Live Review: Don Broco & Man With A Mission - O2 Academy, Bristol 09/02/2018
Don Broco have taken an incredible rise in the music industry in the past few years, selling out Alexandra Palace last year has got to be a highlight but after dropping their 3rd album, they’re back on the road. Technology is an album that challenges the music industry, an album that you couldn’t put into a genre if you tried, Don Broco brought a steller album to the table, we couldn’t wait to see what was in store at Bristol O2 Academy.
Arriving the one of the longest queues I’ve ever seen at the academy, the fans are eager. Taking the stage, Man With A Mission burst out on stage wearing wolf masks that excites the audience, who knows what we’re on for. Bringing a tech-metal vibe to the building, they’re energy is like no other. This band are huge in Japan and it’s not long until they’ll be big over here, their fusion of genres brings a difference to this tours lineup and the crowd absolutely love it.
It’s not long after that the venue is filled with echoes of Pretty and Don Broco strut onto stage one by one, with the screams getting louder and louder from the crowd until Rob Damiani takes his place center stage. It’s not long before Damiani makes his way to be with the crowd, jumping onto the barrier halfway through Everybody, nearly getting pulled in by the exhilarant crowd below. Don Broco break quickly through tracks, new and old, the crowd never tire and there’s circle pits as wide as the venue. Throwing in their cover of Rock Star / Points of Authority that they played on Radio 1 a few days before, the crowd are screaming the words of the popular songs back at them. Slowing things down with an old track, Further, the crowd grab a breath for a second but it leads to a moving singalong. Taking a second to grab a quick crowd photo before they break into the oldest track they play live, Thug Workout, the crowd are off their feet again, halfway through the Push Up Squad drop to their traditional mid set workout, before opening up a venue wide circle pit, bringing the enthusiasm up to another level. They bring it back to the future with an encore of top track off the album, Come Out To La and finally finishing with crowd favourite, T-Shirt Song. The crowd are on each others shoulders, swinging their t-shirts above their head like there’s no tomorrow. There isn’t any complaints from the crowd, Don Broco pulled off a breathtaking live set, but was there a lack of newness from their latest album. Although they played five tracks off Technology, they’re all tracks that were played at Ally Pally, except for one.
Was there no thought to give the crowd something new?
Overall an incredible set but we just wanted something more.
Review and Photography by Ami Ford