There are a few artists and bands that are an enigma to me, such as Frank Turner. When I first saw Mr T everybody was going crackers and I felt as if I’d accidentally walked into a religious gathering and wasn`t sure if I should be there and what the hell was it that I was missing. I have now seen FT a fair few times and have come to appreciate what he offers and maybe I`m now converted.
The same applies to DMAs, i`ve seen them once before and had that same sense of unease so I was keen to reacquaint myself with the band to see if I could again be transformed. This evening was gonna be a little different as the show was, in the main, an acoustic outing for these guys, which to me was a brave move and has to be applauded.
As I entered the main room of The Mill, it`s already heaving with twelve hundred expectant and devoted fans, who as the lights dim and the fellas walk on stage, chant “DMAs DMAs” and it feels as if you’re at a football match. The band welcome and thank the audience and head straight into `Feels Like 37` a song of a relationship on the slide from their first EP. Their fourth album `How Many Dreams? ` came out earlier this year and they happen to choose my favourite song from it with `Olympia` a rousing anthem, written for their fans with it`s delightful shimmering guitar riff.
A dip into the back catalogue with `Silver` seems to up the frenzy and noise level a notch with all and sundry singing along and waving their arms in the air. We have a couple of tracks from the latest album with `Something We Are Overcoming` which sounds completely different stripped back and `Fading Like A Picture`
The heart-breaking ballads `In the Air` and `Forever` follow before the band close the show out with `Delete` a wonderfully deep song of hope and oddly a cover of Cher`s hit `Believe` which really works but shouldn`t. It`s not long before the group returns for a three-song encore with a nod to their beginnings with `The Switch` and `Lay Down` before sending us home with `Everybody’s Saying Thursday’s The Weekend` a positive message which seems to encourage avoiding the dangers of excess and finding solace in friendship or with that certain someone.
In the last twenty-four hours i`ve managed to attend an intimate gig with bona fide Australian rock legend Ian Moss former guitarist and occasional singer with Cold Chisel and this evening i`ve been at a long sold-out show with the new heirs apparent to Australia`s rock crown.
After tonight am I any closer to understanding the appeal of this band and I have to say yes. DMAs seem to have hit on the zeitgeist of this current generation and what is lacking from so many other bands out there.
Their songs speak of all the worries, fears and anxieties of those challenging formative adolescent years and offer a positive viewpoint. I read somewhere that the band are the most British Australian band ever and that is a fair summery.
It seems to me like this band are stadium bound and rightly so.
