Photos by Celia Medina
There’s not many bands I would see time and time again until they retire, but DMA’S are one I never miss when they’re in my vicinity. It’s been ten years since we first met, and it’s been ten years since the release of their debut album ‘Hill’s End’, we celebrated at a sold out Newcastle’s NX.
Harmonious indie rock group Salarymen have recently relocated to London, and I’m very glad they did, the idea of us now living in the same country is one I love. Their set was full of surprises, weaving soaring, wandering guitar lines with shapeshifting vocals, all propelled by thumping drums that pushed the band’s live set forward. Their set was filled with songs that have been out for a while, as well as tracks of their brand new album ‘Take It Or Leave It’. The four-piece captivated from the get-go, making for a fascinating opening act for much-loved Aussie pop outfit DMA’S.
Together with an enthused and intoxicated crowd I celebrated the ten year anniversary of DMA’S debut album ‘Hill’s End’ as the band played the album in its entirety. As guitarist Johnny mentioned, they’d not done that in a while and it’s a strange concept knowing the exact order of a live set ahead of the show, in particular since I already knew the order of the tracks on the album by heart. It made for a very special experience, being able to anticipate what was next, yet never entirely knowing how the audience would respond, or what would happen on stage and in the moment. Things I’ll never tire off are the way singer Tommy hugs his mic and the way he hypes up his adoring fans, the way guitarist Mason is completely absorbed in his own world, and the way guitarist Johnny passionately paces back and forth across the stage.
DMA’S have been a constant in my life for the past ten years, and to know they will be for a few more, is a comforting thought. Being able to join in on some of my favourite songs as the band sang them live, while they made the stage their own, is something I’ll never get tired of. Playing the track that launched them into the charts and onto worldwide radars second was a daring move, but evidently made no difference to the enthusiasm of the crowd. A personal favourite was ‘In The Moment’, which instantly made me tear up, something I’d expected from ‘Delete’, another, more eruptive favourite was album-closer ‘Play It Out’.
Part of the encore were more recent releases ‘Olympia’ and ‘Silver’ and all songs on the setlist received equal amounts of cheering, highlighting the strength of the Aussie’s musical catalogue. DMA’S are a grand example of a band that feeds off their audience and knows their strengths. Together with their still ever-growing fanbase, they celebrated what catapulted them onto world tours and so they created a night for us all to remember. I left Newcastle’s NX with rosy cheeks, a twinkle in my eyes, and a smile that’s still plastered on my face, from another evening filled with the music I adore, celebrating a release that’s marked a massive change in my life, and with people I’m grateful to call friends.
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