their attention was held through the set, including for their more uplifting singalongs. Le’aupepe, who hasn’t stopped dancing around the stage all night bar the piano. The incomparably honest and reflective ‘you in everything’ felt like we had known the band for years. And every single song was met with deafening cheers & extended applause. Their enchanting stage presence and the raw energy in their performance is a force to be reckoned with.
No security measure could have stopped their frontman as he climbed over the barrier and sung among the fans in the crowd. The set closed with fan favourite anthem ‘in the wake of your leave’, the perfect climax to an electric night. Gang of Youths’ Bristol headliner reminded us all of the incomparable magic and adrenaline that live music brings, and I can’t wait to catch them again
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@daisykentphoto 
Daisy Kent – Music Photographer
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