DMA’S – Live at Bradford St George’s Hall 13th April

Words: Diamond Dave

How amazing it was to be seeing a band in the beautiful St George’s Hall in Bradford. They have all played here… in 1854 Charles Dickens read A Christmas Carol, in 1962 The Rolling Stones took to this stage then the 70’s saw Led Zepellin and Queen perform!  And I do believe the last time I was here was to see Motorhead and Clutch. Tonight is the turn for Sydney band DMA’S. Add to this the fact that the band are celebrating their album going into the National Charts at No.3, well there is a definite feeling of celebration in the air. I am heartened to see such diversity in ages in the crowd, with people in their 50’s happy to be grooving along with teenagers, some of who are undoubtedly their children.

The band hit the stage with new album title track, How Many Dreams? and just like the album, it runs into Olympia which is obviously a firm fan favourite. Singer Tommy O’Dell has a voice which doesn’t lose any of it’s beauty and angelic nature shown on the band’s records while he struts the stage in a manner reminiscent of Liam Gallagher and Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream. The Rabid crowd are treated to a host of cuts from the new album, Fading Like A Picture, Sometimes We Are Overcoming sound massive and all have the crowd taking over vocal duties from O’Dell which he is obviously to his delight.

Fellow musicians Johnny Took and Matt Mason (no , not THAT Matt Mason!!!) cannot hide the smiles as the band play tracks from older albums The Glow and For Now. Some of the material from the new album shows that there is a definite nod to dance music (which is no bad thing!) and I am not surprised as the crowd start their “Yorkshire! Yorkshire!” chants which is this the highest praise that a band can receive in these parts and the band make a point of displaying how important the British fans are to their rise. The acoustic guitars come out for the track Forever and it shows that one of the really great parts of the band is that at different points, you can rock/dance and sing at the top of your lungs all within the hour and a half set. The band launch into Lay Down and leave the stage, although there could have been a major incident if the band didn’t come back to the stage for a 4 song encore, which finishes with Everybody’s Saying Thursday Is The Weekend – and on the reaction of this crowd on a Bradford Thursday night….well never a truer word has been spoken!!!