DMA's, the Guest List and Matt Felix at Brixton Academy

I will spare you the hour's anguish I spent trying to get the ticket I had actually bought, but the agency said they didn't issue the ticket, one had to use the venue app, then the app required you to log in through the agency account... Basically an utterly pointless shit show between SeeTickets, Ticketmaster and the O2, mainly the latter. Quite simply if you are an agent selling me something then you should be entirely responsible for providing it - not just say you have to find it through the venue somehow. (OK, so I didn't spare you entirely....But trust me there was a long version...)

But after a busy day in the office I headed out into the rain (will it ever stop raining?) to join a queue at Brixton Academy. A queue which was probably not as long as it might have been as it was in the pouring rain. My reward for perseverance was not only a place standing at the front, but pretty much central too.

The opener made the stage fairly quickly too (and therefore to a slightly sparse audience). Matt Felix, a lanky singer songwriter dressed in baggy black clothes on a skinny frame. He clearly was a man of style. And although a solo act he had a band, all similarly but not identically attired. Appearances clearly mattered to him. And it was an enjoyable enough set too, so not all style over substance. But not sure I would go out of my way to see him again

The second support clearly already had a fan base, including two overexcited teenage girls next to me! The Guest List are a five piece indie band, and they are a band I would go out of my way to see again. Indeed my first thought was why I hadn't come across them before, largely answered by the lead singer announcing "We are the Guest List from Manchester". They are not from these parts, so I hadn't seen their name around the London venues I frequent. But after a few songs I recognised one and realised I had seen them as a support act before, about a year ago. 

Suffice to say I really enjoyed their set start to finish, and they were rather better than the last time I saw them. Lead singer has a loud strong voice (for a skinny lad). The style of music is very much to my taste. They just felt more assured than when I saw them last.

So much for the starters. Main course were the ever excellent DMA's. The "excuse" for this tour was that they were playing their first album, Hill's End, in full for its 10th anniversary. Its just one of those defining debut albums. Subsequent, both their and other people's, follow up albums might have good tracks but you feel there are fillers in them to make up the numbers for their record company's demand for a new album every other year. But every  track on Hill's End is great start to finish.

DMA's are an extraordinary band full stop. If one was merely describing them they wouldn't sound appealing. They are not a good looking bunch of blokes, and dress even worse. Real chavs. Lead singer, Tommy O'Dell, doesn't offer much in the way of personality (and during musical interludes during the set would sneak behind the drum kit for a quick fag). Rhythm guitarist Johnny Took sings along, but they don't give him a mic, so presumably has a terrible voice. And on record they sound good but a little middle of the road.

But live they are just brilliant. How come? Well O'Dell may look like a guttersnipe in baggy jeans/tracksuit just off the street, but has the sweetest voice. The songs are fantastic and anthemic and have the whole audience joining in throughout, not just the odd chorus. That MoR feel on record is replaced by a much rockier sound when live. And Took may not sing but his dramatic and comic poses on guitar make him a sort of second frontman. 

No style, oodles of substance.

This was a totally joyous, raucous gig, with much crowd surfing down the front towards the end. And this was only their first night of two...

Tommy O'Dell

Took on rhythm guitar taking centre stage