This was not a standard DMA’S show, the boys are used to playing much bigger venues these days. Their biggest headline show to date was the Alexandra Palace in London for 10,000 fans back in October 2021. This was essentially a fans-only special acoustic show supported by Crash Records as part of the band’s ‘How Many Dreams? UK Record Store Tour’. If you bought the new DMA’S album, you could purchase up to four tickets. It was, as expected. a sell-out and the Crescent is a perfect intimate setting for a gig like this. The crowd was full of DMA’S acolytes and disciples who worshipped the band and hang onto their every word. The DMA’S are very much a lad band in the bastard sons of Oasis lineage. That said they do have some great songs with epic choruses though, most of which knock the spots of anything Oasis recorded after “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?” They have had some pretty high-level support slots with Liam Gallagher, the Kooks, and Richard Ashcroft to name just a few. On record, particularly with the new album, their fourth, the DMA’S have begun to develop and move a little further away from the core sound of their earlier songs. But at the Crescent they were playing to the gallery and pulled out all the stops to make this a truly special treat for their fans. The crowd voiced their “lad band chant” of “D, D, DMA” at every opportunity and every one of the audience seemed right up for a great night, and that is exactly what DMA’S delivered.
Tommy O’Dell’s voice was in great shape and Johnny Took was the band’s key communicator with their fervent fans. Looking at how the band reacts with their punters it is clear that they really “get” who put them where they are, truly humble and in many respects not just a lad band, but a people’s band. I can’t see DMA’S ever doing a Royal Blood. The set had many highs, for me “Silver” from 2020’s ‘The Glow’ album and “Fading Like A Picture” from the new album were stunning. Of course, they performed their now obligatory cover of Cher’s “Believe” which is always good. For their next cover, I would love to see them tackle a rock cover of a Kylie classic in homage to a fellow Aussie success story. Set closer “Everybody’s Saying Thursday’s The Weekend” ended the short set on a high of mountainous proportions. For a short time you never would have believed it was a Sunday night, the crowd went mental and were properly “mad for it”.
There are three dates left on this tour, but I reckon they might all be sold out, but give it a try just in case!
Sun 11 June Edinburgh Assai Records @ The Caves
Tue 13 June Middlesbrough Reflex Records @ The Empire
Wed 14 June Manchester Crash Records @ GorillaJune
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