WORDS AND IMAGES: MATT MARTINEZ | It had been two years since English pop rock band Don Broco had been back to the United States, but they decided to start the year with a short two-week tour, hitting the west side of the United States. Making a stop at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, fans were excited to rock out to the hard-hitting, uplifting songs that Don Broco has become known for. This was quite a show and one that I won’t soon forget—the perfect way to kick off 2026.
Don Broco picked two stellar bands to help open the show and get fans’ heartbeats pounding: Sace6 and Dropout Kings. Sace6, an alternative pop duo from New York, got the night started. Fronted by vocalist Sace, his high tenor vocals rang angelically in the ears of the fans. Guitarist Noah Thomas added a hard edge to Sace6’s sound with his distorted guitar tone and screaming vocals, which were layered with Sace. Sace6 even brought out guest vocalist, Showing Teeth, for “Said and Done,” which added a unique dimension to the show. Sace6 mixed melodic and scream vocals and instrumental melodies to give us a robust set that made many new fans in Los Angeles.
Dropout Kings took the stage next with the energy of a five-year-old who just ate too much candy. Co-vocalist William “Black Cat Bill” Lauderdale was as animated as an anime character—dancing, bouncing, and running across every inch of the stage. I’m surprised the man didn’t jump into the audience. Fellow co-vocalist Rob Sebastian worked the whole stage with a swagger like he owned the place, while guitarist Chucky Guzman was a bunny rabbit jumping around the stage, and a grin on his face that showed how much he loved performing for us. The sugar rush Dropout Kings gave us was a musical high I can’t wait to experience again.
It was then time for our headliner, with Don Broco taking the stage. Kicking their set off with “Cellophane,” this was a pulse-pounding way to start the show. Fans were singing, losing their minds, and jumping along with the beat of the song. If you were up on the balcony of the theatre, you could feel the balcony swaying with the force of the fans jumping. We had all instantly entered a musical high within moments and couldn’t be happier to be anywhere else than seeing Don Broco performing live again.
Lead singer Rob Damiani has an infectious energy that feels bright and welcoming, along with a fashionable yet casual style, and you can’t help but keep your eyes locked on everything he does on stage. Guitarist Simon Delaney rips on his guitar while melting the faces of the fans in the front row. The man feeds off the energy of the crowd and gives us a show back by throwing high kicks that even a professional gymnast would be jealous of.
Bassist Tom Doyle is a bit more reserved with his antics on stage, but you could see him making eye contact with everyone in the audience and singing along with them as he plucks away on his bass. At one point, a fan threw a pink cowboy hat at Doyle, who promptly put it on for the rest of the set to the joy of the fans in the venue. Drummer Matt Donnelly isn’t just pounding away on the kit; he also helps provide lead vocals with Damiani. While Damiani may be singing with a harsher sound, Donnelly layers in his melodic, clean vocals to help take fans to a higher plane of existence.
Don Broco kept up this exciting, life-filled energy throughout their set as we all sang along, with the biggest smiles on our faces. For the penultimate song, “T-Shirt Song,” the band has created a tradition of fans taking off their shirts and swinging them above their heads. Creating a unifying moment between the band and fans as we all enjoy the world in harmony.
Though this was a quick two-week tour through very select cities, Los Angeles fans were finally blessed to see Don Broco again, and we made sure the band knew they were loved here. Since we are still at the beginning of the year, there’s still plenty of time for Don Broco to come back to the States for a more extended headlining tour, or even as a support band for another major tour. Regardless, Los Angeles will show up the next time Don Broco sets foot in our vicinity.
DROPOUT KINGS
SACE6
