Liverpool M&S Bank Arena was pretty much sold out for Aussie indie lads the DMA’S.
After not catching Rats due to a hold up getting into the venue, I was in time to catch hometown low fi indie pop boys Night Café. Walking on to the stage to a huge show in your hometown… can there be any better feeling?! Having played quite few shows since coming out of lockdown the band had an air of confidence and seemed extremely comfortable on the large arena stage. Night Cafe have taken the classic indie guitar pop of Liverpool and made it their own, Having already released a fair few singles, 3 EPs and 1 album, all signs are pointing to great success in 2021.
This is the third time I have covered the DMA’S Tom Odell (vocals), Matt Mason (Lead Guitar), Johnny Took (Acoustic guitar and Keys) and each time they get better and better. Tonight, was no different, even better than the two previous shows.
The venue was packed, and the crowd were fully amped for the arrival of their heroes. Chants of DMA’S rang around the room. The band walked on to the stage and the venue erupted. The DMA’S star is shining so brightly right now, and it’s rightly deserved.
Australia has served up some amazing indie pop bands over the last 2 decades and now we can add the DMA’S to that list. Three lads from Sydney, Australia, playing, if I had to pigeonhole it, Oasis-inspired Britpop with shades of the La’s, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans. But they are so much more than that. They write truly great songs.
Right from the very first song, the crowd sang along, and I sang along too. It’s hard to pick any particular song that stood out, because they were all great tunes. The band played tracks from all their releases, “Hills End”, “For Now”, “The Glow” and the post pandemic EP release “I Love You Unconditionally, Sure I Am Going To Miss You”.
Right from the first chords of “Never Before”, the indie bangers came one after another, “The Glow”, “Dawning”. “In The Moment” and “Silver” then follows, a delicately beautiful song and my personal favourite. And I quote my friend and huge DMA’S fan, Andy Everley “One of the best songs written in the last ten years”. Praise indeed. Silver” swoops and dips with the most beautiful melodies and harmonies. Tom Odell’s voice shines and the lyrics are so moving and tender.
“Life Is A Game Of Changing”, “Criminals” and the title track of their latest EP release “We Are Midnight” follow and the whole venue is rocking and what the band lack in audience interaction, is made up with brilliant song writing, amazing performance and true beauty of Toms voice. He really was immaculate tonight. I could listen to him sing all day. Throw in the brilliantly fractured vulnerability of their breakthrough record “Delete”, and it really was a night to remember.
As the band played a set of anthemic indie pop gems, it was amazing to turn around and watch a crowd of over 8,000 singing along word for word, bringing back memories of scenes past, and anticipation of what these three chaps could go on to achieve. Lead singer Tommy O’Dell voice dipped and soared across the room, accompanied by Matt Mason and Johnny Took on lead guitar and acoustic guitar and the night was over in a flash.
A big shout out to Tom’s Maine Road moment when he walked onto the stage for the encore, resplendent in his Everton FC training top, arms spread and head back soaking up the atmosphere. So, until the next time lads, cheers!!!!!
SET LIST
1/ NEVER BEFORE
2/ THE GLOW
3/ DAWNING
4/ IN THE MOMENT
5/ SILVER
6/ LIFE IS A GAME OF CHANGING
7/ CRIMINALS
8/ EMILY WHYTE
9/ WE ARE MIDNIGHT
10/ TAPE DECK SICK
11/ IN THE AIR
12/ HELLO GIRLFRIEND
13/ DELETE
14/ JUNK TRUCK HEAD FUCK
15/ PLAY IT OUT
ENCORE
16/ APPOINTMENT
17/ LAY DOWN
18/ FEELS LIKE 37
FOLLOW DMA’S
FOLLOW NIGHT CAFE
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
