LIVE REVIEW: Don Broco, Trash Boat, Ocean Grove, O2 Academy Bournemouth, 16/12/2023
Photo Credit: Kevin O’Sullivan (19th December – KOKO, London)
It might have nearly been Christmas but the most important event on December’s agenda for many was Don Broco’s Birthday Party Tour. As we headed to one of Bournemouth’s most beautiful venues, the O2 Academy in Boscombe, we were ready for a celebration and the crowd most definitely were too.
Opening up tonight’s proceedings were Australia’s Ocean Grove kicking their set off with JUNKIE$, it was a welcomed introduction to their nu-metal, electro-rock edged sound getting us hooked from the onset. Performing tracks from across their discography including BORED and SILVER LINING from latest album Up In The Air Forever. The great thing about this tour is that each band brings their own unique sound to the line-up and with that their own set of fans, some of which are there specifically to see them. This was true for the openers as we spotted pockets across the audience chanting back with Dale Tanner’s passionate vocals. Closing their set with the incredibly catchy SUNNY, it was clear the response the band received was appreciated which in turn led to those new to the band getting on board quickly and jumping around as instructed. Hopefully we’ll be able to check out Ocean Grove next time they head to the UK. 7/10
Trash Boat are no strangers to us at Bring The Noise and had a significant number of fans in the O2 Academy. Throwing the crowd in at the deep end with Synthetic Sympathy and Silence Is Golden, unfortunately something felt off with the sound for the band’s set causing the usually slick vocals of Tobi Duncan to be overpowered by the heavy guitar backing. Latest single Liar Liar, which had been out for just a week prior to the show became a setlist standout. The anti modern podcast culture anthem even gave the ultimate crowd participation as the strong crowd chanted along to ‘P-I-S-S-I-N-G’ (like K-I-S-S-I-N-G but the Trash Boat version). Doing Bournemouth proud, the band confirmed tonight’s crowd was louder than any other on the tour and for a support act set we were incredibly impressed with the volume and chaos being unleashed throughout the audience.
After going a little too hard on Liar Liar, a short interlude for Oakley Moffat to fix the kick drum took place before trashing right back into Alpha Omega; the relatable number for everyone ‘who knows someone they can call a fucking idiot’ as a therapeutic shout along filled the venue. As the band began to draw to a close of their packed set, Don’t You Feel Amazing? showed off Duncan’s sultry vocals as it seemed the sound issues had made a notable improvement as the set had progressed. Closing with He’s So Good which looks at sexuality, gender and identity, Duncan explained the controversy which came when the track was first released, reminding the crowd ‘you should be able to do what you want, don’t waste your time trying to change their minds’. It was a powerful way to close their set and a little reminder of why Trash Boat are going to be on many people’s ones to watch list for 2024. 7/10
After a longer than usual gap between sets, the lights finally dimmed, balloons flew around the venue and we were ready for the birthday party to really kick off as Don Broco took the stage straight into Gumshield from latest album Amazing Things. From the onset, bodies were flying around the room and pits breaking out everywhere we looked as the crowd instantly overpowered Rob Damiani and Matt Donnelly’s vocals.
Due to an injury acquired earlier in the tour, Damiani was sporting a neck brace tonight, going against doctors orders to perform the show but it didn’t stop him giving his all bounding down front of stage with Simon Delaney and Tom Doyle. Tonight’s setlist took us down memory lane as Actors and Yeah Man from the band’s 2012 debut album Priorities made appearances on the setlist. Although not as well received as the newer material, these throwback tracks including the acoustic take on Yeah Man were a refreshing reminder of the evolution of Don Broco which has led them to the heavier rock sounds showcased on newer material. It was a party inspired set, showcasing the dual vocals of Damiani and Donnelly and Doyle and Delaney’s stomping guitars particularly during Pretty where the crowd understood the assignment with feet barely hitting the floor as a wall of death opened up.
Speaking to the crowd between tracks, Damiani shouted out a fan who’d travelled from Germany for the show and gifted him an original pair of rather fetching sunglasses which led to us finding out many audience members weren’t actually local to the area. Younger fan Dottie who was celebrating her 11th birthday and her first gig, became the star of the show as she had the packed out venue singing a surprisingly in-tune happy birthday for her. What a way to celebrate your birthday!
Changing things up came with Bruce Willis and One True Prince, both highlighting Donnelly’s superb vocals with the later being one of the band’s favourites from their latest album. Showing off the different sides to the band, it was evident the crowd were there for the chaos and You Wanna Know made sure it would quickly return. Informing them, ‘We think you’ve been the rowdiest crowd from the start of the night til now’ it became a challenge to keep it up for the rest of the night as tour mates Ocean Grove and Trash Boat joined them for filthy rock number Action as the ‘spring chickens with no neck injuries’ joked Damiani.
The quartet’s strength not just lies within hook filled guitar lines but also bring the house down choruses such as those in Superlove and Endorphins which had the venue floor shaking and the crowd completely overpowering every noise coming from the stage. Don Broco were running through their veins and as the breakdown kicked in, the party continued to reach fever point.
After a power duo of Birthday Party and Everybody to close the main set, the crowd kicked in to a Hey Baby singalong as the lighting guy got in on the action and Don Broco returned to the stage once more. Tonight’s show was a musical and visual showcase, setting the stage up in theme of their Amazing Things album cover and turning it into a neon disco, it felt like the band had hit a whole new level with this tour. From one of their heaviest tracks Fingernails, offering up one final musical punch it was left to the incredibly fun T-Shirt Song to close off the party, it was like we were by the seaside but instead watching a sea of t-shirts swinging around everywhere we looked instead of serene waves. It felt as if everyone waving their t-shirt above their head was watching all their cares going away with the power music can hold really being highlighted tonight as they left to a chorus of cheers.
With this tour seeing them visiting places they’ve not been in a while, they explained that after the tour finished they would be spending much of 2024 working on their new album meaning this was one of the final chances to see the band live before they go into the studio. Don Broco are a band we remember seeing even before their debut album was released, so to watch the band evolve musically and in turn their fanbase exponentially grow was a delightful sight to see in the beautiful O2 Academy backdrop tonight. 8/10
Written By: Nicola Craig
