Okay, so I’m very late to the party. I discovered Don Broco after stumbling across a live performance of “Pretty” at the Royal Albert Hall. It was the most insane thing I’d seen in a while. A fucking pit at the Royal Albert Hall, yeah, that’s something you don’t see, ever.
These guys blend genres like nothing I’ve heard before; the closest thing I can think of is maybe Faith No More, that’s kinda it. I absolutely love the mix of synth-pop, metal, and everything in between. Rob Damiani really does smash the scream core and the more melodic stuff; the dude can sing, and the drummer’s harmonies give them a lot to experiment with. But the hooks, oh man, the hooks are huge.
I bought the latest album, Nightmare Tripping, on vinyl, as you do; this is a pretty badass record. The kind that if this came out in the ’80s or ’90s we’d be celebrating it as an album, on repeat everywhere we go. The title track features Chad from Nickelback. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. This one goes from hardcore metal to dance-pop to a massive arena chorus and keeps going. I’m always amazed by bands that can mash up genres like this. The creativity is off the charts, the hooks are massive, and you can’t put these guys neatly in a genre bucket. How can you hate on that?
The only time I’d been to Outernet in Soho before was for a LinkedIn event a year or two ago. What a cool venue. It reminds me of a House of Blues, like the ones they have in the States. Brilliant sound, and the design and layout keep everyone up front and close to the action. The place was packed, sold out, and rightfully so. The entire room was bouncing, hands in the air for every fucking song. Add a steady stream of crowd surfers and a pit that would make Slayer proud, and you’ve got a very happy Don Broco. I’ve never met these guys, but they seem like pretty cool dudes: down-to-earth and grateful for their fans.
I’d heard Rob used to get the crowd doing push-ups during “Thug Workout.” I don’t fuckin’ know. Can it be any crazier than the Viking-metal rowing crews you see at shows?
They opened with “True Believers” and came out swinging. A fucking mental first song. Don Broco have just been announced as direct support for Nickelback on the North American leg of their tour. I think they might need to ease that crowd into the heavier stuff before hitting them with a pit starter like this.
“Nightmare Tripping” came second and kept the pace up, with an electro-pop verse before the bridge rips your head off. Then that soaring chorus rewards you for hanging on. Fucking brilliant.
“Disappear” stood out. It slowed things down and brought a bit of ’80s arena rock into the room. Some of the older songs still sounded like Don Broco. Hearing them alongside the new stuff made the band’s evolution obvious. They were once famously labeled “lad rock.” Now they’re a sonic fucking blast to the face.
The rest of the set pulled heavily from the new album, which makes sense on the Nightmare Tripping tour. “Pretty” used to be a staple, I’d read, but they’ve got to make room for the new stuff. Sadly, it was cut. I guess I’ll have to see them next time and hope it’s back.
I can’t get enough of these guys at the moment. They seem primed for the breakthrough they’ve been on the verge of for years. Go get ’em, boys. Show the US how it’s done in the UK.
